Hermosillo International Airport (Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional de Hermosillo); officially Aeropuerto Internacional General Ignacio L. Pesqueira(General Ignacio L. Pesqueira International Airport) (IATA: HMO, ICAO: MMHO), is an international airport situated in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. It handles both national and international air traffic for the Hermosillo metropolitan area. It also houses military facilities for the Mexican Army and supports logistics and cargo airlines. Additionally, it facilitates various activities related to tourism, flight training, and general aviation. It functions as a focus city for the regional airline TAR Aerolíneas.
The airport's operations are managed by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico, and it is named after Ignacio L. Pesqueira, a former Governor of Sonora. In 2023, it ranked as the busiest airport in Sonora and the thirteenth-largest in Mexico, serving 2,189,800 passengers and surpassing the 2-million threshold for the first time.[1]
History
Passenger terminal airside
The current airport was inaugurated in 1982 to replace the former airfield previously located in an area known as La Manga. Hermosillo has a historical significance as a commercial aviation hub, particularly for Aeromexico. Starting in the 1940s, it served as a connecting point for cities in northwestern Mexico and Arizona, including Tijuana, La Paz, Chihuahua, Torreón, Nogales, Ciudad Obregón, Guaymas, Cananea, Tucson, and Phoenix.[2]
During the 1990s and 2000s, Aerolitoral, now known as Aeroméxico Connect, operated a hub out of Hermosillo for many years. This hub connected cities across Mexico and also offered flights to U.S. cities such as Los Angeles and Phoenix. However, it was eventually downsized to a focus city and ultimately closed in 2017.[3][4]
From 1988 to 1999, the airport served as the headquarters and hub for the regional airline Aviación del Noroeste. In the early 2000s, the airport's runway and taxiways were widened to accommodate wide-body aircraft that might need to divert, such as Aeromexico's Boeing 787 on several occasions.[5]
Facilities
Passenger terminal entrance
The airport is situated at an elevation of 191 metres (627 ft) above mean sea level. It features a single runway, designated as 05/23, measuring 2,300 metres (7,500 ft) in length and surfaced with asphalt. The commercial apron can accommodate 12 narrow-body aircraft, and there is a general aviation apron for fixed-wing aircraft as well as two heliports for private and occasional third-level commercial aviation use. The airport frequently serves as the primary alternate airport for flights going to Tijuana International Airport in cases of unfavorable weather or technical issues.
The passenger terminal accommodates both arrivals and departures for domestic and international flights. The ground floor houses the arrivals area with customs and immigration facilities, the baggage claim area, and the departures section that includes a check-in area, a security checkpoint, and a departures concourse with gates 1-6 that provide direct access to the apron, enabling passengers to walk to their aircraft. From this departure concourse, access to the upper floor is available, which houses snack bars, souvenir shops, and gates 7 and 8 equipped with jet bridges for boarding. The airport provides taxi services, and ground transportation is offered by four companies with a fleet of 120 vehicles, including cars and Eurovan-type vans.[6]
Passenger terminal entrance
Hermosillo Airport also hosts cargo facilities and includes a dedicated general aviation terminal situated to the north of the passenger terminal. It supports various activities, such as tourism, flight training, executive aviation, and general aviation. The airport has obtained several certifications, including the Clean Industry certification from PROFEP, ISO-9000, and accessibility for users with special needs. Within its facilities, there is a water treatment plant that processes sewage water for reuse in garden irrigation and various construction processes, including dust control and earthwork.
Air Force Base No. 18 (Spanish: Base Aérea Militar No. 18 Hermosillo, Sonora) (BAM-18) is a facility of the Mexican Air Force located at the Hermosillo Airport. It is the operational base for the 107th Air Squadron, which operates Cessna 182 and Pilatus PC-6 aircraft. Additionally, the 3rd Air Surveillance Squadron operates C-26 Metroliner and Embraer 145 AEW&C aircraft at these facilities, and the 204th Air Squadron operates Beechcraft T-6 Texan II aircraft. The base encompasses a 17,500 square metres (188,000 sq ft) aviation platform, three hangars, and various accommodations for Air Force personnel.[7][8]
