As announced 10 days ago, the Arrival Report (Cierre de plan de vuelo) used to close flight plans in Mexico is being eliminated ALMOST entirely. We have received the official notification and have reviewed it and this is what we have determined.
The half letter page size form is being eliminated for VFR and IFR flights that depart and land at airports in Mexico which have a SENEAM tower or dispatch office at the airport. SENEAM is the civil aviation ATC arm of the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation. However, flights to airports that DO NOT have a SENEAM tower or dispatch office will have to go to the DGAC office to fill out the Arrival Report. What is not specifically stated, but is implied, is that for international flights you will still have to fill out an arrival report. We consider this latter point to be a good thing because the DGAC, Immigration and Customs typically stamp this form thus giving the pilot a physical document to substantiate when the aircraft entered Mexico and that it complied with the requirements of these three federal agencies.
Therefore, if you fly to Cancun, Mexico you should expect to fill out an arrival report. However, if you then fly to Campeche, Mexico, you should not have to fill out an Arrival Report as the flight originated and ended at an airport in Mexico. Please note that airports like Ensenada, San Felipe Nogales and a few others may have towers but they ARE NOT SENEAM towers so you should expect to have to go to the DGAC office regardless of the origin of the flight to fill out an Arrival Report.
This new rule went into effect on the 6'th of May although it did not get distributed until yesterday.
