Tulum's Airport Name in Jeopardy: Councilman Proposes Change

Tulum's airport, located in Felipe Carrillo Puerto, faces a significant name change as Tulum councilman Eugenio Barbachano proposes removing the town's name from the airport terminal. Barbachano argues that the terminal should be renamed to reflect its actual location, which is in the neighboring municipality of Felipe Carrillo Puerto.

The proposal comes amidst declining international operations at the airport, with Aeroméxico suspending flights, Volaris ending service, and American Airlines ceasing flights from Miami. The terminal has seen a 63.8% decline in international operations from August 2025 to August 2026, with 4,026 international passengers in September compared to 7,572 in August.

Barbachano's proposal aims to address the airport's image and reputation, arguing that calling it the Tulum International Airport is a fraud on tourists. He advocates for the terminal to be renamed to reflect its actual location in Felipe Carrillo Puerto, where it is situated on ejido land and serves as a private airport for that municipality.

With no formal filing, the federal operator is being asked to relinquish the airport's most valuable asset. The councilman's proposal underscores the tension between the federal operator and the local municipality over the airport's name and operations.