FEMPPA Complaint Regarding Illegal ASA Charges in Matamoros (1998)

August 8, 1998

Juan Antonio Bargés Mestres
Director General of Civil Aeronautics

Dear Toño:

Three months ago, when I landed in Matamoros in my Cessna on a stop en route to the United States in order to complete immigration and customs procedures, the ASA employee tried to charge me landing fees. I explained that the charge was illegal, and he in turn asked me to explain it to the local ASA administrator, who, after listening to me, agreed that I was right, but asked me to pay under protest on that occasion because he needed to consult the matter with his superiors. I did so and wrote on the invoice, with a warning, that it would be the last time I paid.

At both ASA and the airport command office, I left copies of the Official Gazette of the Federation in which the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit establishes that landing fees may not be charged to aircraft that land exclusively to complete mandatory procedures or to refuel. I also left a copy of the official letter in which the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit transcribes and confirms the provisions published in the Official Gazette, as well as a copy of a flight plan from another airport bearing, on the reverse side, an ASA stamp reading: “Exempt from charge pursuant to Article 18.”

Two months ago I landed again in Matamoros and refused to pay, which the ASA employee accepted reluctantly.

On July 22 I landed again in Matamoros, arriving from the United States, in order to complete immigration and customs procedures. As on previous occasions, the Airports and Auxiliary Services employee tried to charge me landing fees, and when I refused to pay, she asked me to accompany her to the command office.

Before an aeronautical inspector, she explained that the previous time I had not paid her coworker, ASA had held him responsible and forced him to cover the amount out of his own pocket. She added that the documents I had left had been discussed with ASA auditors, who stated that the authority is ASA, not the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit nor the Official Gazette, and that unless ASA informs them otherwise in writing, the employees are responsible for the payment and are obligated to collect it.

Faced with such arbitrariness, I explained that ASA is not an authority, but a service provider, and I requested that the aeronautical inspector draw up a report recording the facts. Arguing that drawing up a report over a payment of 21.92 pesos was a waste of time, they agreed to let me leave without paying, after noting and signing my reasons on the invoice. On invoice A-MAM-005548 I wrote, “This charge is illegal pursuant to the provisions of the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit, copies of which I delivered, and for that reason I refuse to pay,” and I signed it, but they threatened me that next time I would not be authorized to take off unless I paid.

As you once mentioned, the blame for abuses lies in part with those of us who allow them. Many of the pilots with whom I have discussed these events have told me that, because it is such a small amount of money, they prefer to pay rather than get into trouble and lose time.

At FEMPPA, we prefer to report these illegal charges, which we are certain you are unaware of, but which ASA has been making not only in Matamoros but also in Reynosa and other airports, to the detriment of those of us who by law or necessity are required to land there.

Warm regards,

José López del Puerto

cc:
Alfredo Elías Ayub, ASA, Mexico City / Pedro Pérez Cámara, ASA, Matamoros, Tamaulipas / Command Office of Matamoros Airport, Tamaulipas / http://www.femppa.org

(Translated by ChatGPT on June 2026)