Mexico airport operator OMA to scale up with Vinci partnership

MONTERREY, Mexico (Reuters) - Mexican airport operator OMA will scale up "to another level" thanks to a tie-up with France's Vinci, OMA Chief Executive Ricardo Duenas said in a release Friday.

In December, French construction and concessions firm Vinci bought an almost-30% stake in OMA for $820 million. The partnership adds OMA to Vinci's network of more than 60 airports in 12 countries, OMA said.

While the deal is Vinci's first foothold into Mexico, Vinci plans to support "growing demand for national and international flights, especially to and from the United States," said Vinci Concessions Chief Executive Nicolas Notebaert.

Friday's announcement coincides with Notebaert's visit to Monterrey, a sprawling business hub in north-east Mexico and the country's second-largest city, whose international airport represents about half of OMA's passenger traffic.

OMA said it would benefit from Vinci's experience in operations, investment, project management and switching to cleaner energies, and make it possible to renovate and expand its airport infrastructure and grow its flights network.

(Reporting by Daniel Becerril in Monterrey, Mexico and Kylie Madry in Mexico City; Editing by Brendan O'Boyle and Sarah Morland)