Mexican Regional Airline Looks to Fly Cessna Caravans to U.S.

The startup company already serves 10 domestic destinations with its fleet of three aircraft.

An Aerus Cessna Grand Caravan (Photo: Vmzp85, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons)

[ Routes ]February 14, 2024 7:35 pm ET

By Ryan Ewing

Mexican regional startup Aerus is eyeing new international service from a handful of cities in Mexico to the U.S. Starting operations in April 2023, the airline currently serves 10 domestic destinations with a fleet of three Cessna Grand Caravans.

Aerus — which goes by the legal name Aerotransportes Rafilher S.A. de C.V. — is privately owned. By 2025, the company has plans for up to 14 aircraft and 500 employees, including orders for 30 all-electric Eviation Alice airplanes.

The airline recently filed with the Department of Transportation (DOT) requesting approval to operate flights from Mexico to the U.S. In the filing, Aerus proposed the following routes: Monterrey to Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Laredo, and McAllen, along with Tampico to Brownsville and McAllen. As of now, the airline has only proposed flights to Texas.

As part of the network expansion, the carrier expects to operate between 1,100 and 1,200 round-trip flights annually to the United States. The airline says it plans to average eight passengers per flight.

Why Texas

In an interview with ch-aviation, Aerus CEO Javier Herrera García said the decision to serve the four Texas destinations is due to cultural and business ties. “[Aerus] will be carrying executives and tourists to the U.S. on business and pleasure, thereby fostering commerce between Mexico and the United States consistent with the objectives of the United States Mexico Canada Agreement…,” the airline said in its DOT filing.

If approved, Aerus will join Aeromexico, VivaAerobus and Volaris with scheduled service to the U.S. In September 2023, the U.S. upped Mexico’s air safety rating, paving the way for carriers to add additional flights and routes.

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Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com back in February 2013 and has amassed considerable experience in the aviation sector. His work has been featured in several publications and news outlets, including CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. During his time in the industry, he's worked in roles pertaining to airport/airline operations while holding a B.S. in Air Transportation Management from Arizona State University along with an MBA. Ryan has experience in several facets of the industry from behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing airline industry executives. Ryan works for AirlineGeeks' owner FLYING Media, spearheading coverage in the commercial aviation space.

Follow Ryan

Author

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com back in February 2013 and has amassed considerable experience in the aviation sector. His work has been featured in several publications and news outlets, including CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. During his time in the industry, he's worked in roles pertaining to airport/airline operations while holding a B.S. in Air Transportation Management from Arizona State University along with an MBA. Ryan has experience in several facets of the industry from behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing airline industry executives. Ryan works for AirlineGeeks' owner FLYING Media, spearheading coverage in the commercial aviation space.
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