Mexican airlines are responding after the U.S. Transportation Department on Tuesday blocked 13 planned or current routes to the U.S. over alleged violations of the two countries’ air transport agreement.
In comments submitted to the department, Monterrey-based low-cost carrier Viva Aerobus warned the cancellations will disrupt the travel of thousands of U.S. and Mexican passengers during the upcoming holiday season.
The airline said it is communicating with authorities in Mexico and the U.S. to understand the full scope of the order and will do all it can to help customers navigate the situation.
“We trust in the dialogue between the authorities of our government and their counterparts in the United States to find a reasonable and fair solution to this conflict and minimize its impact on passengers,” the carrier said.
The DOT’s order disapproved planned Viva Aerobus service between Felipe Ángeles International Airport near Mexico City and Austin, Texas; New York-JFK; Chicago O’Hare; Dallas/Fort Worth; Denver; Houston; Los Angeles; Miami; and Orlando, Florida. The flights were scheduled to begin in November.
Volaris Comments
Fellow low-cost airline Volaris, which had its planned route between Mexico City and Newark, New Jersey, scrapped, made a similar statement acknowledging the Transportation Department’s decision and pledging to support travelers.
“Volaris is in contact with the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation, as well as with the aviation industry, to discuss and find a solution to this situation that prevents future impacts on its operations and the Mexican air transport sector,” the carrier wrote. “Volaris reaffirms its commitment to maintaining air connectivity between Mexico and the United States, offering accessible and safe options for its customers.”
Aeroméxico, Mexico’s flag carrier, had routes to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Houston and McAllen, Texas, canceled. The airline has not yet submitted comments on the cancellations.
On Wednesday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she opposes the DOT’s move and will seek a meeting between Mexico’s foreign minister and the U.S. Secretary of State to determine the grounds for the decision. She is expected to meet with representatives of the Mexican airline industry to hear their perspective on the issue, Reuters reported.
The Transportation Department maintains that Mexico has repeatedly violated the terms of a 2015 bilateral air transport agreement by canceling slots for U.S. carriers at Benito Juárez International Airport in Mexico City and relocating U.S. cargo operations to the more distant Felipe Ángeles.
These alleged violations also prompted the DOT to order the cancellation of Delta’s longstanding joint venture with Aeroméxico in September. The department said the partnership would only amplify “market distortions” that worked against the U.S. airline industry if allowed to continue.
