After the United States government announced yesterday the cancellation of 13 routes by Mexican airlines to that country from the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) and Felipe Ángeles Airport (AIFA) , the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, rejected the decision of the northern neighbor and described the measure as “unfounded” .
In her morning press conference this Wednesday, Sheinbaum said that she instructed Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente to request an urgent meeting with the U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and the head of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) , Sean Duffy, to review the decision and demand formal explanations .
Sheinbaum defended the transfer of cargo operations from Mexico City International Airport (AICM) to the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) as a sovereign decision, based on security and civil protection criteria due to AICM’s saturation. She asserted that cargo companies, including those from the United States, are satisfied operating from AIFA .
He also requested that the National Antitrust Commission (CNA) conduct a technical analysis to determine whether the DOT provisions are intended to benefit other airlines .
Reactions from the airline industry
The DOT order has generated concern among Mexican airlines and industry unions. Viva Aerobus reported that it is evaluating the impact of the measure on its operations from AIFA (Felipe Ángeles International Airport), whose routes beginning in November will be affected , including Los Angeles, Chicago, Orlando, Austin, and Dallas, among others. However, the airline clarified that flights from other airports and AICM (Mexico City International Airport) to the United States will not be affected. The airline is confident that dialogue between authorities will lead to a solution .
Volaris, for its part, considered that the cargo regulations would have a “marginal effect” on its operations. However, it confirmed that the order prevents the approval of its new route between Mexico City International Airport (AICM) and Newark, New Jersey, scheduled to begin on November 2. The airline is in contact with the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) to explore alternatives. Aeroméxico has not yet issued a statement on the matter.
For its part, the Mexican Air Pilots Association (ASPA) expressed its “deep concern” about the implications of the order , which includes a proposal to prohibit cargo transport on combined flights from Mexico City International Airport (AICM). The organization warned that these provisions could affect air connectivity, the competitiveness of the national aviation sector, and thousands of jobs .
While the Mexican College of Airline Pilots (CPAM) expressed its concern regarding the measures, noting that they severely affect connectivity between the two countries, and that the revocation of routes from AIFA and AICM impacts major Mexican airlines, putting thousands of jobs at risk . The organization urged the Mexican government to reconsider the decree that expelled air cargo from AICM and proposed establishing a technical working group with all stakeholders in the sector to “restore the confidence of our trading partners.”
President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that next Friday she will meet with representatives from Aeromexico, Volaris, and Viva Aerobus to learn their positions and move towards a solution through dialogue and understanding.
It’s worth recalling that on October 28, the DOT announced the cancellation of 13 scheduled routes from Mexico to the United States operated by Mexican airlines from AIFA and AICM. According to the DOT, the measure was taken due to Mexico’s failure to comply with the Air Transport Agreement signed in 2015 .
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