The National Chamber of Air Transport (Canaero) called for dialogue between Mexican and US authorities to reach a solution, following the cancellation of 13 scheduled routes to the United States from the Mexico City International Airport (AICM)  and  Felipe Ángeles Airport (AIFA)  by the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) .

The organization noted that this decision impacts the operations of Mexican passenger and cargo airlines , and indicated that the Mexican aviation sector recognizes the importance of maintaining a bilateral relationship based on cooperation , certainty, and mutual benefit .

In response, he asked the Mexican government and its US counterparts to “strengthen the channels of dialogue that allow for solutions to be reached that restore the conditions of competition and connectivity between both countries as soon as possible.”

“The chamber reiterated its willingness to work in a coordinated manner with the various actors in the sector, in order to identify alternatives that mitigate the impact on passengers, companies and logistics chains, and that contribute to the continuity of air services for the benefit of trade, tourism and regional economic integration,” Canaero highlighted in a statement.

The organization expressed confidence that open and constructive dialogue will allow progress towards a framework of cooperation that preserves Mexico’s interests , strengthens the sustainable development of the national aviation sector, and safeguards the interests of passengers.

Meanwhile, Víctor Manuel Pérez Díaz, president of the Communications and Transportation Commission of the Chamber of Deputies , expressed his concern about the decision by the United States government to block 13 Mexican air routes, which he considered directly affects Mexico’s connectivity, economy, and international reputation .

“This decision has not only diplomatic implications, but also significant economic and labor implications: it is estimated that more than 15,000 direct and indirect jobs linked to the aeronautical industry —pilots, flight attendants, technicians, airport personnel, travel agencies and suppliers linked to AIFA— could be affected by the reduction in operations,” he explained.

The measure, he noted, could jeopardize foreign and domestic investment , especially in maintenance, infrastructure and air services, severely impacting the sector’s competitiveness.

“This creates uncertainty for international investment and confidence in the Mexican aeronautical sector, affecting an industry that represents around 2% of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs more than 200,000 people throughout the country,” the federal legislator noted.

In that regard, he demanded an urgent and transparent explanation from the federal government regarding the circumstances that led to this sanction and the actions that will be taken to prevent further damage to Mexican commercial aviation.

It’s worth noting that the day before, 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 .

In response, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum rejected the measure, calling it “unfounded” and suggesting it might be motivated by “political or business interests . “

In her morning press conference this Wednesday, Sheinbaum said that she instructed Juan Ramón de la Fuente, head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) , to request a meeting with the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and the head of the DOT, Sean Duffy, to review the decision and demand formal explanations .

The Mexican president clarified that the decision to move cargo to AIFA was a sovereign one and related to civil protection, since AICM was at capacity , which put passengers at risk. “All the companies, including the American ones, are very happy with AIFA,” she emphasized.

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Juan Antonio José, an independent aviation analyst, considered the aviation policy decisions of the previous six-year term to be a “blow” to the agreement, and gave “genuine and legitimate reasons to Donald Trump, president of the United States, to complain about the country.”

In an interview with T21, he explained that the measures will limit the expansion of Mexican airlines into the United States , increase bureaucracy, as well as the deterioration of finances in Mexican operators, and seriously jeopardize the strategic alliance between Delta and Aeroméxico .

“The risks we face are that Aeroméxico loses its antitrust immunity, that the United States denounces the bilateral agreement and says it’s withdrawing from the civil aviation agreement, and then sets its own rules. There’s also a potential audit by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) that could demote Mexico again. This will prevent Mexican airlines from growing in the US market, which will be more restricted in terms of processing with the DOT (United States Department of Transportation) ,” he said.

It should be recalled that then-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador decreed the move of dedicated freighters from Mexico City International Airport (AICM) to Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) in 2023, citing the saturation of the former, in addition to the reduction in operations for the same infrastructure from 61 to 49 per hour.

Juan Antonio José said that in terms of air cargo, those affected by the 2023 cargo decree were DHL , UPS and Atlas Air .

For his part, Ricardo Dadoo, president of Logistics Dadoo , indicated that a disadvantage of sending the freighters to AIFA was the impact on the package integrator UPS , as the only American carrier forced to relocate, since FedEx operates from a third airport, Toluca.

He explained that UPS had “ideal time slots” from 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at AICM, schedules that had to be substantially shortened after the move to Felipe Ángeles , while costs increased as the distances for ground transfer feeders grew, in addition, customs intermediation became slower, adding that it now subcontracts warehousing instead of operating the concessionaire at the capital’s airport, and where it made a considerable investment in equipment and automation “until the unwanted movement.”

“What’s wrong is that air cargo logistics is different from that of small express packages, and the local government didn’t take this into account. It didn’t distinguish, perhaps due to a lack of understanding between the two business models (starting with short D2D times plus air volume density), with the misconception that all cargo planes are the same. UPS presented its case in vain. The AIFA has benefited the former to the detriment of the latter,” he said.

However, he explained that international air cargo tonnage has grown by almost 50%, from 440,000 tons to 640,000 tons LTM by March 2025, including the volume collected by the AICM and AIFA.

“Thanks to the first-world infrastructure and the 24/7 availability of the slots offered at AIFA, Mexico City now ranks second in Latin America in tonnage. Gradually, its volume from Central and South America to Asia has reduced transit times by one or two days without going through Los Angeles. A feat impossible within AICM’s cargo infrastructure,” he said.

New actions by the US

Last Saturday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced a series of measures against Mexico’s alleged abuse of the bilateral aviation agreement.

He indicated that  Mexico abruptly rescinded slots ( takeoff and landing times) at the AICM and forced U.S. cargo carriers to relocate their operations as part of the effort to alleviate congestion. This has not materialized three years later, causing cost increases for U.S. airlines.

“That ends today. Let these actions serve as a warning to any country that thinks it can take advantage of the United States, our operators, and our market. America First means fighting for the fundamental principle of fairness,” he said in a statement.

Therefore, it imposed three actions: Mexican airlines must submit applications to the DOT for all their operations in the United States, in addition to requiring prior approval for any charter flight of large passenger or cargo aircraft to or from this country , and the withdrawal of antitrust immunity (ATI) between Delta and Aeroméxico, thus taking corrective measures to address competitive problems in the market.

“Mexico’s actions harm airlines seeking to enter the market, existing competing airlines, consumers of air travel and products that depend on time-sensitive air cargo shipments traded between the two countries, and other stakeholders in the U.S. economy,” he stated.

The U.S. agency stated that it “reserves the right to reject flight requests from Mexico if the country does not take corrective measures.”

Against this backdrop, the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT) stated that the actions it has taken at AICM and AIFA have served to strengthen the airport system in the Valley of Mexico. “Measures have been implemented to improve the safety, efficiency, and competitiveness of the aviation sector.”

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