US Retracts Approval for Routes Operated by Mexican Carriers

‍DALLAS – The United States has revoked approvals granted to Mexican carriers operating services into the US.

According to Reuters, the order relates to current and planned services by Aeromexico (AM), Volaris (Y4), and Viva Aerobus (VB). It therefore impacts growth plans for these carriers. 

This has resulted in the cancellation of passenger and cargo flights to the United States from Mexico City's Felipe Angeles International Airport (NLU), as well as between the United States and Mexico’s Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX). 

In fact, the restriction applies to 13 routes. These include: AeroMexico (AM) between Mexico City (MEX) and San Juan (SJU); Volaris (Y4) service between MEX and Newark (EWR); Viva Aerobus’s (VB) proposed services between Felipe Angeles (NLU) and Austin (AUS), New York (JFK), Chicago (ORD), Dallas (DFW), Denver (DEN), Houston (IAH), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA) and Orlando (MCO) and AM’s service between NLU and IAH and McAllen (MFE) in Texas.

Reciprocity Issues

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that Mexico had not adhered to bilateral air service agreements for three years. Duffy also proposes restricting Mexican airlines from transporting belly cargo between MEX and the United States. The ban would come into effect in around three months.

"Until Mexico stops the games and honors its commitments, we will continue to hold them accountable. No country should be able to take advantage of our carriers, our market, and our flyers without repercussions," Duffy said.

The U.S. Department of Transportation said Mexico had not complied with an existing bilateral aviation agreement since 2022, when it withdrew various U.S. carriers' slots and forced U.S. cargo carriers to relocate operations.

That said, the move has implications for other countries with which the U.S. has bilateral air service agreements, but it notes that these are not being fairly applied.