Mexico Flight Chaos: U.s. Strikes Back Against Mexican Airlines

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

US limits Mexico formation work aft airmarket displacement to AIFA Los Estados Unidos impusieron restricciones de vuelo a las aerolíneas mexicanas ante la decisión del gobierno de México de trasladar operaciones del AIFA Luego de que el gobierno de México anulado la voladura del AIFA al aeropuerto de Benito Juárez (MEX), ahora el departamento de transporte de EEUU frena el tráfico de pasajeros de las aerolínea mexicanas, en una guerra que ahoga a usuarios y trabajadores de la industria aérea mexicana, afectada por una pandemia que nary termina y un gobierno que les da la espalda. This action, which is effective successful 2023, has erected barriers betwixt nan 2 countries overmuch to Mexico and nan US’ chagrin, and much truthful aft nan U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) called retired Mexico for what it considers anti-competitive behavior. The change, which would impact some passengers and cargo flights, could person a awesome effect connected nan decades-old business betwixt Delta Air Lines and Aeroméxico, Mexico’s largest airline.

U.S. rattled by Mexico’s move to move airport

In nan summertime of 2023, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum reacted successful consequence to nan developments, ruling retired imaginable sanctions while reaffirming her administration’s determination that relocating nan airdrome was basal for information and ratio of aerial travel. “The aged airdrome was wholly saturated,” Sheinbaum said, pointing retired nan operational hazards of Benito Juárez International Airport. The Mexican government, for its part, said nan displacement to AIFA was basal to decongest and trim congestion astatine airports and optimize airdrome use. The changes, however, person ignited a superior conflict pinch nan U.S., which argues nan determination is market-disrupting and breaches a U.S.-Canada aerial carrier agreement.

Allegations of Violations of nan U.S.-Mexico Air Transport Agreement

The U.S. government’s reply, released connected Saturday, claimed that Mexico had violated nan U.S.-Mexico aerial carrier agreement, an accord aimed astatine creating unfastened skies betwixt nan 2 countries. Forcing flights to relocate from Mexico City, successful summation to nan abrupt withdrawal of slots astatine MEX, nan U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, undermines U.S. business activity and unfairly favors Mexican-based carriers. The U.S. argues nan action has created an array of operational problems for American businesses, specifically for cargo carriers that besides had to discontinue operations astatine AIFA.

Airlines Travel to Mexico Booms Despite New Restrictions

The standoff heightened aft nan U.S. Department of Transportation issued caller limits connected Mexican airlines flying into nan United States. These person included filing each U.S. operating formation schedules pinch nan DOT by Mexican carriers, and nan prohibition that ample charter flights betwixt nan U.S. and Mexico beryllium operated without obtaining DOT pre-approval for specified service. Also projected by nan U.S. authorities is nan removal of antitrust immunity for nan associated task betwixt Delta and its Mexican counterpart, Aeroméxico, a determination that could put sizeable strain connected some carriers. Delta responded that specified a determination would disrupt transborder title and wounded consumers and workers, particularly those who alert betwixt nan United States and Mexico, which is nan astir celebrated destination overseas for American travelers.

Cargo Ops and nan AIFA Standoff

It has been a root of changeless quarrel complete cargo operations, too. The operations astatine MEX were halted by erstwhile President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s management successful February 2023 pinch aerial cargo companies fixed conscionable 108 moving days to reestablish their beingness successful AIFA. But nan displacement was trumpeted arsenic a measurement to trim nan clog astatine MEX. But nan U.S. maintains that thing awesome successful infrastructure has been done astatine AIFA to accommodate nan summation successful cargo. In addition, nan Cargo Airline Association (CAA) has voiced its interest complete nan harmful precedent nan displaced cargo cognition is establishing. The relation said nan action could incite disruption successful nan curen of aerial cargo carriers worldwide and curen of imaginable information emergencies.

AIFA’s Capacity and Ongoing Challenges

Today, AIFA is already moving retired of abstraction for cargo, and nan airdrome whitethorn successful early request to beryllium greatly expanded. Passenger flights person besides been disrupted, since nan airdrome is almost 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Mexico City, and proscription is simply a challenge. The U.S. has blasted Mexico for its guidance of these lines, accusing nan state of not making needed infrastructure upgrades.

U.S. RESPONSES: America First Reactions to Anti-competitive Conduct

The U.S. government’s steps, nether nan sanction “America First” actions, purpose to reside what it sees arsenic Mexico’s nonaccomplishment to uphold adjacent title successful nan section of aerial transport. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s actions are wide viewed arsenic an contiguous consequence to Mexico’s behaviour successful 2022 and 2023 arsenic good arsenic a broader effort to reside what nan U.S. sees arsenic anti-competitive Mexican practices that disadvantage U.S. companies. The United States has already issued a informing that nonaccomplishment to do truthful mightiness consequence successful nan U.S. rejecting requests for flights from Mexico.

Possible Effects connected Delta-Aeroméxico Joint Venture

The Delta-Aeroméxico confederation is coming nether typical scrutiny, arsenic nan 2 carriers person for years operated nether a associated venture. A withdrawal of antitrust immunity would require nan airlines to rearrange their operations and perchance change nan competitory scenery betwixt U.S. and Mexican airlines. Such a measurement could besides upend nan wider aviation industry, arsenic truthful galore passengers recreation betwixt nan United States and Mexico each year. In 2023 alone, much than 40 cardinal passengers flew from nan United States to Mexico, establishing it arsenic a important marketplace for each country’s airlines.