Washington Cracks Down On Mexico’s Aviation Practices, Targets Joint Venture With Aeroméxico, Here’s Everything You Need To Know Now

Saturday, July 19, 2025

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has turned a bilateral aviation conflict into a regulatory showdown, attacking Mexico for failing to guarantee that title is adjacent and for breaking respective conditions of an aerial carrier statement that goes backmost to nan 1960s. At nan bosom of nan impasse is simply a targeted onslaught against nan associated task betwixt nan Delta Air Lines and Aeroméxico and caller limits connected Mexican hose operations successful nan United States.

Air Travel To Mexico In Jeopardy

Mexico has been nan No. 1 overseas destination for U.S. travelers for decades, pinch millions of Americans flying southbound each twelvemonth for business, leisure and cargo. But caller actions by nan Mexican authorities person jeopardized that unfastened access.

In 2022, Mexico abruptly pulled immoderate of nan astir important formation slots from Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX) successful Mexico City that U.S. carriers including American Airlines, Delta, and FedEx utilized to support business moving arsenic usual. The turmoil intensified successful 2023, erstwhile Mexico required U.S. aerial cargo carriers to move operations from nan MEX airdrome to much distant facilities, disrupting time-sensitive deliveries and imposing higher costs connected businesses connected some sides of nan border.

Mexico’s action is simply a “violation of nan bilateral agreement” that has “distorted marketplace access, reduced competition, and accrued costs to American carriers,” DOT Secretary Sean Duffy said successful a statement.

Regulatory Muscle On Display

In turn, Washington has responded pinch a sweeping regulatory offensive.

The DOT besides released a show-cause bid proposing to extremity nan antitrust immunity that shields nan associated task betwixt Delta and Aeroméxico. If completed, it would artifact nan 2 airlines from coordinating connected nan pricing, scheduling and sharing of revenue.

Mexican airlines must taxable each schedules for operations to nan United States and person anterior support earlier carrying retired immoderate ample charter operations transporting passengers aliases cargo. The conditions are meant to supply nan DOT leverage and supervision complete Mexican operations wrong U.S. airspace.

If Mexico does not lick nan underlying compliance issues, nan U.S. would beryllium capable to statesman denying early formation approvals for Mexican airlines, further crimping cross-border supply.

The measures, outlined successful DOT’s charismatic filings, correspond a awesome escalation successful enforcement. “Mexico has surgery its commitment, disrupted nan marketplace and costs American businesses tens of millions of dollars successful higher costs — pinch nary extremity successful sight,” D.O.T.

Broader Trade And Policy Implications

The aviation squabble whitethorn look narrowly drawn, but it reflects a wider discourse of negotiated and economical disagreement.

pursuant to nan USMCA, marketplace entree for proscription services must proceed to beryllium some adjacent and reciprocal. The activity of freight — particularly just-in-time shipments of produce, electronics and pharmaceuticals — has been hammered by airdrome relocations and transportation delays.

DOT’s crackdown is besides seen arsenic a connection to different world partners: that nan U.S. intends to usage aviation regularisation not conscionable to shelter its ain industry, but to uphold pact promises pinch operational consequences.

Airlines, Travelers And Stakeholders React

American Airlines, Delta and UPS person each called attraction to nan operational problems, stating that Mexican slot guidance and airdrome entree policies are now biased toward section incumbents.

Aeroméxico and Volaris are apt to person maturation curtailed successful nan U.S. marketplace nether nan caller reappraisal system. Tourism operators and regular travelers mightiness look less options and higher fares — astatine slightest astatine definite times of nan year. And user advocator groups pass that diminished hose title connected awesome U.S.–Mexico routes whitethorn wounded passengers and summation prices.

Looking Ahead: Will Mexico Comply?

There is 1 halfway rumor that is still unresolved: Mexico had antecedently committed to building caller runway and terminal capacity astatine Mexico City International Airport to thief trim congestion. Now, 3 years later, those infrastructure projects person gone obscurity — solidifying DOT’s deficiency of religion successful Mexico’s motives.

Unless swift action to return to adjacent entree to slots and extremity unjustified cargo reroutings is taken by Mexico, nan United States is prepared to instrumentality further operational restrictions and beforehand compliance done economical measures.

Conclusion

This is not only a conflict betwixt aviation regulators. This is simply a trial of economical reciprocity, world practice and regulatory resolve. Setting speech politics, Washington’s reliable stance, based connected ineligible authority and operational control, demonstrates that nan U.S. will return beardown measures erstwhile overseas friends breach aviation treaties.

With nan destiny of nan Delta–Aeroméxico associated task betwixt nan United States and Mexico successful nan balance, nan early of aerial recreation betwixt nan 2 nations is astatine a important turning point. Consumers and carriers, arsenic good arsenic those arriving passengers, are watching intently to spot whether nan skies will clear — aliases unreality up moreover more.