US airlines took off with the air degradation of Mexico

On its journey towards recovery, the aviation industry in Mexico recorded more passengers and fewer flights in 2022 than in the pre-pandemic 2019, and US airlines have achieved greater benefits by operating top routes such as: Dallas/Fort Worth-Cancun, Houston-Cancun and Chicago-Cancun.

Between last January and November, airlines (national and international) transported 96 million 526,634 travelers on commercial flights, which represented an increase of 4.8%, while in operations (takeoffs and landings) there was a decrease of 2.6%, add 735,083.

The arrival of larger capacity aircraft and the increase in load factors (the average for the months indicated is around 83%) have been the determining factors.

In the sector’s monthly report, the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) highlights the best results that US airlines have had in the last year in both indicators, led by American Airlines, as a result of the aeronautical authority being downgraded to category 2 of Mexico since May 2021, which has prevented the expansion of national firms.

During the eleven months of 2019, US airlines transported 18 million 945,640 passengers, 20.6% of the total in Mexico, and for the same period of 2022 the participation rose to 24.3% (with 23 million 441,117), while in operations they passed from 19.8% to 25.3 percent.

Based on AFAC data, last year US firms exceeded two million passengers per month seven times (in March it was the highest number: two million 546,278), which did not happen. In 2019, this situation occurred only in March (with the maximum of two million 176,874) and in July.

Among the various voices that have requested the Mexican government to return to category 1, in accordance with the parameters of the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the director of Grupo Aeroméxico, Andrés Conesa, stood out. last September“We do not understand how nearly 18 months have passed and the changes have not been achieved. The damage that (degradation) is having on the Mexican industry is very significant,” he said.

US growth

Between January and November, the 14 US airlines that operate regular flights to Mexico registered the highest percentage increase in passenger transport compared to 2019 (23.7%), followed by the total number of foreign airlines that grew 16.3%, of the airlines nationals in the domestic market, 6.1%, and national firms that have international flights, which continue in negative territory, with a drop of 20.9% (their main destinations are in the US).

American Airlines, which in November increased activity between New York and Monterrey and Mexico City, is the one that served the most passengers: six million 671,647, which represented 35.8% more than in 2019. United Airlines is in second place, with four million 852,554 passengers.

alejandro.delarosa@eleconomista.mx