FAA Audit Exposes AFAC Deficiencies, Risking Mexico's Category 1

Mexico’s Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) is facing critical operational and administrative deficiencies identified by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) during an ongoing audit, placing the country's top-tier air safety rating at immediate risk.

The US regulator has uncovered widespread failures in aeronautical English certification processes, severe shortages of qualified technical inspectors, and administrative errors affecting up to 90% of internal processes pending clarification. The findings emerged during the on-site phase of the FAA’s International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program, scheduled from Aug. 10 to Aug. 14, which evaluates whether AFAC complies with standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

"We are doing very badly. Worse than last time," an internal AFAC source told El Financiero.

The ongoing review follows Mexico’s restoration to Category 1 status on Sept. 14, 2023, after spending more than two years in Category 2 due to operational oversight deficiencies. The audit consists of two phases: an initial questionnaire covering surveillance processes, air safety, and accident investigation, followed by in-person interviews conducted by US inspectors evaluating Mexican officials on their technical duties.

Staffing Shortages and Administrative Fallout

According to internal sources, the early findings demonstrate that AFAC has failed to resolve systemic issues that previously triggered its downgrade.

"There is no trained staff. We still lack sufficient economic resources. There are many departures and incompetent people," another internal source stated.

A core deficiency re-emerging in the audit is AFAC's technical staff capability to evaluate specialized language proficiency under the International Restricted Aeronautical Radiotelephonist (RTARI) standards, a technical requirement that has remained unresolved for more than 15 years.

The audit has already prompted high-level personnel changes within the agency, directed by retired Gen. Emilio Avendaño. Karen Uribe, head of AFAC’s linguistic skills department, was removed from her position after failing to satisfactorily answer US inspectors regarding aeronautical English proficiency and state evaluation capacity.

While the Mexican federal government publicly stated that Uribe "resigned last week by her own choice," internal sources confirmed her departure was directly tied to her performance during the FAA evaluation. AFAC leadership has reportedly issued directives stating that any failure to adequately address US audit questions will result in immediate termination.

Independent industry analyst Carlos Torres noted that staffing deficiencies remain AFAC's most critical operational vulnerability.

"An area that has been cited for a long time, which unfortunately has not been addressed, is the qualified technical personnel within AFAC, the personnel who conduct periodic, physical, on-site inspections of commercial airlines, cargo, and all types of aircraft. There has not been a recovery of sufficient personnel volume," Torres said.

Operational Constraints and Market Impacts

If the FAA downgrades Mexico to Category 2, Mexican air carriers, including Aeroméxico, Volaris, and Viva Aerobus, would face immediate operational freezes. Under Category 2 rules, Mexican airlines can maintain existing services to the United States but are strictly prohibited from establishing new routes, adding flight frequencies, or expanding code-share agreements with US carriers. Conversely, US airlines would remain unrestricted, shifting the competitive balance in the transborder market.

"It is a strong restriction; in the industry, it is known as a freeze. While that remains, Mexican aviation cannot grow in routes or frequencies to the United States, which results in an advantage for US airlines," Torres said.

Torres added that supply constraints could place upward pressure on cross-border airfares for consumers, echoing market conditions experienced between 2021 and 2023.

Industry analyst and academic Fernando Gomez indicated that a downgrade is highly plausible under current conditions, citing a lack of detailed communication from Mexico's Ministry of Communications and Transportation (SICT) and an increasingly protectionist US trade environment under the administration of Donald Trump.

"SICT issues press releases about the review without specifying concrete negotiation points, such as the possible reversal of the decree regarding cargo airlines. The lack of detail increases uncertainty over the outcome... It is feasible to return to Category 2 because the negotiations are not entirely clear," Gómez said.

If deficiences are formally cited at the conclusion of the on-site evaluation on Aug. 14, the FAA will provide Mexican authorities a set timeframe to implement corrective action plans before issuing a final categorical determination.