Interjet Faces Embargo Due to Debt With SAT

SAT seized Interjet’s assets due to pending income tax payments and accumulated fines that go from 2017 to 2019, for a value of MX$2.9 billion (US$137.4 million at the time of writing). 

According to Forbes Mexico, on Feb. 14, 2020, news of this problem were made public for the first time when the first embargo was enacted for MX$799.8 million. There were 20 embargos that included the legal Interjet name, brands that belonged to ABC Airlines, bank accounts and automobiles such as minivans, cars and trucks.

Over 40 bank accounts were taken away from ABC Airlines, including accounts from BBVA Bancomer, CitiBanamex, JP Morgan, Santander Bank of America, BanBajio Bac Credomatic, Banco Monex and other banks from the US, Canada, Costa Rica, and Mexico. 

ABC Airlines' legal representative, Raúl López Martínez, was the person in charge of handling several of the embargos that took place in the offices the company has at the Mexico City International Airport. All the assets seized are now under the custody of Serafina América González Ávalos from SAT. SAT’s Collection Administrator, Lourdes del Ángel Palacios, was the person in charge of requesting the embargo. 

According to Forbes, the embargos continued in March 10 with MX$1.03 billion, followed by others on March 25 (MX$56.2 million), April 16 (MX60.2 million), April 29 (MX$917.4 million),  May 13 (MX$15.5 million) and June 17 (MX$2.7 million). Interjet issued a letter to Forbes in which it clarified that the company always held a respectful relationship with SAT and that it maintains clear and suitable communication with the dependency.

There have been some more problems with the airline that add up to this economic problem. According to Reportur, a few days ago, there was an incident with a flight that had to be canceled because the airline had not paid for fuel or their workers' union. Interjet also has a very high debt with SENEAM as a result of low demand for flights following the pandemic.