Mexican Aviation Industry Faces New Barriers

As the US seeks to limit COVID-19 outbreaks in its territory, it introduced new vaccination entrance requirements for Mexican travelers.

The US Embassy in Mexico announced via a press release the new COVID-19 travel requirements to control new outbreaks in its territory: “Beginning Nov. 8, 2021, non-US citizens and non-immigrants travelling by air to the US will be required to present their full vaccination schedule as well as proof of their vaccination status prior to boarding a plane to the US.”

The Mexico City International Airport (AICM) also highlighted the importance of completing these new requirements through an official press release. Requirements upon entrance will be presented before any flight. However, there are specifications on which vaccines will be accepted by the American government. The list includes the seven vaccines approved by both the FDA and the WHO: Janssen, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, CoviShield, BIBP-Sinopharm and Sinovac.

There will some exceptions for children under the age of 18, people medically unable to receive the vaccine and emergency travelers who do not have timely access to a vaccine, said the US Embassy. There will also be humanitarian exemptions that will be granted on an extremely limited basis. Wearing a mask will continue to be a requirement on any airport and airplane.

“Non-US citizens and immigrants travelling by air to the US will be required to present their full immunization schedule, as well as proof of their immunization status, prior to boarding a plane to the US.”

While the decision does not affect only Mexico, the country has been facing more scrutiny from its US counterparts. The FAA’s downgrade of Mexico’s airspace to Category 2 in March 2021 has been deemed an obstacle to the industry’s recovery by not allowing new flights to take place from Mexico to the US. These new COVID-19 requirements might add another barrier to the Mexican aviation industry regardless of the success of the National Vaccination Plan as the country continues to vaccinate its population.