Mexicana de Aviación Keeps Routes

Mexicana de Aviación announced that it will not suspend any of its 18 routes, reversing a previous decision to cut eight routes starting Jan. 6, 2025. The affected routes linked the International Felipe Ángeles Airport (AIFA) to Acapulco, Campeche, Guadalajara, Ixtapa, Nuevo Laredo, Puerto Vallarta, Uruapan, and Villahermosa. 

The initial suspension announcement was posted on Mexicana's website and social media, which was later removed before midnight on Sunday. The airline had stated that passengers affected by the changes could seek refunds or rebookings for their flights. However, a statement from Genaro García Solís to El Economista, Mexicana’s Deputy Director General of Institutional Development, clarified that the decision was revised and that the airline’s operations would continue as planned. He confirmed that routes linking AIFA to Ixtepec, Palenque, and Ciudad Victoria, operated by TAR Air, as well as those served by Boeing aircraft to destinations like Tijuana, Mazatlan, San Jose del Cabo, Guadalajara, Merida, Tulum, and Chetumal, would remain unaffected.

The revision follows media reports indicating Mexicana’s intent to suspend several routes, including those operated by TAR using aircraft leased under a commercial agreement. This abrupt change in decision highlights the airline's ongoing adjustments as it continues to refine its strategic direction under state ownership, managed by the Ministry of National Defense (SEDENA).

Mexicana's Director, Leobardo Ávila Bojórquez, had previously reported that the airline transported 382,011 passengers in its first year of operations, about 13% of its goal to reach 3 million passengers annually by 2027. Ávila also confirmed that the airline would receive five new Embraer aircraft in 2025 as part of its fleet modernization plan, with additional aircraft scheduled for future years.

In addition to expanding its fleet, Mexicana is diversifying its revenue streams by introducing cargo services. With the aim of capturing 3% of the market share in cargo by 2030, the airline has been leveraging its concession for both passenger and freight transportation.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed the route suspension decision, attributing it to a "strategic review" of Mexicana’s operations. She reiterated that Mexicana would continue to operate as a state-owned enterprise under SEDENA’s oversight, and a comprehensive "master plan" for the airline’s future operations and fleet expansion would be presented soon.

This move reflects Mexicana’s continued adaptation to the challenges it faces as it works to rebuild its operations, expand its market share, and serve both domestic and international passengers.