Mexico Aerospace Sees Pilot Push, Merger Scrutiny, Rankings

This week in aerospace news: Mexican airline pilots advanced a proposal in Congress to restrict the use of foreign flight crews following wet-lease operations by Volaris and Viva, as both low-cost carriers also faced regulatory scrutiny over their proposed merger. At the same time, Viva and Iberia expanded their commercial alliance to strengthen Mexico–Europe connectivity, while Aeroméxico was named the world’s most punctual airline for a second consecutive year, posting an on-time performance rate of 90.02%.

In the United States, United Airlines announced its largest-ever summer schedule at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, with up to 750 daily departures. Meanwhile, Donald Trump warned that Canadian-built aircraft could lose US certification amid escalating bilateral trade and regulatory tensions.

More news below:

Aeroméxico Named World’s Most Punctual Airline for Second Year

Aeroméxico was named the world’s most punctual airline for a second consecutive year after recording a 90.02% on-time arrival rate across nearly 190,000 monitored flights, according to Cirium’s On-Time Performance Review 2025. The ranking places the Mexican carrier at the top of global commercial aviation, ahead of Saudia, SAS, Azul, Qatar Airways, and Iberia, in a year marked by widespread operational disruptions and rising cost pressures across the sector.

North America Air Travel Growth Lags at 0.6% in 1Q26: OAG

North America’s international aviation market is expected to grow just 0.6%  year on year in 1Q26, the lowest projected increase among major global regions, according to analysis by OAG. The forecast was highlighted during a recent webinar, where John Grant, OAG’s chief analyst, described the limited growth as “notable” compared with other regions such as Southeast Asia (+8.7%), the Middle East (+8.4%) and Africa (+8.3%).

Viva, Iberia Expand Alliance to Boost Mexico–Europe Connectivity

Viva and Iberia reaffirmed and expanded their commercial alliance during the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) in Madrid, strengthening air connectivity between Mexico and Europe. Executives from both companies said the expanded codeshare will allow Viva customers to purchase flights through Viva’s platform and connect seamlessly to the full Iberia Group network. 

Viva, Volaris Merger Plan Triggers Regulatory Scrutiny

Viva and Volaris are under review by Mexican and international competition authorities following their December 2025 announcement to form a joint airline group. Legal experts have warned that the proposed structure could constitute a market concentration under Mexico’s Federal Economic Competition Law. The transaction would combine the country’s two low-cost carriers, which together account for nearly the entire ultra-low-cost segment of Mexico’s aviation market.

France Calls for EU Shift Away From US Defense, Space Tech

The European Union must reduce its dependence on US technology in defense and space if it wants to ensure strategic autonomy, France’s minister in charge of higher education and research said, calling for a bloc-wide “Buy European Act” and coordinated investment in satellite systems.

Mexican Pilots Push Bill to Limit Foreign Flight Crews

Mexican airline pilots are preparing a legislative strategy to tighten rules governing the hiring of foreign flight crews, following recent wet-lease operations by Volaris and Viva that involved aircraft flown by non-Mexican pilots. The initiative is being coordinated by the Airline Pilots Union Association (ASPA), together with other aviation labor organizations, and is expected to move into Congress in the coming months.

United Unveils Largest Summer Schedule at Chicago O’Hare

United Airlines has unveiled its largest-ever summer schedule at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, planning up to 750 daily departures and intensifying competition with American Airlines for gates, traffic, and higher-yield corporate travelers at one of the most important hubs in the United States.

Gentex Wins US$22 Million US Navy Contract for PURSUIT Helmets

Gentex has secured a five-year Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract valued at approximately US$22 million to supply more than 5,000 PURSUIT Helmet Systems to the US Navy, following the service’s selection of the helmet as its Next Generation Fixed Wing Helmet (NGFWH). The award was made by the Naval Aircrew Systems Program Office (PMA-202) under the Helmet Mask Regulator (HMR) program and covers both low-rate initial production (LRIP) and full-rate production (FRP).

Trump Warns Canadian Aircraft Could Lose US Certification

US President Donald Trump said Thursday that aircraft manufactured in Canada, including Bombardier’s Global Express jets, could lose their certification in the United States unless Canadian authorities approve the certification of Gulfstream aircraft built in the United States, escalating trade and regulatory tensions and prompting an immediate market reaction.

Beyond the AI Hype: Why Data Infrastructure Is Key to Success

“ ‘AI will take over the world in the next few years, facilitating life but leaving hundreds of thousands without a job’. This is the common headline we hear today. The narrative is intoxicating and every day we see the effects: AI-generated videos, social network bots, images of robots doing amazing stunts, self-driving cars; all this along with billions of dollars invested by tech giants in AI development” says, Guillermo Jasso, Senior Business Operations, Amazon Robotics.