Nöbetçi Eczaneler
U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed new restrictions on flights from Mexico, signaling a potential end to the longstanding joint venture between Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico. The decision, announced Saturday, comes in response to Mexico’s earlier limitations on passenger and cargo flights at Mexico City’s main airport.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy criticized the Mexican government for forcing airlines to relocate operations from Benito Juárez International Airport to the newer Felipe Angeles Airport, located nearly 50 kilometers away. According to Duffy, this move violates the bilateral air transport agreement between the two countries and gives an unfair advantage to Mexican carriers.
“Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg deliberately allowed Mexico to breach our bilateral aviation agreement. That ends today,” Duffy said. “Putting America First means defending the principles of fair competition. This sends a clear message to any country attempting to exploit our airlines or our market.”
Mexico remains the most popular international destination for American travelers, attracting more than 40 million passengers annually.
Under the new restrictions, all Mexican passenger, cargo, and charter airlines must now submit their flight schedules to the U.S. Department of Transportation for approval. These measures will remain in place until Secretary Duffy is satisfied with Mexico’s treatment of American carriers.
The impact of this action on broader trade negotiations and ongoing tariff discussions with Mexico remains uncertain. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has yet to comment on the issue and did not address the new restrictions during two public events on Saturday.
Delta and Aeromexico to Defend Their Alliance
Delta and Aeromexico, whose joint venture was approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation in 2016, have been pushing back against the department’s attempts to dissolve their alliance since last year.
The carriers argue that it is unfair to penalize them for decisions made by the Mexican government. They warn that ending the agreement could jeopardize nearly $800 million in economic benefits generated through tourism and job creation.
In a statement, Delta said: “The Department of Transportation’s proposal to terminate Delta’s strategic and pro-competitive alliance with Aeromexico would significantly harm travelers between the U.S. and Mexico, U.S. workers, and cross-border competition.”
Aeromexico confirmed it is reviewing the order and plans to issue a joint response with Delta in the coming days.
The Department’s final decision, if upheld, would not take effect until October, giving the airlines time to continue their efforts to reverse it.
A previous filing warned that losing direct flights could result in over 140,000 fewer American tourists and around 90,000 fewer Mexican tourists traveling between the two countries, a blow to both economies.
(Source: Euronews)