U.S. formally downgrades Mexico air safety rating

The U.S. government on Tuesday downgraded Mexico's aviation safety rating, an action barring Mexican carriers from adding new U.S. flights and limiting airlines' ability to carry out marketing agreements.

Plans for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) downgrade were first reported on Friday by Reuters.

The FAA said it was "fully committed to helping the Mexican aviation authority improve its safety oversight system to a level that meets" international standards and "ready to provide expertise and resources . . .