U.S. – Mexico sign agreement for unlimited number of airline destination routes

The United States and Mexico have signed a new bilateral air services agreement that will allow airlines from both countries to set an unlimited number of destination routes and frequencies between the two countries.

Secretary of Communications and Transportation of Mexico, Gerardo Ruiz Esparza, who signed the agreement with American counterpart Anthony Foxx said that once ratified by Mexico’s senate, it will be a “strategic” agreement on the future of aviation for commercial flights and cargo shipments between the US and Mexico .

The agreement will promote quality services with security and fair prices, he said.

Foxx said it’s a great day for civil aviation in the United States and Mexico. “We are on the threshold of a new era,” he said.

US transportation secretary Anthony Foxx and US secretary of state John Kerry said in a joint statement Dec. 18 that the “landmark agreement with one of our largest aviation partners will significantly increase future trade and travel between the United States and Mexico,” adding, “The new agreement will benefit US and Mexican airlines, travelers, businesses, airports and localities by allowing increased market access for passenger and cargo airlines to fly between any city in Mexico and any city in the United States. Cargo carriers will now have expanded opportunities to provide service to new destinations that were not available under the current, more restrictive agreement.”

A significant byproduct of the agreement is that it paves the way for SkyTeam partners Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico to launch a joint venture (JV) for US-Mexico transborder flying. The airlines have already submitted applications to the US and Mexican governments for antitrust immunity (ATI) for the JV, but approval is on hold until after the new air services agreement takes effect.

Delta in November expressed its intention to increase its holding in Aeromexico to as much as 49%.

In Puerto Vallarta the agreement could allow for more airlines to offer flights to the area and drive competition to lower costs.