U.S. and Mexico Reach Agreement on Air Transport Dispute Amid Ongoing Restrictions

-Editorial 

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that the United States and Mexico have reached a bilateral understanding aimed at bringing Mexico into compliance with the 2015 U.S.-Mexico Air Transport Agreement following years of disputes over airport access and cargo operations.

The agreement was reached after multiple rounds of consultations between the U.S. Department of Transportation and Mexico’s Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation, known as SICT.

In a statement, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said the Trump administration would continue enforcing restrictions on Mexican carriers until Mexico fully implements the reforms outlined in the agreement.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, we put America First and enforce our air transport agreements around the world,” Duffy said. “By actually holding Mexico accountable, they’ve finally agreed to come into compliance and stop their anti-competitive behavior.”

Duffy added that while the agreement represented progress, the United States would continue monitoring Mexico’s actions before reconsidering restrictions currently imposed on Mexican airlines.

The dispute stems from actions taken by the Mexican government in 2022 involving Benito Juárez International Airport in Mexico City, commonly known as MEX. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Mexico rescinded operating slots used by U.S. passenger airlines and later required U.S. all-cargo carriers to move their operations away from the airport.

U.S. officials argued those measures violated the terms of the bilateral air transport agreement between the two countries by limiting access and creating disadvantages for American carriers and businesses.

The Transportation Department said the changes disrupted commercial operations and resulted in increased costs for U.S. companies involved in passenger and cargo transportation between the two nations.

In response to what the department characterized as noncompliance, the United States implemented several regulatory measures affecting Mexican airlines. Those actions included reducing 13 Mexican carrier routes into the United States, freezing the expansion of combination passenger-cargo services involving Mexico City International Airport, and prohibiting Mexican passenger airlines from transporting belly cargo between Mexico City and U.S. destinations.

Federal officials said the newly signed Memorandum of Consultations, or MoC, establishes commitments Mexico must carry out before restrictions could be lifted.

Under the agreement, Mexico committed to implementing a capacity declaration process aligned with international aviation standards and best practices. The country also agreed to provide U.S. carriers with fair and transparent access to request and operate airport slots at Mexico City International Airport.

Additionally, Mexico pledged to revise and modernize its slot allocation policies to better align with international guidelines governing airport access and airline competition.

The Department of Transportation emphasized that the agreement represents only the first stage of the process and that implementation remains the critical issue moving forward.

The United States would evaluate whether Mexico fulfills the commitments and operational reforms established during the consultation process before determining whether to reconsider current restrictions against Mexican carriers.

The 2015 U.S.-Mexico Air Transport Agreement was designed to expand competition and increase market access for airlines operating between the two countries. Aviation and trade between the United States and Mexico represent a significant portion of cross-border economic activity, including tourism, manufacturing supply chains, and cargo transportation.