Related Articles
-Editorial
Despite bad weather that ruined Mexicana de Aviación’s first major flight in more than a decade, it was a historic day for Mexico as the legendary airline flew once again.
Mexican de Aviación took to the skies once again thanks to the initiative of the President of Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
“The important thing is that this Mexican airline is rescued after acts of corruption,” commented President Lopez Obrador.
Aerolínea del Estado Mexicano S.A. of C.V. (Mexicana de Aviación) was established on June 15, 2023, being a Majority State Participation company; whose purpose is to improve the quality and coverage of air services, as well as promote connectivity in the market in which there is demand, which will represent an engine of growth, development and competitiveness at a national and international level.
According to their website, Mexicana de Aviación is an airline that unites the regions of Mexico and promotes its commercial, social, tourist, and cultural development; facilitating the transportation of passengers and cargo to the main cities and destinations of the country.
On August 28, 2010, its operations were suspended to continue with a judicial process; in the end, the magistrate in charge of the process declared the bankruptcy of the company, as well as the subsidiary companies Click and Link on April 4, 2014, thus ending the process. In 2022, elements of the Mexican Army and Navy evacuated what were once the Mexicana facilities at the Mexico City International Airport.
The last Mexicana flight was on August 28, 2010, from CDMX to Toronto, Canada on flight MX 866 at 04:15 p.m. m.
It had its main offices in the old Mexican Aviation Tower (today AXA México Tower), in Colonia del Valle, Benito Juárez, CDMX. It operated flights within Mexico and to North, Central, and South America, as well as the Caribbean and Europe (specifically, to Spain and the United Kingdom). Its main center of operations was the Mexico City International Airport, where it shared operations with the Guadalajara International Airport, and with important movement at the General Francisco J. Múgica International Airport in Morelia.
On July 10, 2023, President López Obrador announced the purchase of the company’s brand and assets, which would remain under the responsibility of SEDENA and would enter service on December 1 of the same year.
The Secretary of the Interior of Mexico, Luisa María Alcalde, announced on August 10, 2023, that the Government managed to close the agreement to buy the brand of the airline Mexicana de Aviación for 815 million pesos (about 48 million dollars), an agreement with more than 7,000 company workers and retirees.
The Secretary of National Defense, Luis Cresencio Sandoval González, said that, following the instruction of the President of the Republic to create an airline of the Mexican State, on June 16, the Aerolínea del Estado Mexicano, SA de CV, was established to increase the connectivity and coverage of air services in the country through the public transport service for passengers, cargo and mail.
It is made up of the department in charge of the Mexican Air Force (FAM) and two coordination units, with central offices in the Ex-Hacienda de Santa Lucía, State of Mexico, inside the “Felipe Ángeles” International Airport, a site that will also be its headquarters base along with the upcoming new “Felipe Carrillo Puerto” International Airport, in Tulum.
He added that the company has already created 209 direct jobs for the first stage of operation, and will reach 745 jobs at the start of operations. The Boeing Company provided advice to develop the business plan and support to obtain the air operator certificate and start operations.
He said that the air fleet begins with the leasing of 10 new generation Boeing 737-800 aircraft, each with three trained and certified crews; three aircraft were delivered on September 30, and the other seven on October 30. According to the scale model, they will be identified with the national colors and the logo of the Mexican Aviation trademark.
Regarding operating costs, he said:
“Four billion pesos and this includes the rental of aircraft, fuel maintenance, rental of destination properties, ground support equipment, and company equipment.”
