U.S. Elevates Mexico’s Air Safety Rating, Providing a Boost to Mexican Airlines

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Thursday that it has upgraded Mexico’s air safety rating, a development that opens the door for Mexican carriers to expand their U.S. routes and introduce new services.

The downgrade in May 2021, imposed by the U.S. regulator, had a significant impact on Mexican airlines, allowing U.S. carriers to gain a larger share of the market. Despite Mexico’s efforts to revamp its civil aviation laws, it faced numerous challenges and spent several months striving to regain its Category 1 rating.

The FAA’s decision to restore Mexico to the highest aviation safety rating comes after “more than two years of close collaboration between the civil aviation authorities of both countries,” as stated by the FAA.

This upgrade is a boon for airlines like Aeromexico and Volaris, as they can now explore new U.S. routes and potentially establish marketing agreements with U.S. carriers. Additionally, U.S. airlines can resume marketing and selling tickets under their own names and designator codes for Mexican-operated flights.

Mexico continues to be the primary international destination for U.S. airline passengers. Up to July, 23.4 million passengers had traveled on U.S.-Mexico flights, surpassing the 17.4 million on U.S.-Canada routes, which is the second-largest destination.

In 2021, the FAA downgraded Mexico to a Category 2 safety rating after finding that the country did not meet the safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). To rectify this situation, the FAA contributed expertise and resources to address the safety issues that led to the downgrade.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador confirmed that the Biden administration had informed Mexico of the official recovery of its Category 1 rating.

In a June audit, the FAA had expressed concerns about Mexico’s procedures for post-accident investigations and the process of conducting medical exams for aviation sector employees, according to meeting minutes obtained by Reuters.