The United States orders Delta and Aeromexico to dissolve their income sharing partnership

Duffy announced on Tuesday that the transport service revoking antitrust immunity that airlines have had since 2016 that has enabled them and plan their flights in conjunction and share income. He said that it was not logical to maintain this arrangement as long as Mexico gives its national airlines an unjust advantage through the limits it has placed on passenger and cargo flights in Mexico City several years ago.

This air dispute is another front in the broader dispute which has the two countries in disagreement on the prices of President Donald Trump and his concerns about border security. Duffy focuses on the question of whether Mexico’s actions to force airlines to leave Benito Juarer International Airport to the new Felipe Angeles International Airport at more than 30 miles (48.28 kilometers) violated a trade agreement between the two countries and have given the advantage.

Before Mexico obliges airlines to use Felipe Angeles in 2022, all the major international airlines had avoided the airport which is so far from the center of Mexico who can take 2 and a half hours to go to the terminal. At the same time, Mexico has also reduced some of the slots available in Benito Juarez to allow construction at the airport which, according to Duffy, has still not occurred.

“Empty promises do not mean anything. After years to take advantage of the United States and our carriers, we must see a final action in Mexico which leveled the playground and restore equity,” said Duffy.

At the time when Duffy announced this threat in July, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that the transfer of Mexico City Principal Airport operations was a technical decision and that any new change should be based on technical criteria and prioritize security.

“There is no reason to impose sanctions related to this issue,” she said. According to her, Mexico’s decision was not a decision against American airlines, but due to the need to relieve congestion in the former capital of the capital, Benito Juárez.

She recognized that some American companies complained when the change occurred, but she said they had adapted to the new situation.

The two airlines said they were disappointed by Duffy’s decision, but they have not yet decided to challenge it. Delta and Aeromexico supported in regulatory documents that they should not be punished for the actions of the Mexican government and consumers and that the economies of the two countries will be injured by this.

Airlines react

Mexico is the main foreign destination for Americans with more than 40 million passengers who realize last year. Delta and Aeromexico operated more than 30,000 flights between the United States and Mexico last year, according to the Cirium aviation analysis firm.

Delta said this decision “will cause significant damage to American jobs, communities and consumers traveling between the United States and Mexico”. Aeromexico said that “overlooks the advantages that the Alliance has brought to connectivity, tourism and consumers in Mexico”.

The two airlines will continue to cooperate but will not be able to work together so closely. They declared in regulatory documents that they thought that the loss of direct flights would encourage more than 140,000 American tourists and nearly 90,000 Mexican tourists not to visit the other country and harm the savings of the two countries with the loss of their expenses.

Delta and Aeromexico said that their alliance had not prevented other airlines from competing when they developed. Competing airlines competing Viva and Voaris both widened their operations to Benito Juarez airport after Interjea made their doors during the pandemic, although Aeromexico also seized half of the airline niches and extended to Mexico.

Duffy’s order would take effect in January. Until then, there will be no change in flights or loyalty programs to airlines.

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