Category 1 expected to expand routes in AIFA

MEXICO CITY - Three Mexican airlines, as well as two foreign airlines, are interested in expanding flights to the United States from Felipe Angeles International Airport (AIFA) and vice versa, once the country's air safety recategorization is announced.

According to the general director of AIFA, Isidoro Pastor Román, so far two foreign airlines have approached AIFA to express their interest in opening routes from the United States to Felipe Ángeles airport.

In an interview with A21, the executive added that the three national airlines operating at AIFA - Aeromexico, Viva Aerobus and Volaris - have also expressed their interest in opening new routes from this air terminal to the northern neighbor.

He specified that the national airlines have not stated this in writing, but they have identified cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, San Antonio, among others.

It is worth remembering that last May 25, it was two years since the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) downgraded Mexico's aviation authority to Category 2 for failing to comply with international aviation safety standards.

In view of this, the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) has given several tentative dates for the FAA to give its final ruling, but as of today, the country remains downgraded.

On the other hand, Brigadier General Isidoro Pastor stated that, given the situation reported by the Mexico City International Airport (AICM), it is the airlines themselves who must make the decision to migrate their operations to other airports, including AIFA.

He made it clear that it is not that the AICM decides to move flights to AIFA or another airport, but that it is the airlines that decide where to go.