Mexico City, December 6 – Mexico’s upcoming commercial airline, managed by the military, is scheduled to debut later this month, utilizing military aircraft after a leasing agreement for planes fell through, as reported by local media on Wednesday. The revived Mexicana airline is expected to commence operations with two Boeing 737-800s and a previous-generation 737-300, according to sources cited by newspaper Reforma.
The planes are currently undergoing inspection, confirmed the head of Mexico’s aviation authority AFAC to newspaper El Financiero. AFAC, however, declined to provide further comments, and Boeing has not responded immediately to requests for comments.
Initially slated to receive 10 leased Boeing 737-800s in September and October, Mexicana is now exploring a potential agreement with regional carrier TAR to lease at least one Embraer 145, as per media reports.
Transportation Minister Jorge Nuno, on Wednesday, expressed uncertainty about the specific planes to be used but noted that the airline is preparing to initiate several “initial” routes on December 26. Earlier in the week, Nuno mentioned that Mexicana is finalizing its route selection based on plane availability.
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador supports the airline, aiming to offer low-cost travel options. Mexicana, a former major national carrier, faced bankruptcy in 2010. The relaunch of the airline signifies another instance of the administration delegating traditionally civilian-led responsibilities in the sector to the military.
The military has recently assumed control of numerous airports previously operated by the transportation ministry in a broader trend of transferring duties to military oversight.
