US says Mexico will address American airline access concerns in Mexico City

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON, May 5 (Reuters) – The Mexican government has agreed to improve aviation access to Mexico City, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Tuesday, following months of discussions.

In October, Duffy revoked approval for 13 routes by Mexican carriers into the United States and imposed other restrictions, saying Mexico “illegally canceled and froze U.S. carrier flights for three years without consequences.”

Duffy said on Tuesday the Trump administration has reached consensus with Mexico on a plan for Mexico to address American concerns about its compliance with a 2015 agreement governing air travel between the two countries.

USDOT said Mexico will guarantee that U.S. carriers will have fair and transparent access to request and operate slots at Mexico City Benito Juárez International Airport. Duffy said USDOT will not reconsider restrictions it imposed on Mexican airlines until Mexico has carried out some promised reforms.

. “This is a step in the right direction – but we need to see these promises turn into action. Until then, our restriction on Mexican carriers will remain in place,” Duffy said.

Mexico said a series of measures have been agreed to implement the bilateral air transport agreement and said conditions were established to ensure equitable and transparent access to airport infrastructure, expanding operational options and strengthening logistics connectivity.

Mexico said a bilateral working group made up of U.S. and Mexican officials will monitor implementation of these commitments and subsequently evaluate current regulatory measures in the United States.

Separately, USDOT is trying force Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico to unwind a joint venture. A court has blocked USDOT from ordering a repeal of the nearly 10-year-old joint venture that lets the carriers coordinate scheduling, pricing and capacity for U.S.-Mexico flights.

Aeromexico said it values th the efforts aimed at maintaining a constructive dialogue “that allows us to continue strengthening the bilateral relationship for the benefit of the development of the national airline industry.”

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Alistair Bell)