- US Imposes New Rules on Mexico Air Travel
- Delta-Aeromexico alliance at risk amid aviation dispute
- Mexico yet to respond officially to U.S. actions
By Grateful Ogunjebe
The Trump administration has imposed new restrictions on Mexican flights, accusing the Mexican government of breaching a bilateral aviation agreement by rerouting flights away from Mexico City’s main airport.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the move could unravel a key partnership between Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico, threatening nearly two dozen cross-border routes and $800 million in economic benefits.
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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Mexico’s decision to divert air traffic from Benito Juarez International Airport to the more remote Felipe Angeles Airport violates trade terms and favours Mexican carriers unfairly.
“Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg deliberately allowed Mexico to break our bilateral aviation agreement. That ends today,” Duffy declared. “Let these actions serve as a warning to any country who thinks it can take advantage of the U.S., our carriers, and our market.”
Under the new rules, all Mexican passenger, cargo and charter airlines must now submit flight schedules for approval by the U.S. Transportation Department until the issue is resolved.
The Delta-Aeromexico alliance, launched in 2016, is now under threat. U.S. authorities have proposed ending the deal, prompting strong resistance from both airlines who argue they are being penalised unfairly.
“The U.S. Department of Transportation’s tentative proposal to terminate its approval of the strategic and pro-competitive partnership between Delta and Aeromexico would cause significant harm to consumers,” Delta said in a statement.
Aeromexico’s press office confirmed it is reviewing the new restrictions and plans to issue a joint response with Delta in the coming days.
The proposed cancellation of the alliance would not take effect until October, giving both companies time to challenge the decision. Industry observers say the fallout could affect tourism, job creation, and flight options on both sides of the border.
In a previous filing, the airlines warned that losing direct connections could discourage over 140,000 American and nearly 90,000 Mexican travellers from visiting each other’s countries, dealing a blow to hospitality and travel sectors.
President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico has yet to address the aviation dispute publicly. Her spokesperson did not respond to media enquiries, and the issue was not mentioned during her weekend events.
Analysts say the broader implications for U.S.-Mexico trade relations remain uncertain, particularly amid rising tensions over tariffs and logistics policy.
