DOT Issues Provisional Ruling Ending Delta-Aeroméxico Partnership

In a Friday night decision on January 26, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a provisional ruling that, barring a successful appeal, will bring an end to the partnership between Delta Air Lines and Aeroméxico on October 26 of this year. This ruling allows the companies time for a controlled termination.

The DOT placed blame on the Mexican government for its actions regarding access to the Benito Juárez International Airport in Mexico City. According to the DOT, “The actions taken by the Mexican government regarding operations at MEX have been raised by the U.S. government with its counterparts at the highest levels within the Mexican government in formal consultations as fundamentally non-compliant with the existing bilateral air services agreement and international standards governing airport capacity management.”

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The DOT condemned the removal of cargo operations in Mexico, along with the reduction in passenger capacity at the airport. “The Mexican government has based these actions on the need for a significant renovation of MEX due to saturation levels at the airport.”

However, the Mexican government, in a statement to the DOT, informed them that there are no plans for construction, and no additional capacity would be added to MEX as long as operational and technical conditions at the airport prevail.

Given that there are no signs that the current Mexican government intends to change its stance, no improvements in U.S. airlines or their cross-border partnerships are expected in the short term. The termination of the Delta-Aeroméxico partnership marks a significant development in the aviation industry, raising concerns about the future of international collaborations amid regulatory challenges.

Source: Cadena Politica