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US Targets Delta-Aeromexico Alliance in Airline Antitrust Clash with Mexico

By  |  July 21, 2025

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum asserted on Monday that her administration has yet to receive any formal notice from the United States regarding possible sanctions targeting Mexico’s airline industry, emphasizing that such actions would be unwarranted.

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    Per Reuters, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced over the weekend that it intends to take retaliatory steps following Mexico’s controversial decision to reduce flight slots and mandate cargo operations be relocated away from Mexico City’s main airport. The changes, implemented in 2022 and 2023, have drawn sharp criticism from U.S. authorities who argue the policies unfairly impact American carriers.

    “There is no reason for Mexico to receive any sanctions for changes made to the capital’s airport system,” Sheinbaum said during her daily press briefing.

    U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, in a statement issued Saturday, suggested the department could begin denying new route applications from Mexican airlines if concerns surrounding Mexico’s airport regulations are not addressed. Furthermore, the agency may recommend suspending antitrust immunity for the joint venture between Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico—a move that could significantly alter competitive dynamics in cross-border travel, Reuters reported.

    Related: House Democrats Urge Biden to Reconsider Ending Delta-Aeromexico Partnership

    Mexico’s national air transportation association, Canaero, responded to the developments with a call for increased dialogue and binational collaboration. In its statement, the group warned that the U.S. measures could severely disrupt trade, air connectivity, and the broader aviation market between the neighboring nations.

    According to Reuters, industry expert Fernando Gomez sees deeper strategic motives behind Washington’s actions. He argued that the aviation dispute may be part of a broader effort to establish leverage ahead of the scheduled review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which replaced NAFTA in 2020.

    “They are using this as a springboard to gain leverage, just as they did with tariffs and immigration,” Gomez told Reuters. “USMCA is their ultimate goal.”

    The USMCA includes provisions requiring a comprehensive review by all three signatory countries six years after its enactment, setting the stage for potentially intense negotiations in 2026.

    Despite the rising tensions, President Sheinbaum reaffirmed her position that no further changes will be made to flight allocations at Mexico City’s main airport.

    Source: Reuters