This must be one of many strangest makes an attempt to revive an airline model that I’ve ever seen (and that’s saying rather a lot, as a result of reviving an airline model is never a profitable endeavor). Nonetheless, that is actually occurring, and tickets are actually on sale…
Mexico’s authorities is beginning a brand new airline
Mexico’s authorities is launching an airline, and it’s being run by a navy normal. In early August 2023, the Mexican authorities spent $48 million USD to buy the model of Mexicana de Aviacion, which was once Mexico’s main nationwide service. The airline liquidated in 2010, after being privatized in 2005.
Mexican President Andres Handbook Lopez Obrador is reviving this airline with the said aim of providing low-cost choices to vacationers, and creating extra jobs for Mexicans. That buy value goes primarily to just about 7,500 former Mexicana workers, who had claims towards the airline for misplaced wages when it went out of enterprise. The acquisition of Mexicana additionally consists of three buildings and a flight simulator.
So, what ought to we anticipate from the “new” Mexicana?
- Mexicana can be primarily based at Felipe Angeles Worldwide Airport (NLU), which is Mexico Metropolis’s new second airport, because it hasn’t gained as a lot traction with airways as the federal government had hoped; curiously the airport can also be run by the navy
- The airline plans to launch flights as of early December 2023, and tickets are actually on sale
- The airline will start service with 10 leased Boeing 737-800s, that are within the technique of being delivered
- The Boeing 737s can be in an all-economy configuration, every that includes 180 seats
- The airline is promising “high quality service at an reasonably priced price,” with tickets 18-20% cheaper than rivals
- The airline will function completely domestically, and initially intends to serve as much as 20 locations, together with Cancun, Guadalajara, Oaxaca, Mérida, Los Cabos, Tijuana, Mazatlán, León, Hermosillo, Ciudad Juárez, Puerto Vallarta, and Monterrey
- The federal government will give the airline ~$235 million USD in funding to launch operations
- The Mexicana plane will function the standard Mexicana emblem on the tail, however will in any other case be white and inexperienced, with purple engines
You possibly can go to Mexicana’s web site right here. Under is the service’s preliminary route map.
Reasonably unbelievably, flights are already on sale, and fares are fairly cheap.
This must be one of many quickest airline startups ever by way of going from being introduced to really beginning operations. Then once more, I suppose Mexicana doesn’t face the identical points as different airways with getting authorities approval. 😉
Does this airline startup make any sense?
The Mexican authorities had been speaking about launching this airline for a while, however I figured they wouldn’t truly comply with by on this. It appears prefer it’s actually occurring, although, and it makes little sense to me.
The factor is, I can perceive when a rustic with out a lot air service decides to launch an airline, even when it’s not more likely to generate income. In any case, air connectivity is necessary. Nevertheless, on this case the federal government is just launching a home airline that may compete with present personal firms, of which there are a good quantity in Mexico.
It’s not usually you see a authorities launch an airline in a rustic that has loads of good air service. What’s the actual motivation right here? Is that this nearly making former Mexicana workers complete? Is that this about bringing service to Mexico Metropolis’s new airport, which in any other case hasn’t carried out in addition to hoped?
The one logical rationalization is that that is an try to extend visitors at Mexico Metropolis’s second airport. Not solely will that occur instantly with Mexicana being primarily based there, however I think about the federal government thinks different airways will more and more compete there as properly.
By way of maximizing the percentages of the airline being worthwhile, do they actually assume a navy normal is the proper individual to run the airline? Like, I don’t need to be overly important, however I’m not terribly impressed by the eye to element proven to date — the airline will completely fly 737-800s, but the mannequin plane proven within the press convention is of a 737-300, plus the graphic incorporates an image of a airplane with 4 engines.
You already know, individuals usually ask me how I don’t get bored writing about airways one year per yr, for 15+ years working. Effectively, that is why. There’s by no means a boring second within the airline trade. I imply, how are you going to not be fascinated by Mexico’s authorities launching an airline run by a navy normal, and being interested by how this unfolds?
Backside line
Mexicana can be returning to the skies in late 2023, because the airline model is being revived after being bought by the federal government. Mexico has determined to convey again its former nationwide airline, and it’ll initially fly domestically from Felipe Angeles Airport to locations throughout Mexico. Tickets are actually on sale, so that is actually occurring… wow.
What do you make of Mexicana being revived? What do you assume the percentages are the airline succeeds?