US imposes new restrictions on flights from Mexico

Aeromexico Airlines planes stop at Mexico City International Airport, Mexico. (Photo: Phi Hung - VNA reporter in Mexico)

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has just announced new regulations under the “America First” policy . Accordingly, all Mexican passenger, cargo and charter airlines will have to submit flight schedules to the U.S. Department of Transportation and request approval until Washington sees that Mexico has changed the way it treats U.S. airlines.

According to a representative of the US Department of Transportation, Mexico has not complied with the US-Mexico Air Transport Agreement signed in 2015. The US side said that since 2022, Mexico has "abruptly revoked take-off/landing slots and forced US cargo carriers to move operations to other airports".

Specifically, under President Andrés Manuel López Obrador , Mexico imposed the above restriction. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador argued that the main airport in the Mexican capital - Benito Juárez International Airport - was overloaded and needed to be renovated ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in part in Mexico. The Mexican president also argued that a new airport about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from the capital could handle the additional traffic.

“Restricting and forcing shipments out of Benito Juárez International Airport has broken the commitment between the two countries, disrupted the market, and forced American businesses to bear millions of dollars in additional costs,” said a representative of the US Department of Transportation.

In addition, the US Department of Transportation also proposed to withdraw the antitrust exemption for the alliance between Delta Air Lines (USA) and Aeromexico (Mexico) to address competition issues. The alliance between Delta and Aeromexico was established in 2016.

The two airlines said it was unfair to punish them for the Mexican government's actions, warning that ending the agreement would threaten nearly 20 routes and $800 million in economic benefits from tourism spending and jobs in both countries.

According to the two airlines’ estimates, if the Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico alliance’s nonstop flights were to cease, more than 140,000 American travelers and nearly 90,000 Mexican travelers could abandon their travel plans, causing significant economic damage to both sides. The order to terminate the agreement between the two airlines is scheduled to take effect in October 2025, so the airlines will continue to protest.

Mexico has been the top international destination for American tourists for many years. According to Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography, in 2024, the country welcomed about 45 million international visitors, with about 13.5 million coming from the United States.