Mexico says U.S. approves plan to recover Category 1 aviation rating (updated)

Controladora Vuela Compania de Aviacion SAB de CV

28/10/2022 22:15

(Adds information from Mexico's Foreign Ministry)
    By Valentine Hilaire
       MEXICO CITY, Oct 28 (Reuters) - U.S. authorities
approved Mexico's government plan to recover its Category 1
aviation rating, revoked roughly a year and a half ago,
according to a statement published by the Mexican Foreign
Ministry on Friday.
    Mexico expects to end its action plan to recover the
U.S.-issued aviation rating in December, the statement said. 
        The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had
downgraded Mexico's aviation safety rating in May 2021, saying
it fell short of regulating its air carriers "in accordance with
minimum international safety standards."
  
        Restoring the category 1 rating would clear Aeromexico
 AEROMEX.MX , Volaris  VOLARA.MX  and other Mexican carriers to
add new U.S. flights and potentially carry out marketing
agreements with U.S. airlines.
  
    Authorities from the FAA are set to visit Mexico in January
2023 to present the conclusions of the corrective action plan,
the statement added.
        Mexico's government said it aims to define the final
date for its audit to recover the rating before the summer of
2023.
  
        The FAA declined to confirm or deny the report. "We
continue to provide assistance to Mexico’s civil aviation
authority," an FAA spokeswoman said.
  
        Restoration of the U.S. Category 1 rating still may not
put to rest all concerns about Mexico's air safety, especially
in its capital, whose main airport saw a series of worrying
incidents earlier this year, including a near collision.
        Since then, the Mexican government has held meetings
with airlines and aeronautical authorities to redistribute
flights and send more to the newly opened Felipe Angeles
International Airport, located in the outskirts of the capital.
 (Reporting by Valentine Hilaire; Editing by David Gregorio)
 ((Valentine.Hilaire@thomsonreuters.com;))