U.S.' Buttigieg meets Mexican counterpart on aviation sticking points (updated)

Controladora Vuela Compania de Aviacion SAB de CV

16/10/2023 18:34

(Updates throughout)
       MEXICO CITY, Oct 16 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of
Transportation Pete Buttigieg met on Monday with his Mexican
counterpart to discuss a number of sticking points regarding
Mexico's aviation industry.
        Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has
increasingly exerted control over the industry and 
    handed over civilian aviation duties
     to the armed forces, causing frictions between the two
countries.
  
        Buttigieg and Mexican Transportation Minister Jorge Nuno
discussed Mexico's plan to maintain a recently recovered U.S.
air safety rating, given back to Mexico in September after it
spent more than two years on a lower rating, Mexico's
transportation ministry said.
        Aviation analysts have said that several issues,
including a legal challenge of a major overhaul to Mexico's
aviation law, could put the recovery at risk.
  
        The two also discussed 
    Mexico's move of cargo flights
     out of the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) to the
military-run Felipe Angeles International Airport (AIFA), 
    which opened last year and sits farther away from the
capital.
        The U.S. government had previously expressed concern
over the move - appearing to 
    pause a tie-up between U.S. carrier Allegiant and Mexico's
VivaAerobus
     as a consequence - and 
    meeting with cargo carriers
     to hear their worries.
  
        Buttigieg and Nuno also talked about strategies to
reduce flight saturation at the AICM, the busiest in the
country, the ministry said. Lopez Obrador has exhorted
commercial airlines to move flights from the AICM to the AIFA.
        Government-mandated flights cuts at the AICM are set to 
    take effect in January
    , slashing slots from 52 per hour to 43 per hour despite
outcry from airlines.
  

 (Reporting by Kylie Madry; Editing by Sarah Morland)
 ((Kylie.Madry@thomsonreuters.com;))