Mexico was unable to meet the requirements to regain its FAA Category 1 aviation certification and will remain at Category 2.
That means Mexican airlines will be unable to open any new routes to the United States.
Mexico lost its FAA Category 1 aviation certification in May 2021 after a series of inspections revealed what was described as “concerning practices.”
According to the report issued by the FAA, Mexico’s aviation industry has issues when it comes to security, adhering to procedure, operations, and training.
But is important to note that being in Category 2 does not necessarily mean that Mexican aviation is unsafe, just that improvements need to be made before operations can be expanded.
“Safety is our number one concern and we hope to be able to continue to work with Mexico to improve the aviation standard in the country,” said the FAA in a press statement.
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The news comes as a blow to Mexico’s tourism industry, which relies largely on the United States.
The decision by the FAA does not limit foreign airlines from adding new routes to the United States from Mexico.
But it does mean that airlines will not be able to code share with Mexican airlines on new routes.
Code sharing is a common practice through which an airline is linked to a flight operated by another airline, and sells tickets for that connecting flight.
The failure to achieve Category 1 comes as an embarrassment to the government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. The new Felipe Angeles Airport, championed by the president, will remain without flights to the United States.
