The Mexican low-cost airline, VivaAerobús, has just announced that it will be making Mérida its next major hub of operations.
The announcement comes as Mérida’s airport continues to make strides, both in traffic and the addition of new domestic and international flights.
“We see great potential in Mérida, not just in tourism, but also in the growing industrial sector, so it just makes sense for us to make this move,” said Juan Carlos Zuazua, director of VivaAerobús.
VivaAerobús began operating in 2006 with 3 aircraft at its hub at Monterrey International Airport in Nuevo Léon Mexico.
Since then, the airline has grown its fleet to 62 aircraft with operations in Mexico, The United States, and South America.
The investment on the part of VivaAerobús in Mérida’s Manuel Crescencio Rejón International Airport, combined with silence on the part of the state government, suggests that plans for a new airport have been shelved — at least for now.
Plans for the proposed new airport in Umán come with a reported price tag of 10 billion pesos, roughly US$500 million.
Earlier: New all-time passenger record at Mérida airport
VivaAerobús is not the only airline upping its investment in Mérida’s existing airport, as other domestic and international airlines like Volvaris and TAG continue to expand their own operations out of Yucatán’s state capital.
“Mérida continues to grow in importance both at the national and international level, and this reality is reflected in increasing investment in the entire state,” said Yucatán Gov. Mauricio Vila Dosal.
In March, Mérida’s international airport registered nearly a quarter of a million passengers in a single month, an all-time record.
Mérida’s airport currently ranks as the 9th busiest in the country, with facilities in Mexico City and Cancún taking first and second place.
