Mexicana, once Mexico’s largest airline, is set to return to the skies after 13 years.
The airline says it will be ready to start selling tickets and kick off operations sometime next year to 20 domestic destinations, including Mérida, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, and Laredo.
The airline, which will be owned entirely by the Mexican state, will have its day-to-day operation run by the national defense department, which already controls security in several of the nation’s main airports.
The government said tickets would be up to 15% cheaper than their commercial competitors — without sacrificing safety or quality.
The rejuvenated airline will begin operations with a fleet of 10 Boeing 737-800 aircraft, the first three of which are expected to arrive by the end of September.
The controversial Felipe Angeles Airport in Mexico State and the future Tulum International Airport are set to function as the airline’s main hubs.
Earlier: Details like money put Tulum airport project in doubt
The revival of the airline comes after the Mexican government purchased the defunct company for 815 million pesos or roughly 50 million USD.
The deal is also set to offer benefits to the employees wrongly terminated when the airline went under more than 13 years ago.
“This is a historic act of justice, we have been waiting a long time for this,” said airline labor union leader José Humberto Gual.
Though Mexicana does not have any plans for international flights, President Andres Manuel Lopéz Obrador stated that “they will come in due course, but first we have to make sure to offer sufficient coverage to underserved areas of the country.”
Aside from offering passenger service, Mexicana will also transport cargo as well as mail in an effort to make the airline as financially viable as possible, said the secretary of national defense, Luis Crescencio Sandoval.
