Background on Viva Air and its Expansion Plans
Viva Air, also known as VivaAerobus, is a low-cost airline based in Mexico. The company has been actively expanding its operations, with plans to start nine new routes to the United States from the Aeropuerto Internacional Felipe Ángeles (AIFA) and the Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México (AICM) within the next two months. These routes were set to connect Mexican cities with major US destinations like Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Orlando, and Miami, offering affordable travel options from Mexico’s Valley.
Recent Announcements and Impact
- On April 15, Viva Air announced seven new routes to US cities: Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Orlando, and Miami.
- On August 20, the airline added two more routes from AIFA to Austin and New York.
These expansion plans were part of Viva Air’s strategy to establish a new hub at AIFA, enhancing connectivity between Mexico and the United States.
US Decision and Viva Air’s Response
The US government recently announced that it would not authorize new flights from AIFA and AICM, causing concern for Viva Air. The airline believes this unilateral decision, made with little advance notice, will negatively impact thousands of American and Mexican passengers during the peak holiday season.
In response, Viva Air has expressed its commitment to dialogue with relevant authorities in both Mexico and the US, as well as industry stakeholders. The airline aims to understand the full implications of this decision and find an immediate solution to prevent further disruptions in this crucial sector for both nations.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is Viva Air’s response to the US decision? Viva Air is seeking dialogue with relevant authorities and industry stakeholders to find a reasonable solution that minimizes the impact on passengers.
- How many new routes was Viva Air planning to start? Viva Air intended to launch nine new routes to various US destinations from AIFA and AICM within the next two months.
- Which US cities were the new routes intended to connect with? The new routes were planned to connect Mexican cities with Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Orlando, and Miami.
- When were the additional routes announced? Viva Air announced two more routes from AIFA to Austin and New York on August 20.
- How will this decision affect Viva Air’s expansion plans? The US decision will halt these planned operations, and Viva Air hopes to resume them once an agreement is reached, especially considering the upcoming holiday season.
