Wikipedia

Mexicana de Aviación (2023–present)

(Redirected from Aerolínea del Estado Mexicano)

Mexicana de Aviación (legally Aerolínea del Estado Mexicano, S.A. de C.V.)[3] is a Mexican domestic, state-owned airline established on 15 June 2023. It operates under the historical commercial name Mexicana de Aviación, after the government acquired the former airline's brands and assets on 9 August 2023.

Mexicana de Aviación
An Embraer E195-E2
IATA ICAO Call sign
XN MXA MEXICANA
Founded15 June 2023; 3 years ago (2023-06-15)[1]
Commenced operations
26 December 2023; 2 years ago (2023-12-26)[2]
HubsFelipe Ángeles International Airport
Fleet size6
Destinations14
Parent companySEDENA
HeadquartersEx hacienda de Santa Lucía, Zumpango, Estado de México
Key peopleSergio Montaño Méndez (General Director)
Websitewww.mexicana.gob.mx

The airline is managed by the Secretariat of National Defense and its headquarters is at Felipe Ángeles International Airport.

History

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On 18 May 2023,[4] the Official Journal of the Federation[5] listed the creation of the company Aerolínea del Estado Mexicano, S.A. de C.V, that will "promote, operate and provide the public service of national and international regular air transport of passengers, cargo, mail or a combination of these, on its own account or through public or private persons."[6]

In August 2023, deals were finalized by the Mexican government, which introduced the airline during a press conference. After briefly launching ticket pre-sales in September, the airline planned to begin operations in December 2023.[7][8][9]

In October 2023, the airline was granted an Assignment Title by the Federal Civil Aviation Agency.[10][11]

An Boeing 737-800 landing in Tijuana International Airport.

The first aircraft was delivered on 17 December 2023, registered as "XA-ASM".[12] It made its maiden test flight from Santa Lucia to Tijuana.[13]

The inaugural flight was on 26 December 2023 from Felipe Ángeles International Airport to Tulum International Airport, though the flight briefly diverted to Mérida due to weather before finally landing in Tulum.[1][14]

In January 2025, Mexicana ended services to seven destinations, beginning a restructuring process.[15]

Operations

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Two Boeing 737-800s taxiing at Felipe Ángeles International Airport.

The airline intended to start operations on 1 December 2023, with a planned fleet of 10 Boeing 737-800 aircraft. However, it did not receive a valid air operator's certificate at the time and delivery was postponed.[16][17] The airline used an Embraer 145 aircraft for certification, wet leased from TAR Aerolíneas, and was registered as "XA-VGQ".[18][19] The airline initially reduced its destination count from 20 to 9.[20][21] The fleet was planned to consist of two Boeing 737-800 and one 737-300, all inherited from the Mexican Air Force.[12]

In March 2024, the airline announced plans to purchase 10 Embraer aircraft after Boeing's deal fell through, and deliveries were expected after 2025. It was suggested that they would operate the Embraer E175 and Embraer E195-E2 planes.[22][23] In June 2024, it was confirmed that Mexicana has ordered 20 Embraer E2 aircraft, consisting of 10 E190-E2 and 10 E195-E2 jets.[24]

Select flights were operated up to 2024 in partnership with TAR, using two of its 50-seated Embraer 145 planes.[1][25][26][27] By the end of 2024, only one leased aircraft from TAR remained operational for three destinations, as part of Mexicana's change of operations. The partnership was terminated in January 2025, resulting in the cancelation of several routes.[15][28] Service to Campeche, Ixtapa–Zihuatanejo and Los Cabos was resumed by the end of 2025.[29]

In April 2026, Mexicana announced new services to Chihuahua, Hermosillo, León/Bajío and Tuxtla Gutiérrez from Mexico City–Felipe Ángeles airport in the second half of the year.[30]

Lawsuit

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In March 2024, the airline was sued by Texas-based SAT Aero Holdings, seeking up to $841 million in damages due to issues such as failing to pay $5.5 million for aircraft leasing, contract breaching, and failure to obtain licenses for importing aircraft. SAT was recruited to provide services to the airline. A complaint was filed in Manhattan, and the Mexican military defense did not have any information regarding the case.[31][32][33]

Destinations

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As of June 2026, Mexicana de Aviación flies to a total of 16 domestic destinations.[27][34]

City Airport Notes Refs
AcapulcoAcapulco International Airport[35]
CampecheCampeche International Airport[36]
ChetumalChetumal International Airport[27]
ChihuahuaChihuahua International AirportBegins July 13, 2026[37]
Ciudad VictoriaCiudad Victoria International Airport[38]
GuadalajaraGuadalajara International Airport[27]
HermosilloHermosillo International AirportBegins July 20, 2026[37]
Ixtapa/ZihuatanejoIxtapa-Zihuatanejo International Airport[39]
IxtepecIxtepec Airport[40]
León/BajíoBajío International AirportBegins July 27, 2026[37]
MazatlánMazatlán International Airport[41]
MéridaMérida International Airport[27]
Mexico CityFelipe Ángeles International AirportHub[2]
MonterreyMonterrey International Airport[27]
Nuevo LaredoNuevo Laredo International AirportTerminated[40]
PalenquePalenque International Airport[27]
Puerto VallartaLicenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport[42]
San José del CaboLos Cabos International Airport[43]
TijuanaTijuana International Airport[44]
TulumTulum International Airport[2]
Tuxtla GutiérrezTuxtla Gutiérrez International AirportBegins July 6, 2026[37]
UruapanUruapan International AirportTerminated[45]
VillahermosaVillahermosa International AirportTerminated[27]

Fleet

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As of May 2026, Mexicana de Aviación operates the following aircraft:

Mexicana fleet
Aircraft In
service		 Orders Passengers Notes
Embraer E190-E2 1[46] 9 108 Deliveries began Q2 2025.[47]
Embraer E195-E2 5[48] 5 132
Total 6 14

Historic Fleet

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Aircraft Number Year entered Year exited Notes ref
Boeing 737-800 3 2023 2025 [49]

See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 "Nueva Mexicana de Aviación, operada por el Ejército, arranca con un vuelo a Tulum". aldiadallas (in Spanish). The Dallas Morning News. 25 December 2023. Archived from the original on 25 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Johnson, Kimberly (27 December 2023). "Mexican Army-Run Airline Makes First Flight to Resort Town". Flying Magazine. Archived from the original on 1 January 2024. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  3. ↑ "Nace la Aerolínea del Estado Mexicano, S.A. de C.V. bajo el resguardo de Sedena". sdpnoticias. 18 May 2023. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  4. ↑ México, Juan Luis Ramos | El Sol de. "Nace aerolínea del Estado mexicano; estará bajo control de la Sedena". El Sol del Centro | Noticias Locales, Policiacas, sobre México, Aguascalientes y el Mundo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 24 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  5. ↑ "DOF - Diario Oficial de la Federación". Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  6. ↑ "Ya es oficial la nueva aerolínea comercial del Ejército, también podrá ofrecer servicio de carga". infobae (in European Spanish). 18 May 2023. Archived from the original on 24 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  7. ↑ "¿What will be the routes and planes that the new Mexicana de Aviación will operate?". Transponder1200 (in Spanish). July 2022. Archived from the original on 22 July 2023. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  8. ↑ "Government of Mexico unveils its new airline Mexicana de Aviación announcing Tulum as secondary base". Riviera Maya News. Riviera Maya News. 11 August 2023. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  9. ↑ Soto, Héctor (10 August 2023). "Introducing Mexicana de Aviación: Mexico's New Airline". Mexico Business News. Mexico Business. Archived from the original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  10. ↑ "Mexicana de Aviación, la aerolínea que operará la Sedena, recibe título de asignación". Yahoo! Noticas (in Spanish). Yahoo. 7 November 2023. Archived from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  11. ↑ "Mexicana de Aviación Prepares for Liftoff with Assignment Title". Mexicanist. Mexicanist. 8 November 2023. Archived from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  12. 1 2 Meier, Ricardo (18 December 2023). "Mexicana de Aviación's first Boeing 737-800 emerges days before the start of revenue flights". Air Data News. Air Data News. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  13. ↑ "Mexicana de Aviación inicia vuelos para obtener certificación". Expansión (in Spanish). Expansión. 18 December 2023. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  14. ↑ "The first official Mexicana de Aviación flight to Tulum ends up landing in Mérida". The Yucutan Times. The Yucatan Times. 26 December 2023. Archived from the original on 4 January 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  15. 1 2 de la Rosa, Alejandro (5 January 2025). "Mexicana de Aviación will stop operating eight routes as of January 6; restructuring begins". El Economista. Periódico Especializado en Economía y Finanzas, S.A. de C.V. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  16. ↑ Soto, Héctor (1 November 2023). "Boeing Delays Aircraft Delivery to Mexicana de Aviación". Mexico Business News. Mexico Business. Archived from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  17. ↑ Miriam, Paredes (26 October 2023). "Aerolíneas piden "piso parejo" con nueva Mexicana de Aviación". Excélsior (in Spanish). Excélsior. Archived from the original on 26 October 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  18. ↑ "La 4T se alista para conquistar los cielos: Ya está listo el primer avión de Mexicana de Aviación, será usado para obtener certificado de servicios aéreos (FOTOS)". Los Reporteros Mx (in Spanish). Los Reporteros Mx. 9 November 2023. Archived from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  19. ↑ Paredes, Miriam (10 November 2023). "Mexicana inicia con Embraer, no con Boeing; arrienda aviones a TAR". Excelsior. Imagen Digital. Archived from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  20. ↑ "Mexicana de Aviación, a punto de despegar: Inicia la venta de boletos a 9 destinos". Yahoo! Noticas (in Spanish). Yahoo. 14 November 2023. Archived from the original on 17 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  21. ↑ Garmendia, Ximena (17 November 2023). "La nueva Mexicana: un avión y una ruta". sdpnoticias (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 18 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  22. ↑ Woerner, Lukas (4 March 2024). "New Airline Mexicana Ditches Boeing for Faster Launch, Switches to Embraer". AeroXplorer. AeroXplorer. Archived from the original on 9 March 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  23. ↑ Ferreira, Carlos (1 March 2024). "Adeus Boeing: Mexicana de Aviación encomenda dez jatos brasileiros Embraer E175 e E195-E2". Aeroin (in Portuguese). Aeroin. Archived from the original on 2 March 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  24. ↑ "Mexicana de Aviación Orders 20 Embraer E2 Aircraft". Embraer. 3 June 2024.
  25. ↑ Lerma, Reneé (18 December 2023). "Mexicana de Aviación Conducts Test Flights for AOC Approval". Mexico Business News. Mexico Business. Archived from the original on 25 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  26. ↑ Carrillo, Emmanuel (25 December 2023). "Las otras 'alas' de Mexicana: Esta aerolínea estará detrás de sus operaciones regionales". Radio Fórmula. Grupo Fórmula. Archived from the original on 25 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Mexicana begins ticket sales; TAR will operate 6 destinations". El Financiero (in Spanish). 22 December 2023. Archived from the original on 26 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  28. ↑ Goytia, Óscar (7 January 2025). "Mexicana de Aviación Hit by TAR Aircraft Loss, Route Cuts". Mexico Business News. Mexico Business Company. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  29. ↑ "Mexicana de Aviación resumes flights to Campeche". A21. February 2025. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  30. ↑ "Mexicana de Aviación Resumes Flights to Acapulco". Grupo Milenio (in Mexican Spanish). 8 October 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2026.
  31. ↑ Stempel, Jonathan; Madry, Kylie (27 March 2024). "Mexico's state-owned airline faces $841 million lawsuit in contract dispute". Reuters. Reuters. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  32. ↑ "Conflicto en el aire: millonaria demanda en EU contra Mexicana de Aviación". Proceso (in Spanish). Comunicación e Información S.A. de C.V. 27 March 2024. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  33. ↑ Dolmetsch, Chris (27 March 2024). "Mexico's New State Airline Sued in $800 Million Contract Dispute (subscription required)". Bloomerg. Bloomberg L.P. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  34. ↑ "Hay 14 mil reservaciones". sinembargo.mx (in Spanish). 9 January 2024. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  35. ↑ "The Tianguis Turístico México 2026 celebrates its 50th edition". Travel2Latam. April 2026. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  36. ↑ Jairo Magaña (28 December 2023). "Vuelo de Mexicana de Aviación llega a Campeche". Lajornadamaya.mx (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 29 December 2023. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  37. 1 2 3 4 "Mexicana de Aviación Launches 5 New Routes from June". La Razón (in Spanish). April 2026. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  38. ↑ "Mexicana de Aviación inaugura vuelo a Ciudad Victoria con Embraer 145". Transponder1200.com (in Spanish). 27 December 2023. Archived from the original on 29 December 2023. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  39. ↑ "Mexicana de Aviación aterriza en Zihuatanejo desde el AIFA". Elsoldeacapulco.com.mx (in Spanish). 27 December 2023. Archived from the original on 29 December 2023. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  40. 1 2 "Mexicana de Aviación estrenará 3 rutas en febrero ¿cuáles son?". Nacion321.com (in Spanish). 23 January 2024. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  41. ↑ Joel Jiménez (27 December 2023). "Con más de una hora de retraso, llega a Mazatlán el primer vuelo de Mexicana de Aviación". Losnoticieristas.com (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 30 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  42. ↑ "Mexicana de Aviación Resumes Flights to Puerto Vallarta, Expanding Air Travel Options". Vallartadaily.com. 29 December 2023. Archived from the original on 30 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  43. ↑ "Mexicana de Aviación returns to Los Cabos!". Tribuna de México (in Spanish). March 2024. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  44. ↑ "Aterrizó primer vuelo de Mexicana de Aviación en Tijuana". Lajornadamaya.mx (in Spanish). 27 December 2023. Archived from the original on 29 December 2023. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  45. ↑ "Llega a Uruapan primer vuelo de Mexicana procedente de CDMX". mimorelia.com (in Spanish). 2 February 2024. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  46. ↑ Dron, Alan (12 May 2026). "Mexicana Receives First E190 E2 In Fleet Expansion". Aviation Week. Informa PLC. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  47. ↑ "Mexicana de Aviación adquiere 20 aviones EMBRAER E2" (PDF). Mexicana (Press release). Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  48. ↑ "Mexicana de Aviación receives its fifth Embraer E195-E2 aircraft at AIFA". El Sol de Toluca (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  49. ↑ Molyneaux, Ian (11 August 2023). "Mexico's army-run airline to launch with Boeing 737 fleet". www.aerotime.aero. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
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