Last week, the president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, announced that the US Government and, specifically, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) of that country, would return Category 1 in aviation safety to Mexico.
This September 14, the FAA withdrew Category 2 from Mexico, which it had had for more than two years. Now, the organization’s decision will allow the Aztec country to add new routes and services to the US; At the same time, US airlines will offer more flights to Mexico, as well as packages or tours.
According to the head of the (SICT) Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation, Jorge Nuño Lara, “there will be more flights between both nations, which will strengthen air connectivity; “It will encourage competition and improve the quality of services for travelers, which translates into more routes and frequencies with more competitive rates.”
And he added: “The recovery of Category 1 in international aviation security will bring numerous benefits for Mexico and the United States.” The official also added that 50 new air routes and more than a million passengers are planned.
The Mexican agency recognized that it must now “strengthen the national airport system to improve service to users, promote tourism and the country’s economy.”
In May 2021, the FAA downgraded Mexico to Category 2 for failing to comply with the flight standards established by the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization); During this time, the country shared this status with countries such as Pakistan, Ghana, Malaysia, Thailand and Bangladesh.
According to local media, Mexico recovered Category 1 air safety, after last June, the US Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, visited the AIFA (Felipe Ángeles International Airport), one of the flagship projects of the López Obrador government .
