Airfare exceeds pre-pandemic level and breaks record in March


The aviation industry in Mexico registered encouraging figures in March. During the third month of the year, the airlines (national and international) that operate in the country mobilized eight million 926,954 passengers on regular flights, which already represented an increase of 0.4%, compared to the same month of 2019 (in March 2020 it was recorded the first impact on traveler flows due to the Covid-19 pandemic).

Even on domestic flights (led by Volaris and VivaAerobus) the historical figure of four million 477,915 passengers was achieved.

Meanwhile, international companies added 3,476,683 users, which represented an increase of 6.3%, according to figures from the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC). And the national ones that have foreign flights still remain in negative numbers, adding 972,356 passengers, that is, a drop of 25.6% compared to March 2019.

However, in the center of the country the enthusiasm is not entirely shared: of the total number of passengers in the country, 35% used the Mexico City International Airport (AICM), which is facing a peak in user complaints due to its poor infrastructure.

In social networks of the terminal and airlines, there is talk of delayed flights, little space in the last waiting rooms or vehicular traffic to enter and leave the terminal. The director of the airport, Carlos Morán, has referred that “it is hyper saturated” and it is necessary to have quality services and warmth to receive visitors. Now there are very significant challenges.

“The instructions I have from the President of the Republic are to get the AICM to return to levels it already had, as you know in the 1990s and early 2000s it was one of the most punctual airports in the world,” he said. last month in a meeting with its operating and schedule committee. Although there are no further details

Low cost control

With its strict control of expenses, Volaris remained the company with the most passengers served in the third month: two million 287,072, which represented an increase of 38.1% compared to March 2019.

Its director, Enrique Beltranena, said in a statement: The solid traffic results for March 2022 once again demonstrate the strength of demand in the markets where we operate. We continue to make a disciplined effort to gradually mitigate the increase in fuel prices, through basic rates and additional services, maintaining healthy load factors.

In second place remains VivaAerobus with one million 443,642 passengers and an increase of 87.9%, although Aeroméxico (which on March 17 reported that its financial restructuring plan had successfully concluded) is getting closer, with one million 137,873 passengers, 14.7%. more than three years ago. In contrast, Aeroméxico Connect has not yet managed to reverse falls and added 485,288 customers, 37.4% less.

Based on AFAC figures, in the accumulated January-March 2022 there were 23 million 472,787 passengers, a figure that is 4.5% below the same period in 2019, where foreign airlines are the only ones with growth, 0.6 % with its eight million 932,876 clients. National companies in the domestic market are still 0.5% down, with 11 million 836,327 passengers, and in their foreign flights they are 28.7% down, adding two million 703,584 travelers.

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