Qatar Airways has held preliminary talks about starting flights to Mexico Citythe airline said on Friday, confirming a rapprochement with the Mexican government.
Mexico’s government said Thursday that the airline is interested in establishing a route for the next Soccer World Cup 2022 in Qatar and because of the great fans in Mexico.
The Mexican Foreign Ministry said the two sides intended to determine next week when they would begin follow-up talks on the route, after Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said the airline had expressed interest in flying to a new airport in Ciudad from Mexico.
“Qatar Airways confirms that it has had initial informal discussions regarding flights to Mexico City with the Mexican government and both parties will remain in close contact on the matter,” a Qatar Airways spokesman said.
The airline, which earlier this week said it had no plans to start flying from the new Felipe Angeles International Airport, declined to say when the talks might take place or to give more details about what was being discussed.
Critics argue that the new airport, located north of Mexico City, is difficult to access and was opened before it was fully ready, which the government rejects. A train is scheduled to connect the facility to the capital next year.
Until now, airlines such as Aeroméxico, the main airline in the country, Volaris and Viva Aerobus have confirmed that they will fly there.