FAA Downgrades Mexico’s Safety Rating: What it Means for Flights

Flights between the U.S. and Mexico just took a major blow from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA recently downgraded Mexico’s safety rating from a Category 1 to a Category 2 rating, which will result in more restrictions for Mexican carriers operating flights between the U.S. and Mexico. Since demand for flights to Mexico has been peaking, this could result in higher airfares, but also provides an opportunity for U.S. carriers to expand their footprint in Mexico.

What Are FAA Safety Ratings?

The International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) determines if international civil aviation authorities meet minimum ICAO safety standards. It divides countries into two categories.

Category 1 – meets ICAO standards
Category 2 – does not meet ICAO standards

Airlines from countries that fall in Category 2 are allowed to continue existing service, but are not allowed to expand service or codeshare with U.S. carriers. These carriers will also be subject to heightened inspections.

Why Did the FAA Downgrade Mexico’s Safety Rating?

Following a review of the Agencia Federal de Aviacion Civil (AFAC) between October 2020 and February 2021, the FAA identified several areas of non-compliance with minimum ICAO safety standards. In a press release on May 25, 2021, the FAA announced the downgrade and said it was “fully committed to helping the Mexican aviation authority improve its safety oversight system.”

Previously, the FAA had downgraded Mexico’s rating in 2010, but the rating returned to a Category 1 in about 4 months. As of May 25, 2021, there were a total of nine countries on the Category 2 list, including Bangladesh, Curacao, Ghana, Malaysia, Mexico, Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis), Pakistan, Thailand, and Venezuela. Countries are removed after four years if there isn’t any U.S. service or codeshare agreements with U.S. carriers.

Is it Safe to Fly on Mexican Airlines?

Yes. It’s important to note that this downgrade was not an indictment of individual airlines, but rather a way for the FAA to urge Mexico to improve its oversight of aviation. At a Wolfe Research conference, Delta President Glen Hauenstein said “This is not about Aeromexico. This is about the Mexican version of the FAA not having some of the right protocols in place. We have no issues with the safety of Aeromexico itself.”

All Mexican airlines that have been given permission to fly to the U.S. currently meet all FAA safety standards.

Current US-Mexico Routes Operated by Mexican Airlines

There are currently close to 100 routes operated by Mexican carriers between the U.S. and Mexico. These routes will continue to operate as scheduled, but these airlines will not be able to add new routes or upgrade aircraft on these routes until Mexico’s safety rating is raised to a Category 1.

Aeromexico

Mexico City (MEX)

New York (JFK) – Mexico City (MEX)
Orlando (MCO) – Mexico City (MEX)
Miami (MIA) – Mexico City (MEX)
Chicago (ORD) – Mexico City (MEX)
Dallas (DFW) – Mexico City (MEX)
Houston (IAH) – Mexico City (MEX)
Austin (AUS) – Mexico City (MEX)
San Antonio (SAT) – Mexico City (MEX)
Denver (DEN) – Mexico City (MEX)
Las Vegas (LAS) – Mexico City (MEX)
Los Angeles (LAX) – Mexico City (MEX)
San Francisco (SFO) – Mexico City (MEX)
Seattle (SEA) – Mexico City (MEX)

Guadalajara (GDL)

Los Angeles (LAX) – Guadalajara (GDL)
San Francisco (SFO) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Sacramento (SMF) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Fresno (FAT) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Chicago (ORD) – Guadalajara (GDL)

Volaris

Mexico City (MEX)

Miami (MIA) – Mexico City (MEX)
Orlando (MCO) – Mexico City (MEX)
Chicago (ORD) – Mexico City (MEX)
Dallas (DFW) – Mexico City (MEX)
Houston (IAH) – Mexico City (MEX)
San Antonio (SAT) – Mexico City (MEX)
Denver (DEN) – Mexico City (MEX)
Las Vegas (LAS) – Mexico City (MEX)
Los Angeles (LAX) – Mexico City (MEX)
Ontario (ONT) – Mexico City (MEX)
Fresno (FAT) – Mexico City (MEX)
San Jose (SJC) – Mexico City (MEX)
Oakland (OAK) – Mexico City (MEX)
Sacramento (SMF) – Mexico City (MEX)

Guadalajara (GDL)

New York (JFK) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Charlotte (CLT) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Orlando (MCO) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Miami (MIA) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Chicago (ORD) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Chicago (MDW) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Dallas (DFW) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Houston (IAH) – Guadalajara (GDL)
San Antonio (SAT) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Denver (DEN) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Phoenix (PHX) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Las Vegas (LAS) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Los Angeles (LAX) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Ontario (ONT) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Fresno (FAT) – Guadalajara (GDL)
San Jose (SJC) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Oakland (OAK) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Sacramento (SMF) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Reno (RNO) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Portland (PDX) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Seattle (SEA) – Guadalajara (GDL)

Other Routes

Los Angeles (LAX) – Zacatecas (ZCL)
Los Angeles (LAX) – Aguascalientes (AGU)
Los Angeles (LAX) – Leon (BJX)
Los Angeles (LAX) – Morelia (MLM)
Los Angeles (LAX) – Uruapan (UPN)
Los Angeles (LAX) – Oaxaca (OAX)
San Jose (SJC) – Zacatecas (ZCL)
San Jose (SJC) – Leon (BJX)
San Jose (SJC) – Morelia (MLM)
Oakland (OAK) – Leon (BJX)
Oakland (OAK) – Morelia (MLM)
Sacramento (SMF) – Leon (BJX)
Fresno (FAT) – Leon (BJX)
Fresno (FAT) – Morelia (MLM)
Chicago (ORD) – Queretaro (QRO)
Chicago (ORD) – Leon (BJX)
Chicago (ORD) – Morelia (MLM)
Chicago (MDW) – Durango (DGO)
Chicago (MDW) – Zacatecas (ZCL)
Chicago (MDW) – Aguascalientes (AGU)
Chicago (MDW) – Leon (BJX)
Chicago (MDW) – Morelia (MLM)
Dallas (DFW) – Durango (DGO)
Phoenix (PHX) – Culiacan (CUL)
Phoenix (PHX) – Puerto Vallarta (PVR)

VivaAerobus

Mexico City (MEX)

New York (JFK) – Mexico City (MEX)
Chicago (ORD) – Mexico City (MEX)
Dallas (DFW) – Mexico City (MEX)
Houston (IAH) – Mexico City (MEX)
San Antonio (SAT) – Mexico City (MEX)
Las Vegas (LAS) – Mexico City (MEX)
Los Angeles (LAX) – Mexico City (MEX)

Monterrey (MTY)

Houston (IAH) – Monterrey (MTY)
Dallas (DFW) – Monterrey (MTY)
San Antonio (SAT) – Monterrey (MTY)
Las Vegas (LAS) – Monterrey (MTY)
Los Angeles (LAX) – Monterrey (MTY)

Other Routes

Miami (MIA) – Cancun (CUN)
Chicago (ORD) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Houston (IAH) – Guadalajara (GDL)
Los Angeles (LAX) – Guadalajara (GDL)

Aeromar

Laredo (LRD) – Mexico City (MEX)
McAllen (MFE) – Mexico City (MEX)

What Does it Mean for Codeshare Flights?

Since Mexico’s airlines can no longer codeshare with U.S. carriers, Delta will have to remove its code from flights operated by Aeromexico and Frontier will have to do the same with Volaris, for the time being. These airlines will still sell tickets on each other’s websites, but current tickets may have to be reissued. This is likely the only aspect that customers will notice if they were already holding a codeshare ticket.

How Does This Affect U.S. Airlines?

The safety rating has no direct effect on U.S. carriers other than the need to remove codeshares. U.S. airlines will be free to add new routes and it may present a good opportunity for them to expand in Mexico as demand for travel is growing — especially in Mexico which has remained open to visitors throughout the pandemic. Mexico expects to have the protocols in place to move back to a Category 1 rating in the next three months. Although this may be an ambitious goal, it’s likely Mexico will eventually get its safety rating back to the minimum standards. Until then, be on the lookout for new routes from U.S. carriers.

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