Aeromexico Announces Tampa as New U.S. Route Amid Delta Joint Venture Discussions

Aeromexico is set to launch a new service between Mexico City International Airport (MEX) and Tampa International Airport (TPA) in Florida starting July 1, marking an expansion of its U.S. network during a period of uncertainty around its joint venture (JV) with Delta Air Lines. This new daily service, utilizing an Embraer E190 aircraft with 99 seats, positions Aeromexico as the sole operator on the MEX-TPA route, highlighting Tampa as a key international destination long targeted by the airport.

The initiation of this route comes amidst the U.S. Transportation Department’s (DOT) tentative decision that could see the end of Aeromexico’s antitrust-immunized transborder JV with Delta, a partnership established in 2017. The DOT’s stance, attributing its decision to Mexico’s alleged non-compliance with the bilateral air services agreement, has sparked significant pushback from the airlines. Delta, in particular, has criticized the DOT’s preliminary ruling as a form of regulatory overreach that could adversely affect consumers relying on transborder services.

Despite these challenges, Aeromexico and Delta had plans to intensify their JV, especially following the U.S. FAA’s upgrade of Mexico’s safety status in September 2023, which paved the way for transborder route expansion. The airlines aimed to increase seat offerings on these routes by 30% in July 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, planning nearly 60 daily departures across the SkyTeam partners.

However, in light of the DOT’s tentative findings, Aeromexico decided to cancel the resumption of flights from Monterrey to Los Angeles, New York John F. Kennedy, and Salt Lake City, which were initially scheduled to operate daily.

Despite these regulatory hurdles, Aeromexico’s launch of the Tampa service signifies its ongoing efforts to expand its U.S. footprint and work alongside Delta to encourage the DOT to revisit its preliminary decision. Jose Zapata, Aeromexico’s VP of sales for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America, emphasized the airline’s dedication to enhancing connectivity between Mexico and the U.S., in collaboration with Delta.

TPA anticipates that the new Mexico City route will serve the needs of both business and leisure travelers, as well as local families with connections to Mexico. With Tampa becoming Aeromexico’s 23rd U.S. destination, the airline continues to strengthen its presence in Florida, adding to its operations in Miami and Orlando. TPA CEO Joe Lopano celebrated the announcement, underscoring the significance of linking Tampa Bay with North America’s largest metropolitan area through this new airline and route.