China Southern Set To Restore China-Mexico Flights in April
China Southern Airlines is on the brink of establishing a pioneering connection that will reintroduce direct flight services between mainland China and Mexico for the first time in over four years. Slated to commence on April 17, the new route from Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport (SZX) to Mexico City International Airport (MEX) is poised to bridge the vast distance between the two nations with a twice-weekly service. Due to the high altitude of Mexico City, the return flights will operate via Tijuana, making this route a strategic move to ensure operational feasibility and comfort.
Spanning approximately 8,779 miles, this ambitious route will not only become the longest in China Southern’s extensive network, surpassing its current longest route from Guangzhou to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport but will also claim a spot as the eighth-farthest global route. This significant milestone is indicative of the airline’s commitment to expanding its international footprint and providing vital links between major economic hubs.
The reintroduction of direct flights comes after a hiatus that saw the mainland China-Mexico market devoid of nonstop services since early 2020, following the suspension of operations by Hainan Airlines between Beijing and Tijuana, and Aeromexico’s cessation of flights between Mexico City and Shanghai in late 2019. This gap left a noticeable void in connectivity between the two countries, highlighted by the substantial pre-pandemic traffic flows that featured Mexico City-Shanghai, Mexico City-Beijing, and Mexico City-Guangzhou as the top city pairs in terms of passenger volumes.
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, with traffic numbers significantly dwindling in 2021 and 2022, there was a notable rebound in 2023. This recovery underscores the enduring demand for travel and trade between China and Mexico, with Tokyo Narita, Paris Charles de Gaulle, and Frankfurt Airport emerging as pivotal one-stop markets last year in the absence of direct flights.
China Southern’s foray into the China-Mexico market is timely, aligning with the strengthening trade relations between the two countries. With China’s exports to Mexico surpassing $90 billion in 2022 and Mexico shipping almost $13 billion worth of goods in the opposite direction, the establishment of direct air connectivity is set to play a crucial role in facilitating and further enhancing these economic exchanges. This strategic move by China Southern Airlines marks a significant step towards reconnecting these vital economic and cultural partners, promising to catalyze growth in passenger and cargo traffic in the post-pandemic era.