U.S. Grounds 13 Mexican Airline Routes: Regulatory Friction Intensifies

The U.S. Department of Transportation has revoked 13 passenger and cargo routes operated by Mexican airlines, citing violations of the 2015 bilateral aviation agreement.

The decision affects flights from Felipe Ángeles International Airport and limits new combined passenger-cargo operations from Benito Juárez International in Mexico City. Washington’s move follows what it calls “anti-competitive practices” and repeated restrictions on U.S. carriers by Mexican authorities over the past three years.

This marks a new phase of regulatory tension between the two countries — where aviation policy is now a tool of broader trade leverage. For airlines, logistics providers, and financial stakeholders, the implications reach beyond the runway: access, compliance, and competitiveness are all on the line.