Travelore News: US Imposes New Flight Restrictions On Mexico, Affecting Delta And Aeromexico Partnership

On Saturday, the Trump administration imposed new restrictions on flights from Mexico, threatening to end a partnership between Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico.

FILE - Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy speaks during a news conference to provide a status update on Newark Liberty International Airport at the Department of Transportation in Washington, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

The new restriction comes in response to limits the Mexican government placed on passenger and cargo flights into Mexico City several years ago.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Mexico’s actions force airlines to move out of the main Benito Juarez International Airport to the new Felipe Angeles International Airport.

Duffy said that the more than 30 miles away move violated a trade agreement between the two countries and gave domestic airlines an unfair advantage.

"Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg deliberately allowed Mexico to break our bilateral aviation agreement,” Duffy said, referring to the former president and his transportation secretary. “That ends today. Let these actions serve as a warning to any country who thinks it can take advantage of the U.S., our carriers, and our market. America First means fighting for the fundamental principle of fairness.

Under the new requirements, all Mexican passenger and cargo charter airlines will be required to submit their schedules to the Transportation Department and receive government approval of their flights.

It is not clear how Duffy’s restrictions might affect the broader trade war with Mexico and tariff negotiations.

Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum has not responded to the new restrictions.
Since 2016, the Transportation Department has been trying to end the partnership between Delta and Aeromexico. The two airlines have pushed bask arguing that it is unfair to punish them for the Mexican government’s actions and ending their partnership would jeopardize nearly two dozen routes and $800 million in economic benefits for both countries that come from tourism and jobs.
“The U.S. Department of Transportation’s tentative proposal to terminate its approval of the strategic and pro-competitive partnership between Delta and Aeromexico would cause significant harm to consumers traveling between the U.S. and Mexico, as well as U.S. jobs, communities, and transborder competition," Delta said in a statement.

Aeromexico has not yet responded to the new requirements, however, they stated that they are reviewing the order and plan to present a joint response with Delta in the coming days.

by ANISSA REYES