The next state airline will carry the Mexican brand. After 13 years of forced landing due to the company’s bankruptcy and after escaping a maze of protections, López Obrador’s government has finally managed to make a name for itself and will serve the former workers of the $815 million company , Wages pay euros, pesos, about 48 million dollars. Interior Minister Luisa María Alcalde reported this Thursday at the National Palace that the distribution of resources to the 7,407 workers affected by the company’s bankruptcy will begin next week. In addition to the brand, the executive’s payment also includes the acquisition of three buildings and a flight simulator.
During the usual presidential conference, the general secretary of the Union of Transport, Aviation, Services and Similar Workers (SNTTTASS), Miguel Ángel Yúdico, thanked the executive for this purchase and asked the president to consider former employees as part of the team The new state-owned airline is scheduled to start next December. “13 years ago our colleagues were left unemployed from one day to the next, a day after a corrupt businessman left Mexicana without a flight, our children and our relatives were left without food, without school, they were left on the streets,” he added remind.
For years Mexicana de Aviación was Latin America’s largest airline, but after nearly nine decades of operation, it landed with a bang due to the August 2010 economic crash and went bankrupt in the midst of a financial crisis, leaving many more than 7,000 employees. After 13 years, the bankruptcy victims have gotten some of the funds by buying the name and what few assets were left after their sudden landing. Fausto Guerrero, a retired flight attendant from Mexicana de Aviación, said Thursday that this was a day of celebration for all workers who were out of work due to the airline’s bankruptcy.
The new Mexicana, commanded by the Minister of Defense (Sedena), will begin its launch with 10 Boeing 737-800 aircraft, the capacity of which will be 180 passengers. The government will invest $4,000 million in leasing this fleet. Sedena Secretary Luis Crecencio Sandoval announced Thursday that the airline will have Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) as its operations center in the state of Mexico. “Its operation will contribute to the competitiveness of the sector and expand connectivity opportunities with high quality and safety standards,” he said.
The federal official has assured that this state company will offer flights between 18 and 20% cheaper than those offered by private companies. In this first phase, 20 national routes are planned to locations such as Cancun, Monterrey, Campeche, Chetumal, Puerto Vallarta, Cozumel, Los Cabos, Villahermosa and Mazatlán, among others. According to their forecasts, the state-owned company and the rest of the airports it manages will be profitable by 2025.
The Mexicana transaction comes after months of uncertainty due to rejection by a number of employees who did not fully agree with the executive’s offer. This group relied on the award won years ago to prevent the purchase of the famous airline’s name. Despite a series of delays and litigation, a judge eventually dismissed the dissident workers’ appeal, paving the way for the government to go ahead with acquiring the Mexican brand and available assets.
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