Mexico: Aeromexico attempts to stop Emirates arrival

Mexican airline Aeroméxico has taken legal action to prevent the arrival of its rival, the Persian Gulf based Emirates Airlines, which hopes to launch its Dubai-Mexico City route, with a daily flight out of the Mexico City International Airport. This route would open on December 9.

Aeromexico presented an appeal against the allocation of landing slots, required by the rival airline. In addition, the airline chided the Ministry of Communications and Transportation (SCT) for granting “Fifth Freedom” rights – the right of the airlines to pick up and drop off passengers and cargo in a third country – to the middle eastern airline.

“This 5th freedom allows Emirates to operate a flight between two cities. They are not a Spanish or Mexican airline […] they are selling Barcelona-Mexico. And the right to sell that section is the 5th Freedom” explained analyst Carlos Ozores in an interview for BBC Mundo.

The airline also criticized that the Federal Commission for Economic Competition (COFECE) was not involved in the process to determine whether the arrival of Emirates would violate fair competition principles.

Aeroméxico expressed its rejection of its Middle Estern rival in July, arguing that it operates with high government subsidies, which they consider an unfair competitive advantage. In response, Aeroméxico will increase the frequency of its service between Mexico City and Barcelona, launched only last June, where the Emirates’ flight would stop on its route to Mexico. The change also entails the cancellation of the Aeromexico route between Mexico City and Shanghai, possibly affecting the routes to Belize, Punta Cana, Guayaquil, and Cali as well.

The dispute between the airlines is framed within a moment of global tension between the great North American and European airlines, confronted with Middle Eastern airlines, engaged in a conflict over the control of important routes.
Full Content: El Financiero, El Mostrador

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