Aeroméxico

AeroMéxico, is Mexico's largest airline, largest in Latin America by number of destinations and also by fleet. It has been considered for more than 11 consecutive years as the most on-time airline worldwide. It operates more than 400 daily flights, or 750 together with Aerolitoral, to 63 destinations in Mexico, North America, South America, and Europe. It is a founding member of the Sky Team Alliance. Its main base is Mexico City International Airport, Mexico City with hubs at General Mariano Escobedo International Airport, Monterrey, General Ignacio Pesqueira Garcia International Airport, Hermosillo and Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport, Guadalajara.

History

The airline was established as Aeronaves de México on 15 September 1934. When World War II struck, it continued to grow with the help of Pan Am, which owned 25% of the new Mexican airline. Aeroméxico saw few changes for the next two decades. However, during the 1950s, renovation began, and the airline took over various competitor companies, including Aerovias Guest, which was the original owner of the routes to Madrid and Paris (these routes are still being flown by Boeing 767's and 777's). Aeroméxico added aircraft like the legendary Douglas DC-3 and its successor, the DC-4.

In 1958, services were inaugurated to Idlewild Airport (now JFK) using the Bristol Britannia. The Mexico City-New York route would prove profitable for Aeroméxico and its North American competitors. The airline was nationalised in 1959.

Aeroméxico started changing its piston-engined planes for the new jets during the 1960s, joining the worldwide airline industry evolution of that era. The first jet to join "Aeronaves"' fleet was the Douglas DC-8, followed by a series of Douglas DC-9s during the mid 60's. This enabled the airline to gradually expand its international services.

The 1970s brought dramatic changes for Aeroméxico. In 1970, under a government plan, Mexican domestic airlines were rationalised into an integrated air transport system under the control of Aeronaves de Mexico and organised into eight smaller carriers, although this was later disbanded. The first 2 Douglas DC-10-30s arrived, registered XA-DUG and XA-DUH. The airline changed its name from "Aeronaves de México" to its current, shortened version of Aeroméxico in February 1972. During this period the airline's popularity and visibility grew dramatically: in part due to Aeroméxico's involvement in Mexican movies. Basically, every time a character in any movie produced in Mexico had to fly somewhere, they supposedly flew on Aeroméxico.

The 1980s were tough times for Aeroméxico. On August 31, 1986, the company suffered the only fatal accident outside of Mexico when a Douglas DC-9 approaching Los Angeles International Airport was struck by a small Piper aircraft. Both aircraft then fell to earth in the Los Angeles suburb of Cerritos, California. All 64 passengers and crew on board the DC-9 were killed, as were three on the Piper. Fifteen victims on the ground were also killed. The plane crew or the airline were not to blame, as the Piper was being flown by a pilot who strayed into an air traffic control zone reserved for commercial flights. This mistake cost 82 people their lives.

Aeroméxico's safety record rates a "A", the highest grade possible, according to Air Rankings Online. Rankings are cumulative, based on the number of fatal accidents per million flights that the carrier has flown since 1970.

In April 1988, the state owned company was declared bankrupt, mainly because of lack of organization and a healthy administration by the Mexican Government. In the reorganization, the entire Douglas DC-8 fleet was retired along with the Douglas DC-9-15 series aircraft.

Aerovias de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., was born and established on September 7 1988, with the main objective of setting up public air transportation services for passengers, mail and cargo in general both domestically and internationally. The Company practically acquired all assets of Aeronaves de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. The airline was thus privatised. By October of the same year, the airline resumed operations with 20 aircraft and less than one half of their former employees, 400 of which were pilots. The airline at that time was owned by local banks, private investors and 25% by the pilots union, ASPA.

Revitalized and reinvigorated, Aeroméxico resumed operations, and added a fleet of 1 McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30, 4 Douglas DC-9-31s and 10 McDonnell Douglas MD-88s. Between 1989 and 1995, new routes were added to Phoenix, Arizona, and all over the western United States, as well as to Lima. In 1992, Aeroméxico started services to Frankfurt and Rome.

Aeroméxico became a Boeing customer in 1990, placing an order for 26 Boeing 767/Boeing 757 airplanes with deliveries between 1991 and 1996. However, only 15 of these planes were delivered. The fleet increased from 29 jets in October l988 to 55 jets and 18 turboprop aircraft from their regional subsidiaries AeroLitoral in December l992. The 90's were turbulent times, and included a fare war caused by start up airlines like TAESA, Saro, Aviacsa and others, as well as constant labor problems. Between 1994 and 1995 the 6 DC-10's in the fleet were retired. Their last revenue flight was in February 1995.

In mid 1995 after a fraud of US$75m made by their former CEO Gerardo de Prevoisin, Aeromexico became a part of Cintra along with Mexicana and completed a successful financial restructuring in August 1995. In 1996 it started a code share with Delta Air Lines and Air France, and in 1999 became a founding member of SkyTeam.

In November 29, 2005 Grupo Cintra agreed to sell Mexicana Group (Mexicana de Aviación and Click Mexicana) to Mexican hotel chain Grupo Posadas for USD$165.5 million. Cintra rejected bids for Aeromexico, because they were too low, but Grupo Cintra executives insisted they would put Aeromexico back on the block in January 2006.

In January 24, 2006 Grupo Cintra agreed to change the company's name to Consorcio Aeroméxico, after the selling of Mexicana Group.

In March 29, 2006 Aeroméxico CEO, Andrés Conesa announced, that Aeroméxico intends to inaugurate direct flights between Nagoya in central Japan and Mexico City this after the purchase of two Boeing 777-200ER. This will make Aeroméxico the second airline in Latin America to fly to Asia, after Varig.

In April 4, 2006 Aeroméxico's parent company (Consorcio Aeroméxico) announced it has decided to seek a buyer through a bidding process rather than privatize via a stock offering as had been considered.

In July 29, 2006 the International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) and Aeroméxico, announced that the airline will operate three Boeing 787 airplanes. Aeromexico will lease the three 787-8s from ILFC with deliveries scheduled to begin in early 2010. This will make Aeroméxico the first Latin American airline to operate 787s.

Incidents and accidents

Aeronaves de México; 26 March, 1954 near Monterrey, México. (Douglas DC-3)
Aeronaves de México; 2 June, 1958 near Guadalajara, México. (Lockheed 749A Constellation)
Aeronaves de Mexico; 19 January, 1961 in New York, New York (Idlewild). (McDonnell Douglas DC-8-21)
Aeronaves de México; 13 August 1966 near Acapulco, Mexico (Douglas DC-8-51)
Aeronaves de México; 24 December 1966 Lake Texcoco, Mexico (Douglas DC-8-51)
Aeronaves de México; 12 June, 1967 near La Paz, México. (Douglas DC-3A-197D)
Aeronaves de México; 09 July 1967 Tijuana Airport, Mexico. (Bristol 175 Britania 302)
Aeromexico; 20 June,1973 near Puerto Vallarta,México. (McDonnell Douglas DC-9-15)
Aeromexico; 02 September 1976 Leon/Guanajuato-Del Bajio(BJX) (McDonnell Douglas DC-9-15)
Aeromexico; 27 July, 1981 in Chihuahua, México. (McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32)
Aeromexico; 8 November, 1981 in Sierra de Guerrero, México. (McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32)
Aeromexico/Pvt.; 31 August, 1986 in Cerritos, California. (MD Douglas DC-9-32/Piper PA-28-181)
Aeromexico; 15 October 1997 Mexico City (McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32)
Aeromexico; 06 October, 2000 in Reynosa México. (McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31)
Aeromexico; 31 October 2002 in Monterrey Mexico. (McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32)
On March 1, 2005, an Aeromexico Boeing 757 suffered substantial damage and was not able to fly after a Mexicana A319 that was just in front of it made a 180 degree turn to avoid hitting a passenger who had just jumped off a Lufthansa Boeing 747 that was taking off Benito Juarez International Airport.^*

Destinations

see article: Aeroméxico destinations.

Fleet

The all-Boeing Aeroméxico fleet consists of the following aircraft (at April 2006):

Type	Number	Seats	Routes
Boeing 737-700	30	124	Domestic Routes, USA and South America
Boeing 737-800	(6 on order)		Domestic Routes and USA
Boeing 757-200	3	175 to 180	Domestic Routes, USA and South America
Boeing 767-200ER	5	181	Domestic Routes, Europe and South America
Boeing 767-300ER	1	209	Europe and South America
Boeing 777-200ER	2 (3 on order)	277	Europe and South America
Boeing 787	(3 on order)
McDonnell Douglas MD-82	5	142	Domestic Routes and USA
McDonnell Douglas MD-83	5	142	Domestic Routes and USA
McDonnell Douglas MD-87	16	109	Domestic Routes and USA
McDonnell Douglas MD-88	10	142	Domestic Routes and USA

The average age of Aeroméxico fleet is 11.1 years old in April 2006.

Other facts of interest

During the 1990s, Aeromexico owned a substantial number of shares of Aeroperu. Similarly, Puerto Rican governor, Pedro Rosselló, announced Aeromexico was interested in forming Aero Puerto Rico, but it never went from being anything else than just an idea.
One of Aeromexico's Douglas DC-8s, registered XA-DOE, was the first DC-8 built, having originally flown for Delta Air Lines.
Aeromexico is the only airline that has ever shown the movie Airplane! on its aircraft.
Recently Aeromexico became the first airline in Latin America to make an order for the Boeing 787

External links