Few airlines boast a history as rich, as pioneering, and as turbulent as Mexicana de Aviación, commonly known simply as Mexicana. For nearly nine decades, it was a proud symbol of Mexico, connecting its vibrant culture to the world and serving as the oldest airline in North America. Its journey was marked by innovation, immense growth, and dramatic financial struggles, culminating in a painful grounding. Yet, in a remarkable testament to its enduring legacy, the Mexicana brand has recently taken to the skies once more, albeit under a new banner. This is the multifaceted story of an aviation icon.
The Original Pioneer: Compañía Mexicana de Aviación (1921-2010)
Mexicana’s origins trace back to July 12, 1921, when it was founded in Tampico, Mexico, as Compañía Mexicana de Transportación Aérea (CMTA). Its initial mission was far from glamorous passenger service: it was a cargo carrier, primarily transporting payrolls to the remote oil fields in the Huasteca region, where ground transport was dangerous and slow. The earliest flights utilized single-engine aircraft like the Lincoln Standard.
In 1928, the company transitioned into Compañía Mexicana de Aviación (CMA) and began scheduled passenger and airmail services. Its first routes linked Mexico City to Tuxpan and Tampico, and later to Veracruz and Mérida. A truly pivotal moment came in 1929 when Pan American Airways acquired a majority stake in Mexicana, bringing crucial financial backing, technical expertise, and a fleet of modern aircraft like the Ford Trimotor. It was during this period that legendary aviator Charles A. Lindbergh helped establish Mexicana’s Mexico City–Tampico–Brownsville (Texas, USA) route, personally piloting some of its inaugural flights. This established Mexicana as a trailblazer in cross-border aviation.
Through the mid-20th century, Mexicana steadily expanded its domestic and international reach. It became a key player in connecting Mexico to the United States, Central America, and the Caribbean. Following changes in Mexican law limiting foreign ownership, Pan American gradually divested its stake, and by 1967, Mexicana was entirely in Mexican hands.
The 1960s marked the dawn of the jet age for Mexicana, with the introduction of the Boeing 727 in 1966. The highly popular 727 became the backbone of its fleet for decades, flying both domestic and international routes, and symbolizing Mexicana’s modernity. By the 1970s, it operated one of the largest 727 fleets outside the United States. This period saw a significant expansion, including routes to major U.S. cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, Denver, San Antonio, and Miami, solidifying its position as the leading carrier between Mexico and the U.S.
Golden Years and Global Ambition (1980s-Early 2000s)
The 1980s and 1990s were a period of both challenges and continued growth. The Mexican government became the majority shareholder in 1982, overseeing its operations until its privatization in 1990. Despite economic crises in Mexico, Mexicana continued to invest in fleet modernization. It introduced the Airbus A320 family (A319, A320, A318) in the 1990s, gradually replacing its aging 727s, alongside Boeing 757s and Boeing 767s for its longer-haul international routes to Europe and South America.
Mexicana also experimented with subsidiaries:
- Mexicana Click (formerly Aerocaribe): A regional subsidiary that eventually operated Fokker 100 jets for shorter domestic and regional flights.
- Mexicana Link: A feeder airline operating Bombardier CRJ regional jets from Guadalajara, connecting smaller Mexican cities.
In the early 2000s, Mexicana made a significant global move by joining Star Alliance in 2000, aligning itself with major international carriers. Although it left Star Alliance in 2004, it later joined the Oneworld Alliance in 2009, further solidifying its global partnerships and network reach.
Main Hubs of the Original Mexicana
For decades, Mexicana operated a classic hub-and-spoke model from several key Mexican airports:
- Mexico City International Airport (MEX): This was the undisputed main hub and the operational heart of Mexicana Airlines. Nearly all its international and major domestic routes radiated from here. Its distinctive headquarters tower in Mexico City was a landmark.
- Cancun International Airport (CUN): A vital secondary hub, particularly for connecting popular Mexican Caribbean tourist destinations to the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
- Guadalajara International Airport (GDL): Another significant secondary hub, serving as a gateway for the country’s western regions and a base for its regional subsidiary, Mexicana Link.
These hubs allowed Mexicana to offer an extensive network across Mexico and serve as a crucial bridge between North America and Latin America.
The Fleet (Pre-2010): A Mix of Boeing and Airbus
Over its long history, Mexicana operated a diverse range of aircraft:
- Early Era: Ford Trimotor, Fokker F.VII, Douglas DC-2, DC-3, DC-4, DC-6, Comet 4C (briefly).
- Jet Era Workhorses: Boeing 727-100/200 (its most iconic aircraft for decades), McDonnell Douglas DC-10 (for long-haul).
- Modern Fleet (leading up to 2010):
- Airbus A318, A319, A320: Forming the core of its short-to-medium haul domestic and international operations.
- Boeing 757-200: Utilized for high-density domestic routes and medium-range international flights.
- Boeing 767-200/300ER: Its primary wide-body aircraft for long-haul transatlantic routes to Europe and transcontinental flights to the U.S.
- Fokker 100: Operated by its subsidiary Mexicana Click.
- Bombardier CRJ-200: Operated by its subsidiary Mexicana Link.
Route Information (Pre-2010): Spanning Continents
At its peak, Mexicana’s network was extensive:
- Domestic: Serving over 30 cities across Mexico, including Acapulco, Monterrey, Puerto Vallarta, Tijuana, Mérida, Oaxaca, and many more.
- United States: A strong presence in key U.S. markets including Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, New York (JFK/EWR), Miami, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Las Vegas, Orlando, and Washington D.C.
- Canada: Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal.
- Central America & Caribbean: Havana, San Juan, San Salvador, San José, Guatemala City.
- South America: Bogota, Buenos Aires, Caracas, Lima, Santiago, São Paulo.
- Europe: London (Heathrow), Madrid, Paris, Frankfurt.
The Collapse of an Icon (2010)
Despite its rich history and extensive network, Mexicana faced mounting financial difficulties in the late 2000s. Global economic downturns, rising fuel prices, fierce competition from new low-cost Mexican carriers (Volaris, Interjet, VivaAerobus), and the devastating impact of the H1N1 swine flu outbreak in Mexico (which severely curtailed travel in 2009) combined to create an unsustainable situation.
Unable to restructure its massive debt and operating costs, Mexicana filed for bankruptcy protection in August 2010. After a desperate search for investors and failed negotiations, the airline announced the suspension of all operations indefinitely effective August 28, 2010. The sudden grounding of Mexico’s flag carrier, along with its subsidiaries Click and Link, left thousands of employees jobless and stranded passengers worldwide. A judge officially declared Mexicana bankrupt in April 2014, ordering the liquidation of its assets. It was a somber end to a nearly 90-year legacy.
The Phoenix Rises: Mexicana de Aviación (2023-Present)
The story of Mexicana, however, did not end in 2014. In 2023, the Mexican federal government, under President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, announced its intention to purchase the intellectual property, brand, and some assets of the defunct airline with the aim of relaunching it as a state-owned, military-operated carrier. This move was part of a broader strategy to boost connectivity, especially to new infrastructure projects like the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA).
Mexicana de Aviación (2023-present) officially relaunched operations on December 26, 2023. This new iteration is managed by the Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA), the Mexican Ministry of Defense.
New Main Hub:
The new Mexicana’s primary hub is Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) (NLU), outside Mexico City. This airport, a flagship project of the current administration, aims to ease congestion at MEX.
Current Fleet (Initial & Future):
The initial fleet for the revived Mexicana largely consisted of Boeing 737-800 and 737-300 aircraft transferred from the Mexican Air Force. For some routes, it also wet-leased Embraer 145 aircraft from regional partner TAR Aerolíneas. In a significant move to modernize, Mexicana has placed orders for 20 Embraer E2 jets (10 E190-E2s and 10 E195-E2s), with deliveries expected to begin in Q2 2025. This will give it a modern, efficient fleet for its planned expansion.
Current Route Network (as of late 2024 / early 2025):
The revived Mexicana is focusing primarily on domestic routes, aiming to connect AIFA to underserved regions and tourist destinations. Its network includes:
- Key Destinations: Tulum, Tijuana, Mérida, San José del Cabo, Mazatlán, Chetumal, Puerto Vallarta, and Monterrey, among others.
- The airline’s early operations have faced challenges, including limited aircraft availability (especially after its partnership with TAR ended for some routes) and lower-than-expected occupancy rates. Initial reports for mid-2024 indicated average passenger loads below 50% and average passengers per flight at 78.
Statistics (Revived Airline):
- Fleet Size: Currently operating a small fleet of Boeing 737s (around 3) and awaiting new Embraer deliveries.
- Destinations: Currently serving around 12-14 domestic destinations.
- Passenger Numbers: As of early 2024, it transported over 100,000 passengers, a modest start compared to its legacy.
A Legacy Reborn
The story of Mexicana Airlines is a testament to the enduring power of a brand and the complex dynamics of national identity intertwined with commercial enterprise. The original Mexicana built an unparalleled legacy as North America’s oldest airline, a symbol of Mexican pride and global connectivity. Its collapse was a significant loss. The recent revival, though under a different operational model and facing new challenges, seeks to reclaim that historical mantle, demonstrating that even after a dramatic fall, the spirit of a legendary airline can take flight once more. The future of the new Mexicana de Aviación will undoubtedly be a closely watched chapter in the ongoing saga of Mexican aviation.
Keyword: DeadAirlines