The International Air Transport Association (IATA) encourages both the US and Mexican governments to engage in direct dialogue in order to resolve the current issues related to the bilateral air services agreement between the two countries.
The US Department of Transport issued a statement on 19 July 2025, outlining what it considers abuse of the current agreement and anti-competitive behavior.
“The US-Mexican aviation market is one of the largest between neighboring countries in the world and a key driver for both economies. We are hopeful that both sides will engage in direct dialogue to seek balanced and constructive solutions for all involved”, said Peter Cerda, IATA’s Regional Vice President for the Americas.
IATA has been liaising with the Mexican authorities for numerous years, advocating for the adherence to the globally accepted World Airport Slot Guidelines (WASG). This work remains a priority given that many airports in the country, especially Mexico City International Airport (MEX), continue to face capacity constraints.
The wider aviation value chain, including employee spending and tourism activities, contributes a total of USD 88.3 billion to Mexico’s Gross Domestic Product (4.8%) and supports 1.8 million jobs. Of this total, the aviation sector, including airlines, airport operators and onsite businesses, air navigation service providers (ANSPs), and manufacturers directly employs 202,600 people in Mexico, generating some USD 33.3 billion of economic output, equal to 1.9% of total GDP.
