Aviacsa to Resume Flights in May

Richard Maslen March 31, 2011

Mexican carrier Aviacsa is set to relaunch domestic flights in May, less than a year after the Mexican Government grounded the carrier due to alleged maintenance irregularities and growing debts. The low-cost carrier temporarily suspended all flights on July 9, 2010 but has since renegotiated its debts after securing cash injection from new owner, Grupo Madero, in September last year. Now out of insolvency and managed by former Volaris Chief Operating Officer, Andrés Fabre, it has secured an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) and is now gearing up for its return to the Mexican skies.

The airline plans to offer flights from Mexico City to Cancun, Monterrey, Oaxaca, Tapachula, Tuxtla Gutierrez and Villahermosa from May 2, with links from Cancun to Monterrey and from Mexico City to Guadalajara and Merida following from June 6. It plans to use 120-seat Boeing 737-200s on these flights, with reports that the aircraft concerned are more than 25 years of age.

ROUTE ANALYSIS: AVIASCA PLANNED NETWORK (weekly schedules / two-way O&D traffic)
Route	Competition	Flights	2010
Mexico City - Monterrey	Aeromexico, Interjet, Viva Aerobus	194	1,375,814
Mexico City - Guadalajara	Aeromexico, Interjet, Viva Aerobus, Volaris	186	1,142,013
Mexico City - Cancun	Aeromexico, Interjet, Viva Aerobus, Volaris	144	1,084,980
Mexico City - Merida	Aeromexico, Interjet	71	464,308
Mexico City - Villahermosa	Aeromexico, Interjet, Viva Aerobus	61	364,917
Mexico City - Tuxtla Gutierrez	Aeromexico, Interjet, Viva Aerobus	70	360,798
Mexico City - Oaxaca	Aeromexico, VivaAerobus	42	217,489
Cancun - Monterrey	Interjet, Viva Aerobus	13	189,220
Mexico City - Tapachula	Aeromexico	20	127,767

Source: Flightbase (April 14-20, 2011) and IATA BSP (January 2010 – December 2010)

The above table highlights the existing competition on these routes and O&D traffic last year. All of the routes proposed by Aviacsa are currently served with a wide variety of frequencies from 13 to 194 flights per week. Aeromexico operates on all but one of the routes, but stronger competition may come from Interjet, VivaAerobus and Volaris which all offer cut price deals for passengers. The network comprises a mix of mass markets and niche routes.

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