Mexican Army-Run Airline Makes First Flight to Resort Town

The military's role in the revival of state-run Mexicana airlines is to ‘rescue’ it from corruption, according to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico.

Kimberly Johnson

Wednesday, December 27, 2023 at 12:26 PM ET

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A Mexicana Boeing 737-800 makes the inaugural flight of the military-run state airline on Tuesday. [Courtesy: Mexicana]

Key Takeaways:

Mexico's military has relaunched the state-operated Mexicana airlines with an inaugural flight from Mexico City's Felipe Ángeles International Airport to the new Tulum International Airport.
The revived airline aims to offer significantly cheaper fares, with the inaugural flight costing $92 (about one-third less than commercial offerings), and will initially serve 14 destinations, including tourist spots and underserved communities.
President López Obrador stated the military's involvement is to protect the airline from corruption and reverse the "fraud" of past privatizations, following the government's $48 million acquisition of the Mexicana brand.

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Mexico’s military has revived the country’s former state-operated Mexicana airlines, launching service from Mexico City to a new international airport in the Caribbean.

A Mexicana de Aviación Boeing 737-800—operating as MXA 1788—made the inaugural flight Tuesday morning, departing Felipe Ángeles International Airport (MMSM) near Mexico City and landing at Tulum International Airport (MMTU) around 1:30 p.m. local time.