Mexican LCCs Interjet and vivaaerobus report highest ever domestic market share in July despite 0.5% drop in traffic

In mid-July, Mexico’s largest airline AeroMexico launched a seasonal route between Monterrey in northern Mexico and Brownsville in southern Texas – a distance of only 270 kilometres across the border, but a way to avoid the border areas currently troubled by ‘drug wars’. The success of the flights, which have been operating at nearly full loads, means that this route since has been announced to continue operating year-round as well as with an additional, third weekly frequency.

Mexico’s domestic market continues to evolve and adjust to the loss last August of Mexicana and its various subsidiaries. Domestic traffic was up 1.2% in May, up 1.4% in June but down 0.5% in July. Interjet, which had less than 6% of the market in early 2007, has now emerged as the single biggest domestic airline with over 26% of the domestic market in July, its highest ever share.

Source: DGAC Mexico

However, AeroMexico and AeroMexico Connect combined still have about 40% of the domestic market, although this fell to 38% in July. Volaris (17%) ranks third, while vivaaerobus continues to grow its share of the market, reaching a record 13.5% in July. As a result, Mexico’s LCCs (Interjet, vivaaerobus and Volaris) now have a record 57% of the domestic market.

Source: DGAC Mexico

International traffic up in May and July, down in June

International traffic has been fairly stable in recent months; up 0.8% in May, down 0.9% in June and up 1.3% in July.

Source: DGAC Mexico

Since the beginning of July, new international services have been started by:

• AeroMexico: Cancun to Miami (double-daily), Guadalajara to San Francisco (daily), Gudalajara to Sacramento (daily), Mexico City to Guatemala City (double-daily), Monterrey to Brownsville (twice-weekly).
• Interjet: Mexico City to Guatemala City (daily), Mexico City to Havana (daily).
• Volaris: Guadalajara to San Diego (daily), Mexico City to San Diego (daily), Mexico City to Las Vegas (daily), Mexico City to Los Angeles (daily).