| Airlines are responding to increasing U.S. | | | | will lengthen its list of services to Mexico |
| and Canadian demand for service to Mexico by | | | | resort cities this fall with six more weekly |
| widening service options to the country's | | | | flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco, |
| many destinations. With greater air access, | | | | thus increasing its Mexico capacity by 22 |
| the airlines contribute to boosting | | | | percent. The carrier also plans to inaugurate |
| international tourist arrivals. | | | | non-stop services between Los Angeles and La |
| | | | Paz, San Francisco and Cancún, and Seattle |
| During the past six months, a mix of major | | | | and Cancún, as well as between Portland, |
| airlines and low-cost carriers in the United | | | | Oregon to both Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta. |
| States and Canada have enhanced service | | | | |
| schedules to different parts of Mexico | | | | Northwest Airlines' announcement of |
| through additional frequencies of existing | | | | additional weekday frequencies during the |
| routes and the launch of new services. | | | | winter travel season between Minneapolis/St. |
| | | | Paul and Mexico cities Acapulco, Manzanillo |
| "That airlines across the board are | | | | and Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo. The airline, subject |
| increasing flight options to Mexico | | | | to government approval, will also include |
| demonstrates the high degree of confidence | | | | service from Detroit to Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo |
| the travel industry has in our country, and | | | | that will operate from Jan. 20 through March |
| the interest travelers have in discovering | | | | 31, 2007, as well as a new service between |
| Mexico for themselves. Mexicans are known | | | | Memphis and Cozumel to operate on Saturdays |
| around the world for their warmth and | | | | from Feb. 17 through April 14, 2007. |
| hospitality, and North American travelers | | | | |
| will be welcomed with open arms," said | | | | Although Continental Airlines has not added |
| Magdalena Carral, CEO of the Mexico Tourism | | | | new services in recent months, the airline is |
| Board. | | | | a strong player in the market currently |
| | | | operating more than 580 flights weekly to 30 |
| Expansion of air transportation inbound to | | | | Mexican destinations from Texas airports in |
| Mexico is aligned with the goal of the | | | | Laredo, McCallen and Houston, as well as from |
| Mexican government's comprehensive, long-term | | | | Newark's Liberty International Airport and |
| tourism plan to increase the number of | | | | Los Angeles. Continental did however, |
| international visitors. With 21.9 million | | | | announce with Alitalia codeshare expansion |
| visitors in 2005, the country is ranked | | | | already in place to provide improved transfer |
| seventh as an international tourism | | | | services between Italy, Canada and Mexico. |
| destination according to World Tourism | | | | |
| Organization figures released in June. | | | | Canadian airlines are also hovering over |
| | | | Mexico skies. Air Canada will add 25 more |
| Among the airlines increasing flights is | | | | non-stop flights per week this winter between |
| Delta Air Lines. In recent months, the | | | | Canada and Mexico for a total of 61 weekly. |
| Atlanta-based carrier initiated new non-stop | | | | The new routes to Mexico include service |
| service to Mexico destinations such as | | | | between Toronto to Cozumel and Ixtapa, slated |
| Acapulco, Merida, and Ixtapa from Atlanta; | | | | to begin mid-December, as well as a |
| Mazatlan from Salt Lake City; and Puerto | | | | Montreal-Mexico City service introduced on |
| Vallarta and Acapulco from New York's John F. | | | | June 17. |
| Kennedy International Airport. | | | | |
| | | | Sunwing Airlines' announced plans to begin |
| Frontier Airlines another carrier on the | | | | this fall to operate one flight each between |
| forefront to expand service to Mexico, has | | | | Montreal and Ottawa to Acapulco on Wednesdays |
| announced plans to launch round-trip service | | | | and to Cancun on Fridays. Earlier this year, |
| between Denver and Guadalajara. The service | | | | Sunwing started service between Toronto and |
| will mark the eighth Mexican city to be | | | | Cozumel and the airline will operate a |
| served by Frontier. The four weekly flights | | | | Sudbury and Cancun route for the winter |
| to Guadalajara, slated to begin Dec. 22, are | | | | season from December through March 2007. |
| part of Denver-based Frontier's plans to | | | | |
| increase its Mexican service by 30 percent | | | | For the winter season, Sunquest Airlines will |
| during the peak winter holiday season; | | | | also begin services from Hamilton to Cancun |
| Frontier will add flight frequencies from | | | | and Riviera Maya starting in December. |
| Denver to Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo | | | | |
| San Lucas. Frontier announced that it will | | | | Mexican airlines also expand services |
| begin new, non-stop service between San Diego | | | | |
| and Cancun with one flight weekly starting | | | | The increased number of expanded routes, |
| Dec. 16. | | | | however, has not been limited to |
| | | | international services. Mexican airlines, |
| Adding three new Mexico routes this year, | | | | particularly the low-cost carriers, are also |
| United Airlines' most recent launch was in | | | | boosting services. Private and semi-private |
| July connecting Chicago and Cancun. The | | | | airlines such as Avolar, ABC Interjet and |
| carrier had initiated its Los Angeles-Cancun | | | | Volaris, as well as Mexicana Airline's |
| and Chicago's-Puerto Vallarta routes in | | | | carrier Click Mexicana have launched low-cost |
| March. Together, United serves 16 routes | | | | flights to different parts of Mexico. Aladia, |
| between the United States and Mexico | | | | one of Mexico's newest airlines, is slated to |
| excluding two seasonal routes, Denver-Mexico | | | | launch this summer. |
| City and Denver-Ixtapa, which run during the | | | | |
| winter months. The new flights to Mexico are | | | | Mexico's domestic service currently caters to |
| offered via the United and the airline's | | | | approximately 2.5 million passengers, |
| low-cost counterpart, Ted. | | | | representing some 6.5 percent of Mexican |
| | | | tourists who travel via air within the |
| Seasonal flight services to be added during | | | | country. |
| the winter months will include American | | | | |
| Airlines' announced plans to start one | | | | Flying beyond Mexico borders, Mexican |
| round-trip, non-stop service weekly from JFK | | | | airlines Aeromexico and Mexicana operate |
| to Mexico's San Jose del Cabo in the Baja | | | | daily routes between JFK airport and Mexico |
| California region, effective Dec. 16 through | | | | City. Mexicana will also operate a route |
| April 9, 2007. The legacy airline, which has | | | | between Baltimore, Maryland and its low-fare |
| been operating flights to the Mexico market | | | | carrier Click Mexicana will launch a |
| since 1941, currently serves San Jose del | | | | Cancun-Miami flight later this summer. Avolar |
| Cabo with three flights daily from Dallas | | | | also plans to serve a select few of U.S. |
| Fort Worth, two daily from Los Angeles, and | | | | cities later this year. Within Mexico, |
| three weekly flights from Chicago. | | | | Aeromexico is increasing flight offerings |
| | | | with new routes between Mexico City and |
| Other flight additions to existing routes | | | | Villahermosa, Merida and Cancun. |
| include service by Alaska Airlines, which | | | | |