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Aeroméxico Aeroméxico, is one of Mexico's two major airline companies.
Code DataHistoryAeroMexico was founded in 1934, with the help of Pan Am, which owned 40 percent of the new Mexican airline. The airline was initially known as Aeronaves de México. Aeroméxico saw few changes for the next two decades. However, during the 1950s, renovation began, and the airline took over various competitor companies, including a carrier called Aerovias Guest, which was the original owner of the routes to Madrid and Paris. (These routes are still being flown by 767s.) Aeroméxico added aircraft like the legendary Douglas DC-3 and its successor, the DC-4. In 1958, services were inaugurated to Los Angeles using the venerable Bristol Britannia. The Mexico City-Los Angeles route would prove profitable for Aeroméxico and its North American competitors. Aeroméxico started changing its piston-engined planes for the new jets during the 1960s, joining the worldwide airline industry evolution of that era. The first jet to join "Aeronaves"' fleet was the Douglas DC-8, followed by a series of DC-9's during the mid 60's. This enabled the airline to gradually expand its international services. The 1970s brought dramatic changes for Aeroméxico. The first 2 DC-10-30's arrived, registered XA-DUG and XA-DUH. The airline changed its name from "Aeronaves de México" to its current, shortened version of Aeroméxico. During this period the airline's popularity and visibility grew dramatically: in part due to Aeroméxico's involvement in Mexican movies. Basically, every time a character in any movie produced in Mexico had to fly somewhere, they supposedly flew on Aeroméxico. The 1980s were tough times for Aeroméxico. In 1986, the company suffered the only fatal accident outside of Mexico when a DC-9 approaching Los Angeles International Airport was struck by a small Piper aircraft. All 64 passengers and crew on board the DC-9 were killed, as were three on the Piper. Fifteen victims on the ground were also killed. The plane crew or the airline were not to blame, as the Piper was being flown by a student who invaded a zone that was prohibited for student and private pilots. This mistake cost more than 80 people their lives. Aeroméxico's safety record rates a "A", the highest grade possible, according to Air Rankings Online (see rankings at Airline Rankings). Rankings are cumulative, based on the number of fatal accidents per million flights that the carrier has flown since 1970. In April of 1988, the airline went bankrupt, because of lack of organization and the type of administration given on behalf of the Mexican Government, owner of the airline at that time. In the reorganization, the entire Douglas DC-8 fleet was retired along with the DC-9's -15 series. By October of the same year, the airline resumed operations with 20 aircraft and less than one half of their former employees, 400 of which were pilots. The airline was now owned by local banks, private investors and 25% by the pilots union, ASPA. Revitalized and reinvigorated, Aeroméxico resumed operations, added a fleet of 1 DC-10-30, 4 DC-9-31's and 10 Md-88's. Between 1989 and 1995, new routes were added to Phoenix, Arizona, and all over the western United States. as well as to Lima, Peru. In 1992, Aeroméxico started service to Frankfurt and Rome in Europe. The 1990's were no easier. Aeroméxico became a Boeing customer in 1990, placing an order for 26 767/757 airplanes with deliveries between 1991 and 1996. However, only 15 of these planes were delivered. The 90's were defined as turbulent times, and included a fare war caused by start up airlines like Taesa, Saro, Aviacsa and others. Between 1994 and 1995 the 6 DC-10's were retired. The last revenue flight was in February of 1995. In mid 1995 after a fraud of US$75m made by their former GEO Gerardo de Prevoisin, Aeromexico became a part of Cintra along with Mexicana. In 1996 it started a code share with Delta Airlines and Air France, and in 1999 became a SkyTeam Member. On March 1, 2005, an Aeromexico Boeing 757 suffered substantial damage and was not able to fly after a Mexicana A319 that was just in front of it made a 180 degree turn to avoid hitting a passenger who had just jumped off a Lufthansa Boeing 747 that was taking off Benito Juarez International Airport.[1]
-Aeronaves de México 26 Mar 1954 Monterrey, México Douglas DC-3 -Aeronaves de México 02 Jun 1958 Near Guadalajara, México Lockheed 749A Constellation -Aeronaves de Mexico 19 Jan 1961 New York, New York (Idlewild) McDonnell Douglas DC-8-21 -Aeronaves de México 12 Jun 1967 Near La Paz, México Douglas DC-3A-197D -Aeromexico 20 Jun 1973 Near Puerto Vallarta, México McDonnell Douglas DC-9-15 -Aeromexico 27 Jul 1981 Chihuahua, México McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 -Aeromexico 08 Nov 1981 Sierra de Guerrero, México McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 -Aeromexico / Pvt. 31 Aug 1986 Cerritos, California MD Douglas DC-9-32 / Piper PA-28-181 -Aeromexico 06 Oct 2000 Reynosa, México McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 DestinationsMéxicoAcapulco, Cancún, Chihuahua, Ciudad Juárez, Culiacán, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Ixtapa -Zihuatanejo, La Paz, Loreto, San Jose del Cabo, Manzanillo, Mazatlán, Merida, México City, Monterrey, Puerto Vallarta, Tijuana, Torreon and Veracruz. EuropeSouth AmericaLima, Santiago, and Sao Paulo. United StatesAtlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Ontario, California, Orlando, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, San Diego and Tucson. Fleet
AerolitoralRegional airline of Aeromexico. See Aerolitoral Other facts of interest
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