Líneas Aéreas Azteca


Líneas Aéreas Azteca
IATA ICAO Callsign
ZE LCD LINEAS AZTECA
Founded 2000
Commenced operations 2001
Ceased operations 2007
Hubs Mexico City International Airport
Gen. Abelardo L. Rodríguez Int'l Airport (Tijuana)
Focus cities Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Int'l Airport (Guadalajara)
Gen. Mariano Escobedo Int'l Airport (Monterrey)
Fleet size 9
Destinations 19
Parent company Líneas Aéreas Azteca S.A. de C.V.
Headquarters Mexico City, Mexico, Mexico
Key people Pablo Francisco Patricio Gonzalez-Ulloa y Gonzalez (President & CEO)

Líneas Aéreas Azteca [ˈlineas aˈeɾeas asˈteka] was an airline based in Mexico City, Mexico. It operated domestic scheduled services and international services to the USA. Its main base was Mexico City International Airport, with a hub at General Abelardo L. Rodríguez International Airport, Tijuana.[1]

The airline's operations were suspended by the government in March 2007 due to safety problems, and in October 2007 the Mexican government permanently revoked its air operator's certificate because the company hadn't solved those problems. It was fined USD $417,000 for failing to correct the problems or refund airfare for canceled flights to consumers.[2]

History

The airline was established on 9 May 2000 and started operations on 1 June 2000, operating domestic services with Boeing 737 aircraft. It started up after TAESA closed down and some of the staff and assets were taken over.[1]

Under the name Azteca Airlines, the airline was a member of the Airlines Reporting Corporation. Líneas Aéreas Azteca actively sought to expand international routes into the United States. In 2003, Azteca contributed a small amount to traffic through Ontario International Airport, California, constituting ~0.5% of passenger traffic in each of January and October.

During the first two months of 2007, the airline transported 113,592 passengers, or 2.3% of total passengers in Mexico.

Operations suspended in March 2007

Following weeks of speculation about the airlines' financial situation, on 26 March 2007, the Secretariat of Communications and Transport of Mexico (SCT) issued a 90-day operations-desist claim that immediately halted the airline's operations, in order for it to respond to its financial credit, personnel training, and aircraft maintenance issues.[3] The air operators certificate was suspended for safety reasons. An inspection carried out from 5 to 23 March 2007 brought several deficiencies to light, including some in safety procedures and in the periodic qualification of pilots, ground crew, and maintenance personnel. The airline had 90 days to comply with regulations.[4]

Following the suspension of operations, on 27 March 2007 the International Air Transport Association (IATA) also suspended Líneas Aéreas Azteca from its worldwide Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP).[5]

The grounding left thousands of passengers with unusable tickets. Azteca was in debt to Mexico City's airport and to its airplane lessor. A lessor temporarily seized one of Azteca's planes in February 2007 in the United States. The suspension of flights was said to affect up to 25,000 tickets. The airline flew to 19 Mexican destinations and Ontario, California, but was apparently authorized to fly 50 routes. Five of the airline's nine aircraft were out of day-to-day service when the suspension was announced.[3]

Routes operated by Azteca were covered by 13 other airlines.[6]

End of operations

On 10 October 2007, the General Civil Aeronautics Directorship (DGAC) of Mexico's Communications and Transport Secretariat permanently revoked Líneas Aéreas Azteca's air operator's certificate, because the airline did not have a sound financial statement after the previous suspension.

Destinations served

Mexico

United States

Fleet

The Líneas Aéreas Azteca fleet consisted on the following aircraft:[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-04-03. p. 106.
  2. ↑ Mexican Grounded Airline Is Fined
  3. 1 2 "Mexico halts Azteca airline on safety concerns". USA Today. 2007-03-27. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
  4. ↑ "Mexico suspends AOC of Líneas Aéreas Azteca". Aviation Safety Network News Item. 2007-03-26. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
  5. ↑ "Líneas Aéreas Azteca". IATA Pressroom. 2007-03-29. Retrieved 2007-06-08.
  6. ↑ "Líneas Aéreas Azteca airline service suspended". Mr.News.Mx. 2007-03-27. Retrieved 2007-06-08.
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