US Air Traffic Failure Hits 193 Flights in Mexico, 44 Canceled at AICM
A US air traffic control failure affected 193 flights and more than 18 thousand passengers in Mexico. See the AICM toll and airline rebooking rules for affected trips.
Restrictions on air traffic in the United States on Friday affected 193 flights and more than 18 thousand passengers in Mexico, according to the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC, Mexico’s aviation regulator). Flights to US cities are coming back gradually after the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) lifted the measures.
Mexico City’s airport took the largest share. Mexico City International Airport (AICM) reported 73 affected flights and more than 10 thousand affected passengers in its 22:00 count.
What failed in the United States
The FAA restricted flights after communication systems failed at several US air traffic control centers, according to the newspaper El Informador. As a precaution, planes waiting at Mexican airports with US destinations were told to stay on the ground.
The AFAC said the FAA told Mexican authorities at 19:44 central Mexico time that the restrictions were over. The agency expects flights to US cities to resume little by little over the following hours. Airlines will tell passengers their new departure times, and Mexico’s international airports are preparing to receive aircraft arriving from the United States, the AFAC said.
How the disruption played out at AICM
Of the 73 flights hit at the capital’s airport, 44 were canceled and 29 were delayed. The airport had first expected about 70 flights to be affected, so the final count came in three higher. AICM asked travelers to check their flight status before heading to the terminal.
The AICM and Grupo Aeroportuario Marina, the airport group run by the Navy, said they had put operational measures in place to help restore service, and urged passengers to stay in contact with their airlines.
What airlines are offering passengers
Aeroméxico suspended its flights to and from the United States during the disruption. The airline also opened a protection policy for customers booked to travel on Nov. 13 and 14.
Under the published terms, those passengers can move their travel date with no change fee and no fare difference, as long as they keep the same route and cabin class. Tickets can be reissued for new flights through Nov. 21, subject to the airline’s conditions.
Volaris warned of possible delays or cancellations and asked customers to check its official channels, including its app, before going to the airport. Viva Aerobus also warned that flights could be delayed or rescheduled and pointed passengers to its website and app for updates.
What this means for travelers in Mexico City
Anyone with a US-bound flight from AICM or another Mexican airport in the days after the failure may still see schedule changes while operations recover. Airlines, not the airports, are the ones setting new departure times, according to the AFAC. Aeroméxico customers who were booked on Nov. 13 or 14 have until Nov. 21 to fly on a rebooked ticket under the airline’s waiver. Neither the FAA nor Mexican authorities have said how long the full recovery will take.
Source: telegra.ph
