DFW International Airport Welcomes Mexicana Airlines Back to International Terminal D

DFW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, (May 18, 2006) – DFW International Airport and Mexicana Airlines announced today that the airline will return July 1st with two daily non-stop flights to Mexico City. Mexicana ceased its DFW flights in January, and its swift return to International Terminal D means new flight options and choices for North Texans. The two flights will mean more than $60 million to the North Texas economy. 

“We are pleased to return to DFW after a tough withdraw last January,” said Emilio Romano, CEO, Mexicana Airlines. “After an extensive market analysis, we are prepared to make once again a business investment backed-up not only by the airport, but by the support of our loyal Hispanic passengers who longed for our return,” he added. 

Travel between DFW and Mexico is booming – up 18 percent since 2005, with Mexico City passengers up 30 percent. Mexicana’s renewed service boosts DFW’s strategic position as the premier gateway to Mexico for the Central and Southern U.S. 

“Mexico City is a key business and leisure travel market for North Texans and these new flights will also make DFW a more attractive connecting hub for travelers from around the U.S. and around the world,” said Kevin Cox, DFW’s chief operating officer at today’s announcement near Mexicana’s ticket counter in International Terminal D. “Mexicana’s code share agreement with American Airlines is a tremendous advantage and will also play a key role in the success of this new service. This is terrific news for our region, our passengers and our economy.” 

Mexicana will also be the first airline eligible to receive support from the Airport’s Air Service Incentive Program, which was approved by the DFW International Airport Board of Directors earlier this month. The program was designed to attract new international and domestic service to DFW by helping air carriers with start up costs and marketing the new service to customers. 

“Every dollar we spend at DFW to bring new international service to North Texas pays off in millions of new dollars for our economy and our citizens,” says Joe Lopano, executive vice president of marketing and terminal management at DFW.” We are pleased that Mexicana will be able to use this program to get their flights off to a successful start. These new flights from Mexicana make it very clear that DFW is a fastgrowing gateway to Mexico for the central United States and from cities around the world.” 

DFW currently has service to 14 destinations and more than 200 flights to Mexico every week. With its DFW – Mexico City flight, Mexicana will be able to connect passengers to more than 25 cities in Mexico, from the beautiful colonial city of Zacatecas to the old Mayan city of Chetumal. “Mexicana is a great global brand and we have many brandloyal travelers who are thrilled to have Mexicana back,” added Lopano. The North Texas region is home to more than one million residents of Hispanic descent, and today’s announcement was attended by representatives of the Mexican Consulate, the U.S. – Mexico Chamber of Commerce, the Dallas and Fort Worth Hispanic Chambers of Commerce as well as Hispanic business and community leaders. 

"Mexicana’s return to DFW is great news for the Mexican community to be proud of,” said Carlos Garcia de Alba, General Consul of Mexico in Dallas. “We wish them great success and offer them our support to continue flights to our country. We know Mexicana’s service distinguishes them among all their competitors.” he added. 

DFW and Mexicana sustain a relationship that began more than 32 years when the Airport opened. Mexicana flew the inaugural flight into DFW’s new International Terminal D in July 2005. 

About Mexicana de Aviación Mexicana de Aviación began operations more than 84 years ago, and it is therefore the fourth airline with the most aerospace tradition in the world. Today it is Mexico’s airline with the greatest international coverage and the leader in transportation between Mexico and the United States. From its center of operations at the International Airport of Mexico City it serves about 50 destinations in North America, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Mexicana’s code-share agreements with leading international airlines, such as American Airlines, Lan Chile, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Lufthansa and Varig, among many others, represents great benefits for passengers in mileage accrual and redemption, access to executive lounges, a wide choice of connections and coordinated schedules within an extensive route network covering most of the world. Having the most modern fleet in the world (6.3 years on average) has allowed Mexicana to sustain one of the highest on time performance levels with a 90% reliability rate, and to attain average aircraft utilization of 12:07 hours per day. Mexicana has the best Maintenance Base in all Latin America. World Travel Awards 2005 named Mexicana’s the best Business Class of Mexico and Latin America and gave it the award for the best airline in the region for the eighth consecutive time. On July of 2005, Mexicana launched its low-cost Click Mexicana, which offers very attractive fares in domestic flights through its three hubs located in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Veracruz, operating 11 Fokker 100 aircraft which incorporate the latest technology. For more information visit www.mexicana.com and www.click.com.mx.