6 months ago, Latin America began facing the COVID-19 pandemic which has done a negative impact for the vast majority of the countries. Only now some countries started to open their borders and Mexico is one of the leading markets to show such strong recovery.
The country was one of the few that actually did not imposed travel restrictions during lockdowns across the world in March and April. If passengers had a will to visit this country, they could do that any time.
Another reason was domestic travel as government never gave a command to ground aircraft. Although, airlines reduced the flights because of the lower demand, still it was easier for them to return back on track.
Meanwhile, other Latin American countries behaved differently. For instance, Brazil forbade entrance for foreigners until June. Colombia, Bolivia, and Peru, other countries have been more restrictive, allowing arriving passengers just in the past few weeks after the resumption of domestic connectivity.
Moreover, Mexico has another great advantage – US market. Many US citizens that want to travel abroad are choosing Mexico as their destination. That’s why airlines like JetBlue (JBLU) are capitalizing on new routes. Furthermore, Eastern Airlines is also launching new routes to the country.
Mexican carriers are also placing their trust in the transborder market. For example, Viva Aerobus is currently operating 11 routes to the US from Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara.
All in all, the COVID-19 has affected Mexican economy, but with current scenario a stable and strong recovery is probable.
While the recovery is still in early stages, and Mexico has to face the worst economic downturn in its history. The numbers from airline industry paint an optimistic scenario for the country.