Troubled Mexicana de Aviacion, Mexico’s largest air carrier, on Sunday said the company will indefinitely suspend several international flights starting on Monday.
Mexicana said its financial situation “has deteriorated in the last week due to a series of events that have strangled the cash flows.”
According to the company, one such event was IATA’s decision to suspend the carrier’s BSP sales channel, forcing it to suspend the sale and issuing of tickets indefinitely, “with serious repercussions” for MexicanaClick and MexicanaLink sales. MexicanaClick is Mexicana’s low cost airline while MexicanaLink is the company’s regional airline.
On Tuesday, the company filed for insolvency proceedings in Mexico and bankruptcy protection, and on Wednesday suspended ticket sales.
On Sunday, the company said that it will be forced to cancel certain flights over coming days “to optimize available resources and ensure that priority is given to homebound passengers.”
Mexicana will stop flying until further notice from Mexico City to Madrid, London, Caracas and Sao Paulo as of Monday.
The company also will suspend its flights from Cancun to San Jose, Costa Rica; between Zacatecas and Chicago, between Bajio and Chicago via Monterrey, and between Fresno and Guadalajara.
The Mexico City – Bogota flights will be reduce from 11 to 7 weekly, the Mexico City – Buenos Aires flights will be reduced from 10 to 7 weekly, the Mexico City – Montreal flights will be reduced from 10 to 7 weekly, the Mexico City – San Antonio, Texas flights will be reduced form 2 to 1 daily, the Mexico City – San Jose, Costa Rica flights will be reduced from 11 to 7 weekly and the Mexico City – Vancouver flights from 9 to 7 weekly.
Some flights will be partially affected. The Mexico City – San Francisco flight will be suspended only on August 10 and August 12, the Guadalajara – San Jose, California flight only on August 11 and August 12, and the Guadalajara – Chicago flight on August 10 and August 12.
The airline said priority will be given to unaccompanied minors, passengers traveling with children under age three and special needs passengers.
“If you are planning on traveling by air in the immediate future, Mexicana Airlines suggests you consider alternatives, where possible,” the company added.