Mexican low-cost air carrier Viva Aerobus has announced the start of operations of its direct route to New York from the International Airport of Mexico City (AICM).
The carrier says they will begin offering the new flight October 18. The ultra-low cost airline estimated that in its first year of operations it will offer more than 132,000 seats to and from the John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) with rates starting at $99 USD.
Juan Carlos Zuazua, general director of Viva Aerobus, said that with the opening of the route, travelers will be able to easily access one of the most attractive cities in the United States.
“The future of the passengers that fly between Mexico City and New York today receives a great boost. New York is one of the most influential cities in the world with an important Mexican passenger traffic flow. It is also a destination that until today, was aspirational for many,” he said.
For the connection, Viva will use one of the slots occupied by Delta at the JFK airport. At the end of May, the US Department of Transportation ordered the Aeroméxico-Delta alliance to cede this and other schedules as part of the remediation measures in the cross-border market.
Viva Aerobus stressed that this flight will not only strengthen connectivity with the international market, but will also open new travel options to national destinations from the AICM.
With the opening of the CDMX-NY route, the airline of Grupo IAMSA strengthens its presence in the country’s capital, a destination in which it registered an 18 percent growth in the first four months of the year, according to its latest operations report.
“Opening new connectivity options with affordable prices will bring New York and Mexico closer. It will continue to position our country as a great tourist world power. It will facilitate the air access of New Yorkers to Mexico City and from there, to any of our wonderful travel destinations,” said Diego Gómez Pickering, Consul General of Mexico in New York.
So far in 2018, Viva Aerobus opened seven new routes and announced that before the end of the year, it will add at least five more destinations to close the second half with 12 new flights.