Following years of fighting for slots Aeromexico launched its first flight between Heathrow and Mexico City on Saturday (December 15) and is planning on increasing frequencies and introducing its new B787 Dreamliner on to the route, once it takes delivery in August 2013.
The route is currently served by Boeing 767 aircraft fitted with angled lie-flat business class seating. Flights depart Mexico City on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday at 2220, arriving into Heathrow at 1500 the following day, with the return leg leaving London on Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 1725, landing back into Mexico City at 0035.
Aeromexico is a founding member of Skyteam and is therefore operating flights out of Heathrow Terminal 4, alongside 12 other alliance members.
Rocio Blazquez Reyes, VIP sales for Europe and Asia says that the carrier would prefer to fly overnight for an early arrival in Mexico City to cater for its key corporate market, and will look at changing slots in the future.
Reyes says that Aeromexico is not interested in competing with the charter services to Mexico and is looking to attract business traffic. The key to attracting this customer base and competing with British Airways on the route will be its connectivity throughout Mexico and South America and the uniquely Mexican on board service, says Reyes.
Aeromexico currently serves 45 domestic and 35 international destinations throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia.
The carrier is also interested in increasing its London frequency to daily. This increase may be helped when the state-of-the-art B787 Dreamliner enters the Aeromexico fleet in August (see online news July 25). Reyes also confirmed that the Dreamliner will launch on the London to Mexico City route and will be fitted with fully-flat business class seating.
Colin Matthews, chief executive officer of Heathrow said of the launch: “We are delighted to welcome Aeromexico to Heathrow. The centre of gravity in the world economy is shifting and Britain should be forging new links with economies like Mexico. But with this single deal taking four years to complete, the UK’s lack of hub airport capacity is causing us to fall further behind the rest of Europe.”
For more information visit aeromexico.com.
Report by Scott Carey
