MEXICO CITY, Dec. 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — At an internal event held to celebrate the Virgin of Guadalupe, Aeromexico announced that it will fly His Holiness Pope Francis during his first apostolic journey to Mexico.
Aeromexico will use two different types of aircraft for the papal flights, including a Boeing 737-800 Sky Interior with 160 passenger seats to fly His Holiness and his entourage to the cities of Morelia and Tuxtla Gutierrez, and a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with 243 passenger seats for the trip to Ciudad Juarez, and from there to Ciampino Airport in Rome.
This is the first time a pontiff will travel on board a Boeing 787, an aircraft widely regarded as the most advanced commercial airplane, on his way back to Rome that will last approximately 13 hours.
Aeromexico CEO Andres Conesa spoke at the event and said, “We thank the Holy See and the relevant authorities for trusting us with this special operation. I can assure you that everyone involved will work with the utmost enthusiasm and dedication to make sure that His Holiness Pope Francis enjoys the natural warmth and hospitality that characterize the Mexican people, and the excellence of our service as Mexico’s global airline.”
This will mark the fourth time a pope has flown with Aeromexico, as the carrier served as the official airline for Pope John Paul II on his visits to Mexico. The first and most symbolic of these visits was held in January 1979 when a DC-10 called “Mexico City” carried the Pope from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic to Mexico City, before taking His Holiness back to Rome.
During Pope John Paul II’s second visit, Aeromexico flew the pontiff to different cities in Mexico including Aguascalientes, Chihuahua, Durango, Monterrey, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Veracruz, and Zacatecas with one of its MD-88 airplanes, and took the Pope back to Rome on its DC10-30 called Chapultepec Castle.
Lastly, on August 1, 2002, a Boeing 767 christened “Mexico Siempre Fiel” (Mexico, Always Faithful) flew Pope John Paul II back to Rome after his fifth visit to Mexico.
As on previous visits, a team formed by representatives from different Divisions within Aeromexico is working together with the authorities and the pastoral visiting team to make sure that all of the flight services scheduled for the trip are provided with the highest possible level of efficiency and safety.
PR Newswire
Aéromexico launches Mexico City -> Amsterdam
AeroMexico (Mexico City) has announced three weekly nonstop flights between Mexico City (MEX) and Amsterdam (AMS) starting on May 29, 2016, making the city its fourth destination in Europe.
This new route will be operated using Boeing 787 aircraft with 243 seat capacity, including 32 seats in Clase Premier, Aeromexico’s Business Class Cabin.
Flight AM 025 will depart on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sunday from MEX at 11:58 pm (2358) and arrive the next day in AMS at 6 pm (1800). The return flight will depart on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays from AMS at 10:35 pm (2235) and arrive the next day at 4:10 am (0410).
One of the key factors in establishing this new route is Amsterdam’s status as a major SkyTeam hub where KLM offers a significant number of flights within Europe. Aeromexico is a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance.
World Airline News
Delta Air Lines wants to acquire more Aéromexico shares
Delta intends to acquire up to an additional 32 percent of the outstanding capital stock of Grupo Aeroméxico S.A.B. de C.V. through a cash tender offer for MXP$43.59 per share. This investment will strengthen the airlines’ partnership, provide more travel options for customers in the U.S. and Mexico, and deliver the industry’s best customer experience.
Currently, Delta owns approximately 4.1 percent of the outstanding shares of Grupo Aeroméxico and holds an option to acquire an additional 8.1 percent. Separately, the Delta pension trust holds options to acquire approximately 4.6 percent of Grupo Aeroméxico. Following completion of the tender offer, Delta and the Delta pension trust collectively would own and/or have options to acquire up to a total of 49 percent of the outstanding shares of Grupo Aeroméxico.
“This new investment demonstrates Delta’s confidence in Mexico’s future and deepens our relationship with Aeroméxico, cementing Delta’s long-term commitment to the customers we serve to, from and through Latin America,” said Delta President Ed Bastian.
Delta intends to commence the tender offer once required regulatory approvals in Mexico and the United States have been obtained. The tender offer will be subject to terms to be disclosed and customary closing conditions, including the acquisition by Delta of a minimum number of shares in the tender offer. The transaction also is subject to approval by the Boards of Directors of Delta and Grupo Aeroméxico.
Delta and Aeroméxico launched their first codeshare in 1994. In 2011, Delta entered into an enhanced commercial agreement with Aeroméxico, and in 2012, Delta invested USD$65 million in shares of Grupo Aeroméxico, the parent company of Aeroméxico. In March, Delta and Aeroméxico filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation seeking antitrust immunity for a new joint venture on flights between the United States and Mexico. The request also was submitted for approval to the Mexican antitrust authorities, the Comision Federal de Competencia Economica (Federal Economic Competition Commission).
Delta Air Lines