Mexico signs agreement to restore U.S. aviation rating Reuters

Mexico City (Reuters)-Mexico’s Ministry of Transport said on Monday that Mexico has signed an agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to help the country restore its Class 1 aviation safety rating.

The ministry said in a statement that experts from the FAA will visit Mexico from August to provide technical assistance and review the country’s efforts to reverse the downgrade.

In May, the Federal Aviation Administration downgraded Mexico’s aviation safety rating to Category 2, which is the lowest level. This action prohibits Aeromexico from adding new U.S. flights and restricts the airlines’ ability to enter into marketing agreements with each other.

According to the FAA, the downgrade means that Mexico “lack of the necessary requirements to monitor the country’s air carriers in accordance with the minimum international safety standards, or that the civil aviation authority lacks technical expertise, well-trained personnel, record keeping in one or more areas. , Check procedures or resolve safety issues.”

The US regulator said at the time that it was “fully committed” to helping the Mexican aviation authority improve its safety oversight system in accordance with international standards and was willing to provide expertise and resources.

The Mexican Ministry of Transportation said that FAA experts visiting the country will provide reports on their findings and suggestions for further improvements.

The ministry stated that restoring the category 1 rating is a “priority” and continues to make improvements to ensure the certainty of the aviation industry and domestic and foreign tourists, “Mexico is a safe service in the air transport and airport sectors.”