note
Founded as Compañía Mexicana de Aviación S.A. on August the 20th 1924 in Tampico to carry passengers and cargo to and from oil fields as the travel by road was dangerous at the time. Airline first used Lincoln Standard biplanes which were later supplemented with Fairchild monoplanes. Airline was brain child of American banker George L. Rihl who later served as its president. In April 1928 airline was awarded first government mail route. First scheduled flight was operated May 29 1928 Mexico City to Tampico. Between January 1929 and 1944 Pan American World Airways owned the airline and continued to hold minority share until 1968. Airline's first U.S. destinations was Los Angeles which was introduced in 1935 using Lockheed Electras.
First jet, a Comet 4C was delivered in 1960 and first wide-body a DC-10-15 was delivered in June 1981.
Mexican government own majority of shares. Mexicana operates extensive domestic network as well as major and secondary cities in USA and Canada. Havana is served as well as Central American capitals, Bogota, Caracas and Buenos Aires in Suth America.
On July 1st, 2005, Mexicana launched its low-cost airline, Click Mexicana. This replaced its regional subsidiary Aerocaribe. Mexicana is part of Star Alliance (worlds largest airline alliance) and employs over 6,000 people and transports almost 10 million passengers annually. It is worlds 4th oldest continuously operating airline and 2nd largest in Mexico. Airline filled for bankruptcy protection early in September 2010 and ceased all flight operations on the 28th. Mexicana has been granted bankruptcy protection to allow restructuring. Operations are to resume as early as end of November, however Mexicana's European routes as well as domestic trunk routes will not be resumed. Limited service to USA and Central America are likely to resume.
founded - demised (age)
August 20 1924 - August 29 2010 (86)
headquarters
Xola 535, piso 30, Col. Del Valle, DF 03100, Mexico City
web
base airports
related operators
current /stored fleet (0)
