Mexican low-cost carrier Interjet plans to launch service on five US routes, as a liberalised air services agreement between the two countries is set to go into effect.
The airline plans to begin flights to Los Angeles from Aguascalientes, Leon, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos. It also wants to start nonstop service between Cancun and Dallas/Fort Worth.
Interjet wants to begin flights as early as 15 August, it says in a filing with the US Department of Transportation.
The timeline is six days before 21 August, when a liberalised US-Mexico air services treaty will go into effect. The agreement, which removes limits on the number of airlines that can operate on city pairs, is expected to lead to new transborder service.
Prior to the new agreement, Mexican carriers had to be formally designated by their government to operate on US routes.
Interjet requests that the DOT waive the designation requirement in the event that it does not receive notice of Mexican designation in time for service launch on 15 August.
The airline began Los Angeles service only earlier this year, but has expressed keen interest to grow from the airport.
Interjet will face competition on all of its planned new US routes. Volaris already operates to Los Angeles from both Aguascalientes and Leon, FlightGlobal schedules data show. United Airlines and Delta Air Lines also offer nonstop service from Los Angeles to Leon.
Alaska Airlines, American Airlines and United operate to Los Cabos from Los Angeles. Southwest Airlines had previously applied to begin service on the route in November.
Southwest also plans to begin nonstop service from Los Angeles to Puerto Vallarta that month. Three airlines already operate on that route: Alaska, Delta and United.
Between Dallas/Fort Worth and Cancun, three US carriers offer nonstop flights: American, Sun Country Airlines and Spirit Airlines.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
