By Juan Pedro Sanchez Zamudio
Aeroméxico Becomes Highest Rated Airline in Latin America for Health, Safety
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Aeroméxico has worked to become a benchmark in the industry by implementing rigorous sanitary measures through its Health and Hygiene Management System, created by expert epidemiologists based in its home country.
This system mandates various measures for the protection of its personnel and passengers, such as the sanitation of aircraft after each flown segment; the use of personal protective equipment by their crews and airport personnel; a face mask requirement for passengers; protocols for detection and care of possible cases; disinfection of facilities, furniture and luggage; HEPA filters throughout its fleet, and other measures that have been added during the pandemic to encourage travel as customers have stayed uneasy.
As a result, the Association of Airline Passenger Experience (APEX) granted the airline a “Platinum” rating in its new APEX Health Safety standard, becoming the first airline in Latin America to receive the distinction.
The Mexican carrier announced this recognition in a press release in which it highlighted its commitment to strengthening its hygiene measures and other actions to provide travelers peace of mind and confidence to fly with the carrier. Of course, the award will likely serve as another point of distinction for an airline that has worked to woo what remains of already lower demand by calling attention to its new health measures.
Aeroméxico has raised bar for airline health and safety with initiatives such as the delivery of sanitizing gel in individual packages for each passenger on board, constant sanitation of their equipment and videos focusing on passenger hygiene screened nearly every flight.
Aeroméxico continues to work with other leading companies in its field to offer more solutions and assistance to its passengers. The Mexican carrier recently signed agreements with medical laboratories so that customers can have access to discounts and exclusive benefits in conducting COVID-19 tests in order to more easily comply with the requirements of the country they will visit.
This announcement comes on the heels of a disappointing January for the Mexico City-based airline. The carrier struggled to bolster passenger numbers to begin 2021, with passenger traffic falling by 2.1% in January compared to December and representing 66.2% of the total of travelers in the same month of 2020.
According to Reuters, Aeroméxico carried 1.09 million passengers in January, representing approximately 61.9% of total capacity in January 2020.
Additionally, Aeroméxico’s first Boeing 787 — which the airline had used for seven years — was returned to Swiss lessor Comlux. With this return, Aeroméxico’s Boeing 787’s fleet will consist of eight Boeing 787-8 and 10 Boeing 787-9. The return had not originally been scheduled for a January 2021 return, so the move signals Aeroméxico’s belief that the long haul market recovery will take long enough that it won’t need its full portfolio of widebody aircraft.
As the airline continues to hone its message to the traveling public in Mexico, its strategy continues to be centered around health and hygiene, an increasingly common tactic for airlines in the wake of the demand slump caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. But with demand stagnating around 60-70% of 2019 figures, Aeroméxico may have to do much more than that to turn itself back around.
The three things Juan Pedro loves most about aviation are aircraft, airports, and traveling thousands of miles in just a few hours. What he enjoys the most about aviation is that it is easier and cheaper to travel around the world and this gives you the opportunity to visit places you thought were too far away. He has traveled to different destinations in North, Central, South America and Asia. Born, raised and still living in Perú, Juan is a lawyer, soccer lover, foodie, passionate traveler, dog lover, millennial and curious by nature.
