IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO WRITE the history of North American aviation without mentioning Aeromexico. With roots that go back to 1934, this Mexico City-based carrier in recent years has built its presence even more on the international front while also upgrading its passenger experience and expanding its offerings to appeal to new markets.

As Mexico’s largest airline (and the only one to serve Europe and Asia), Aeromexico is strategically well-poised for growth. Currently, the carrier fields an average of 600 daily flights to 43 destinations within Mexico as well as to 50 international destinations in the United States, Canada, Central, and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. And there’s more to come.

This year alone, the company added its fifth destination in Europe, with three weekly non-stop flights to Barcelona (BCN) from Mexico City International Airport, using the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
In addition, Aeromexico debuted new service linking Mexico City with Guayaquil (GYE), with three weekly frequencies, and removed a technical layover in Monterrey to convert its service between Mexico City and Seoul Incheon International Airport to a timesaving, non-stop experience.

In addition to strategic route growth, Aeromexico also fine-tuned its fleet. In 2012 Grupo Aeromexico — which includes the mainline carrier as well as cargo, Aeromexico Connect and other divisions — committed to the largest investment of any Mexican airline in history by signing a contract to acquire 100 aircraft from Boeing, valued at some $11 billion.

Just last year, the company finalized its “fleet simplification strategy,” resulting in just four types of aircraft from two manufacturers: the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 737 and Embraer 170 and 190. This rationalization resulted in greater efficiency in everything from maintenance to crew training, according to airline executives.

Today the modernized fleet of 130 aircraft is responsible for a decreased carbon footprint, part of the company’s strong environmental policy that focuses on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The 787 Dreamliner, in particular, proves an especially remarkable tool in the company’s quest to become greener. Aeromexico, in fact, reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 23 percent and noise pollution by as much as 60 percent, thanks largely to the efficiency of the Dreamliner. The aircraft’s General Electric GEnx-1B engines comprise part of the winning formula, with greater efficiency than many engines and composite materials that allow for optimal operation and minimal maintenance costs.

Aeromexico Boeing 787-9 Clase Premier PHOTOS: © AEROMEXICO

The allure of a modern and efficient fleet is more than simply advanced technology, of course. It’s also about the ability to offer passengers a better overall travel experience, with greater comfort and more amenities. Aeromexico launched its 21st-century initiative to improve the onboard experience back in 2010, and the program continues to evolve.

Passengers will notice some of the biggest improvements on long-haul flights to and from Europe and Asia. Among the changes, the airline introduced a dynamic new menu on flights between Mexico City and Europe, including Madrid (MAD), Paris (CDG), London (LHR) and Amsterdam (AMS). The new culinary offerings, redesigned seasonally four times a year, are the work of Chef Elena Reygadas, a renowned culinary artist and cookbook author known for her award-winning Mexico City restaurant, Rosetta.

Even passengers in the economy cabin on trans-Atlantic flights will benefit from upgraded menus, with three food courses that vary by the time of day and emphasize balanced and healthy cuisine to help travelers feel better during and after long flights.

Salon Premier, cuisine PHOTOS: © AEROMEXICO

The new menus on Europe flights complement other culinary enhancements introduced in December 2018 on other international and select domestic flights in Clase Premier from Mexico City. Aeromexico worked with catering company Gate Gourmet to create those new food options, with input from chefs Christian Hallowell, Gottfried Menge, and Dennis Purchet. The seasonally rotating menus include a fourth meal choice on flights to and from Buenos Aires (EZE), Santiago de Chile (SCL) and São Paulo (GRU) as well as handmade pasta and stone oven-baked bread on flights to and from the United States, Canada, and Latin America. In addition, the airline promises more flavorful meat, fish and poultry, thanks to new sous vide preparation techniques.

In addition to culinary improvements, Aeromexico upgraded its technological offerings, with free messaging through WhatsApp, iMessage and Facebook Messenger aboard its Boeing 737 and
787 aircraft. In September the company also expanded its in-flight entertainment options with the addition of content from Universal Studios to a roster that already included Warner Bros., Paramount and Fox. Passengers can now sit back and watch entertainment like National Geographic as part of an impressive jump from 300 to 400 programs available for in-flight viewing.

Observant frequent flyers may also take note of a new look in the aisles; this year the airline debuted a new style for its cabin crew, featuring clothing by Mexican fashion designer Lorena Saravia, whose consumer designs stock several of Mexico’s top department stores as well as her own flagship shop in Mexico City. The crisply designed new uniforms feature an attractive shade of navy blue with black highlights but discontinue the long-running hats for female flight attendants.

On the ground, passengers can now make use of a relaunched website, new airport check-in kiosks, a redesigned mobile app and new customer service available through chatbot on both Facebook and WhatsApp.

Travelers looking for more comfort on the ground take note: Aeromexico this year debuted its newest Terraza Premier by Heineken at Monterrey International Airport, the second such VIP lounge created in partnership with Heineken. The new venue, located in Terminal B, accommodates 54 people and is accessible for a fee or for free with some front-of-cabin fare classes and for certain credit card holders.

As with most carriers, global alliances with industry powerhouses are crucial to Aeromexi- co’s success. The most high-profile partnership, of course, is with Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines. In 2019 the company celebrated its second year of the Delta-Aeromexico joint cooperation agreement which allows for coordinated transborder flights between the United States and Mexico. Delta’s 49 percent equity share in Aeromexico is also part of the agreement, as are co-located airport teams in key cities in both countries.

Today the two airlines operate within the same terminal at 12 airports, with more than 1,100 combined transborder flights every week and more than 14.4 million passengers carried May 2017–April 2019; passenger numbers doubled for transborder traffic in the second year.

Aeromexico also benefits from its role as a founding member of SkyTeam, the alliance that now counts 19 airlines among its members, as well as from its additional codeshare partnerships for flights with a variety of carriers including Avianca, Copa, EL AL Israel Airlines and GOL Linhas Aéreas.

This year Aeromexico expanded its reach even further with new codeshares with Air Europa for service to European destinations including Asturias (OVD), Seville (SVQ), Stockholm (ARN) and Athens (ATH).

Aeromexico has made a wide array of improvements and strategic changes to its scheduled airline service in a quest to lure passengers. But a recent partnership with Aerolineas Ejecutivas aims to attract an entirely different type of traveler: those who want to fly alone.

The result of this new alliance, called Aeromexico Private Jets, offers on-demand charters with a fleet of five different types of jets, ranging from the six-passenger Beechcraft Premier A1 to the 12-passenger Bombardier Challenger 605. The goal of this new service, according to Aeromexico, is to appeal to customers and companies who need to maximize their time through flexible and convenient access to customizable flights and a dedicated fleet of aircraft.

The service also offers an Aeromexico Jet Card, designed for travelers who use private jet service on a recurring basis. The prepaid card allows members to book flight hours and choose aircraft type with as little as eight hours of advance notice. Cardholders also enjoy benefits like upgrades and discounts on Aeromexico’s scheduled flights, as well as the ability to book flights with Delta Private Jets.