U.S. ban on Mexican flights threatens key air cargo capacity

U.S. Ban on Mexican Flights Threatens Key Air Cargo Capacity

The Airforwarders Association (AfA) has expressed concern over the U.S. government's removal of 13 flight routes operated by Mexican airlines, warning this will severely reduce air cargo capacity and disrupt vital supply chains between the two largest North American trading partners.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently announced that several Mexican carriers are now barred from operating passenger flights into the United States, which also eliminates significant belly-hold cargo space crucial for freight transport.

According to the Department of Transportation, air freight between the United States, Mexico, and Canada reached a value of $6.1 billion in July 2025, a 22.9% increase compared to July 2024. This surge underscores the increasing reliance on air cargo in cross-border trade.

“The loss of these flights won’t just affect passengers; it pulls critical cargo capacity out of the market,” said Brandon Fried, Executive Director of the Airforwarders Association.

Fried emphasized that forwarders rely on belly capacity to transport a wide range of goods, including spare parts, fresh produce, and medical supplies. Removing this capacity will put further pressure on supply chains already operating with limited flexibility.

“Forwarders depend on belly capacity to move everything from critical spare parts to fresh produce and medical supplies. Taking that away will strain supply chains that are already operating at tight margins.”

He called on policymakers to seek cooperative solutions that maintain freight connectivity instead of imposing restrictions on capacity.

Author's summary: The U.S. ban on Mexican passenger flights threatens key air cargo capacity, risking significant disruptions to critical North American supply chains reliant on belly-hold freight space.

more

STAT Times STAT Times — 2025-11-05

More News