Mexicana de Aviación
Mexico’s first commercial airline and a major international carrier that operated under the Mexicana name from 1921 until its suspension and subsequent bankruptcy in 2010.
Last updated August 21, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Mexicana de Aviación was Mexico’s first commercial airline and one of the world’s oldest airlines to operate under a substantially continuous brand identity. Established in 1921, the carrier helped create Mexico’s commercial aviation network, connecting domestic cities with the United States, Central America, the Caribbean and, later, South America and Europe. Its principal base was Mexico City International Airport, supported at different times by important operations at Cancún and Guadalajara. The airline’s early development was closely linked to the expansion of air transport between Mexico and the United States. In the 1920s, its assets and operating business were consolidated by William Lantie Mallory and George Rihl, while Pan Am founder Juan Trippe later acquired majority control. Mexicana’s first international service connected Mexico City with the United States, and Charles Lindbergh piloted an early service using a Ford Trimotor. During the 1930s, the network expanded through Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Mexicana also became the first foreign airline to serve Los Angeles, beginning that service in 1936. The airline progressively adopted larger and more capable aircraft. Douglas DC-2, DC-3 and DC-4 aircraft supported domestic and regional expansion during the 1940s, while the DC-6 entered service in the 1950s. In 1960, Mexicana entered the jet age with De Havilland Comet 4C aircraft on the Mexico City–Los Angeles route. Financial pressure during the late 1960s led to a change in management, after which the company recovered through operational restructuring and fleet development. Boeing 727s became central to its network, and during the 1970s Mexicana operated the largest 727 fleet in Latin America. The 1980s brought government ownership, new headquarters and the introduction of the carrier’s first wide-body aircraft, the McDonnell Douglas DC-10-15. Mexicana also experienced its most serious fatal accident in March 1986, when Flight 940 crashed in western Mexico. The airline was privatized in 1989. During the 1990s it faced deregulation, new low-cost competitors and the effects of Mexico’s economic crisis. It modernized with Airbus A320-family aircraft and Fokker 100s, expanded into South America and Canada, and became part of the CINTRA structure alongside Aeroméxico after both airlines were placed under government control. CINTRA sold Mexicana and its regional subsidiary Click Mexicana to Grupo Posadas in 2005. The carrier subsequently pursued a more international strategy, developed relationships with American Airlines and Oneworld partners, and joined Oneworld in November 2009 after leaving Star Alliance in 2004. Its operating group included the mainline carrier, Click Mexicana and Mexicana Link, and carried more than 11 million passengers in 2009 according to cited historical material. Mounting financial problems led Mexicana to seek Mexican and United States insolvency protection in August 2010. It suspended flights on August 28, 2010, and its subsidiaries later ceased operating. A Mexican court declared the company bankrupt in April 2014 and ordered the disposition of assets. The government later acquired the Mexicana brand and related assets for a separate state-owned airline launched in 2023. That later operation is not the subject of this dossier, which concerns the 1921–2010 airline.
History
Mexicana de Aviación began operations in 1921 and became the foundational airline of Mexico’s commercial air transport system. In its formative period, William Lantie Mallory and George Rihl consolidated the assets of an earlier aviation venture, while Sherman Fairchild became an early investor. Pan Am later acquired majority control, creating a relationship that assisted Mexicana’s early international development. In 1929 the airline inaugurated service between Mexico and the United States, with Charles Lindbergh piloting an early Ford Trimotor flight. During the 1930s Mexicana expanded through Mexico and into Central America and the Caribbean. Its route system reached Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama and Cuba, and in 1936 it became the first foreign airline to operate to Los Angeles. The 1940s emphasized domestic growth, with routes to cities including Monterrey, Nuevo Laredo and Mérida, alongside services to Havana and Los Angeles. DC-2s were progressively replaced by Douglas DC-3s and DC-4s. The company also established a pilot-training school in Mexico City. Fleet development continued in the 1950s with Douglas DC-6 aircraft and a formal flight-attendant school. Mexicana entered the jet era on July 4, 1960, when De Havilland Comet 4C aircraft began service to Los Angeles. Competition and financial strain produced difficulties late in the decade, prompting a management change in 1968. Under Crescencio Ballesteros and Manuel Sosa de la Vega, the airline restored its finances and expanded its Boeing 727 operation. By the 1970s it had the largest 727 fleet outside the United States and served destinations such as Denver and San Juan. The 1980s were less dynamic commercially but included major structural events. Mexicana acquired three McDonnell Douglas DC-10-15 wide-bodies in 1981, received majority government ownership in 1982, and completed a distinctive 30-story headquarters building in Mexico City in 1984. Flight 940 crashed in March 1986, becoming the airline’s last fatal accident. After Aeronaves de México entered bankruptcy in 1988, Mexicana later assumed some longer international flying. The airline was privatized in 1989. In the 1990s, deregulation brought competition from new Mexican airlines while the peso crisis affected the industry. Mexicana introduced Airbus A320-family aircraft in 1991 and Fokker 100s in 1992, retired its DC-10s, and added longer routes to Lima, Santiago, Buenos Aires and Montreal. The airline and Aeroméxico were placed under CINTRA after the government took control of their parent structure. Mexicana was reorganized under new management, with greater emphasis on international flying and alliance relationships. The company joined Star Alliance in 2000 but left in 2004, citing changing market conditions and the value of alternative code-sharing arrangements. It retired its last Boeing 727 in 2003 and introduced Boeing 767 aircraft for long-haul services. In 2005, CINTRA sold Mexicana and Click Mexicana to Grupo Posadas. Click was positioned as a lower-cost operation, while Mexicana remained the group’s principal full-service brand; Mexicana Link later provided regional flying. Mexicana joined Oneworld in November 2009. The group carried more than 11 million passengers in 2009 and operated roughly 110 aircraft across its brands, but financial pressures became unsustainable. Insolvency proceedings began in August 2010, and all Mexicana flights stopped on August 28. Click Mexicana and Mexicana Link subsequently ceased operations. A court declared the company bankrupt in 2014 and ordered asset liquidation. The historical airline therefore remains defunct, notwithstanding the later use of the Mexicana name by a separate state-owned airline.
- 2014
Declared bankrupt
[1]A court declares Mexicana bankrupt and orders asset sales.
- 2010
Operations cease
[1]The airline suspends all operations on August 28 after entering insolvency proceedings.
- 2009
Joins Oneworld
[1]Mexicana becomes a Oneworld member on November 10.
- 2005
Sale to Grupo Posadas
[1]CINTRA sells Mexicana and Click Mexicana to Grupo Posadas.
- 2004
Leaves Star Alliance
[1]The airline exits Star Alliance and develops alternative airline partnerships.
- 2000
Joins Star Alliance
[1]Mexicana enters Star Alliance.
- 1989
Privatization
[1]Mexicana is privatized after a period of majority government ownership.
- 1982
Government acquires majority ownership
[1]The Mexican government acquires a 58 percent stake in the airline.
- 1960
Entry into the jet age
[1]De Havilland Comet 4C aircraft begin service on the Mexico City–Los Angeles route.
- 1936
First foreign airline to serve Los Angeles
[1]Mexicana inaugurates service to Los Angeles.
Products and positioning
A historic Mexican flag carrier that combined extensive domestic coverage with a substantial international network. In its later years, the group used the Mexicana mainline brand alongside lower-cost and regional subsidiaries to compete with Aeroméxico and emerging Mexican low-cost airlines.
Scheduled airline · 1921
Mexicana mainline passenger services
The principal Mexicana brand provided scheduled domestic and international passenger services. Its network covered Mexico, the United States, Canada, Central America, the Caribbean and South America, with limited European service during its long history. Mexico City was the principal hub, while Cancún and Guadalajara also supported significant operations.
Low-cost airline subsidiary · 2005
Click Mexicana
Click Mexicana was the rebranded form of Aerocaribe and was developed as a lower-cost affiliate intended to compete in Mexico’s increasingly liberalized and price-sensitive airline market.
Regional airline subsidiary
Mexicana Link
Mexicana Link operated regional services using Bombardier CRJ aircraft and was based primarily at Guadalajara. It complemented the mainline network before the group’s 2010 shutdown.
Marketing campaigns
- 200180th-anniversary brand activity
Mexico · International
Mexicana marked its eightieth anniversary during a period when it was continuing to modernize its network and brand shortly before the shock to global aviation caused by the September 11 attacks.
Outcome. The anniversary was followed by continued restructuring and alliance changes rather than a sustained period of uninterrupted growth.
Brand decisions
2010
Suspend operationsOtherBackground
Severe financial difficulties and restructuring efforts left the airline unable to continue normal operations.
Action taken
Mexicana entered Mexican and United States insolvency proceedings and suspended all flights indefinitely on August 28.
Aftermath
Click Mexicana and Mexicana Link also ceased operating, and Aeroméxico became the de facto dominant full-service Mexican carrier.
2009
Join OneworldStrategyBackground
After leaving Star Alliance, Mexicana pursued closer commercial relationships with American Airlines and other Oneworld carriers.
Action taken
Mexicana joined Oneworld on November 10, 2009.
Aftermath
The alliance expanded Mexicana’s partnership network shortly before the airline entered insolvency proceedings.
2005
Sell Mexicana to Grupo PosadasM&ABackground
The Mexican government pursued privatization of the airlines held through CINTRA.
Action taken
CINTRA sold Mexicana and Click Mexicana to Grupo Posadas.
Aftermath
The new ownership sought to use a mainline-plus-lower-cost structure to respond to deregulation and intensifying competition.
Reported purchase price. US$165.5 million (2005 transaction)
2003
Retire the Boeing 727-200 fleetGeneration changeBackground
The airline was modernizing its narrow-body fleet and shifting toward Airbus aircraft.
Action taken
Mexicana retired its final Boeing 727-200 aircraft after nearly four decades of operation and replaced them with Airbus A318, A319 and A320 aircraft.
Aftermath
The carrier became primarily an Airbus operator for short- and medium-haul flying.
2000
Join Star AllianceStrategyBackground
Mexicana sought broader international connectivity and alliance-based commercial cooperation.
Action taken
The airline joined Star Alliance.
Aftermath
Mexicana left the alliance in 2004 as it reassessed partnerships and later joined Oneworld.
1960
Introduce jet aircraftProduct launchBackground
Mexicana needed faster aircraft for growing domestic and international routes.
Action taken
The airline acquired De Havilland Comet 4C aircraft and began jet service to Los Angeles.
Aftermath
Mexicana became one of the early Latin American jet operators, although competition and financial pressure remained significant.
Recent events
- 2014
Mexicana is declared bankrupt[1]
Bankruptcy
A Mexican court declared the airline bankrupt and authorized the sale of assets to address outstanding obligations.
- 2010
Mexicana enters insolvency protection and suspends operations[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
The airline sought protection under Mexican concurso mercantil and United States Chapter 15 proceedings before announcing an indefinite suspension of all flights on August 28, 2010.
- 2009
Mexicana joins Oneworld[1]
Other
Mexicana joined the Oneworld airline alliance after leaving Star Alliance several years earlier.
- 2005
Grupo Posadas acquires Mexicana[1]
M&A
CINTRA sold Mexicana and its Click subsidiary to hotel group Grupo Posadas as part of the airline’s privatization.
- 1986
Mexicana Flight 940 crashes in western Mexico[1]
Other
A Boeing 727 operating Flight 940 caught fire in flight and crashed in the mountains of western Mexico, killing everyone aboard.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/mexicana-de-aviación · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled