Aeromexico SVP urges Mexico's Government to reduce fees on international transit pax

Aeromexico SVP institutional relations, government, airports and industry affairs Cuitlahuac Gutierrez, speaking at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit Latin America & Caribbean, stated (10-Sep-2026) for years airlines in Mexico were permitted to exempt foreign national international transit passengers at Mexican airports from some visitor tax and airport usage tax fees, "putting Mexico in a very nice position" for "hub-and-spoke" operations via Mexico City. Mr Gutierrez noted roughly three years ago "because [of a] change in the regulation, that exemption was rejected", meaning "now international passengers connecting from Central America and South America through Mexico to Asia or Europe, they need to pay around USD80". He added: "Now there is a proposal in the Congress to [further increase Mexico's Non-Resident Fee (DNR) for international arrivals] by 35%", opining: "This will put Mexico in a position completely uncompetitive with hubs like Panama or Lima or Bogota". Mr Gutierrez urged Mexico's Government to see that removing the exemption on these fees for "international connecting passengers" will reduce, rather than increase, the tax revenue generated, due to the impact these fees have on international passenger traffic transiting Mexico, stating: "What they haven't seen is that this traffic has been reduced, and of course they are getting less money than if they had been exempting these passengers to connecting". [more - CAPA TV]