The Trump administration has imposed new restrictions on flights from Mexico and is threatening to terminate a long-standing partnership between Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico, escalating a broader trade dispute rooted in aviation access and fairness.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Saturday that all Mexican passenger, cargo, and charter airlines must now submit their flight schedules to the Department of Transportation and obtain approval before operating in the U.S. The move comes in response to what Duffy described as unfair treatment of U.S. carriers by the Mexican government.

At the center of the dispute is Mexico’s decision to reduce flights into Mexico City’s main Benito Juarez International Airport and force airlines to move operations to the new Felipe Angeles International Airport, located over 30 miles (48 km) away. Duffy said this violates a bilateral aviation agreement and favors Mexico’s domestic airlines.

“Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg deliberately allowed Mexico to break our bilateral aviation agreement. That ends today,” said Duffy. “Let these actions serve as a warning to any country who thinks it can take advantage of the U.S., our carriers, and our market. America First means fighting for the fundamental principle of fairness.”

Mexico is the leading foreign destination for U.S. travelers, with over 40 million passengers flying there last year.

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Delta and Aeromexico have pushed back strongly against the Transportation Department’s proposal to dissolve their joint venture, which has been in place since 2016. The airlines argue that punishing them for actions taken by the Mexican government is unjust and could jeopardize nearly two dozen routes and an estimated $800 million in shared economic benefits.

Delta warned that ending the partnership would harm consumers, reduce competition, and affect U.S. jobs and tourism. Aeromexico said it is reviewing the order and plans to issue a joint response with Delta soon.

While the order to terminate the partnership wouldn’t take effect until October, the two airlines are expected to continue challenging the decision. In a previous filing, they said losing the agreement could deter more than 140,000 U.S. tourists and nearly 90,000 Mexican travelers, leading to significant economic losses for both countries.

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum has not yet commented on the restrictions.

Source: Agency