Mexicana pins hopes on oneowrld boost

Mexicana and its subsidiaries MexicanaClick and MexicanaLink have became part of the global oneworld airline alliance this week, looking to boost its international traffic in a very challenging marketplace.

Mexicana brings oneworld 67 destinations in 14 countries in Central, North and South America and Europe, including 37 points in Mexico. The airlines’ main hub is Mexico City.

Grupo Mexicana CEO Manuel Borja expects that the carrier’s membership in oneworld will strengthen its “position considerably in an increasingly competitive marketplace” and boost international passenger traffic by 5%-7%.

“Over the past years, we have developed bilateral links with many oneworld members, including Iberia and American Airlines, and this has generated substantially higher revenues than we ever enjoyed,” in reference to the companies former membership of the Star Alliance. “Being a full-fledged member will allow us to build those revenues still further.”

MX Monday unveiled an A320 from its mainline fleet and a 717 from its regional subsidiary MexicanaClick that are painted in alliance livery. A 767-200 will be receive a oneworld livery during its next C check in coming months. “We will have aircraft flying in oneworld livery on our regional, short-haul and long-haul routes,” Borja noted.

“We are very happy that we could convince Mexicana to join,” oneworld Governing Board Chairman and American Airlines Chairman and CEO Gerard Arpey said, reiterating that oneworld is “and will continue to be very selective about who we invite onboard.” As the leading carrier in Mexico and Central America, MX “more than fits the bill,” he said.

S7 Airlines will join the alliance during the year 2010.