Despite protests from pilots against the authorization for foreign captains to command Mexican aircraft, the government will not revoke the permit granted to Volaris to use the wet leasing scheme, which would violate the Constitution.
However, the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) committed to the Mexican Air Pilots Association (ASPA) and the Pilots’ College to strengthen the law to prevent further wet leasing with foreign crews on Mexican-flagged aircraft.
“AFAC informs us that, from this moment on, foreign crews will be flying. This is something we will continue to challenge, but they will be present within Mexican crews, verifying the foreigners,” said ASPA Secretary General Jesús Ortiz.
What agreement was reached between the pilots and the SICT?
Following a nearly three-hour meeting at the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT), Ortiz stated that an agreement has been signed with the ministry and the aeronautical authority to begin working on legislative modifications to prevent foreign pilots from flying Mexican aircraft again.
The working groups, to which the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) has committed, will begin next Monday, December 8, with the aim of strengthening the Civil Aviation Law and regulations regarding wet leasing.
Wet leasing is an aircraft rental model that includes crew members; although this scheme is contemplated in the legislation, the Constitution establishes, in Article 32, that only Mexican citizens by birth may pilot an aircraft.
Despite the industry’s repeated calls to revoke Volaris’s permits, which will operate for 43 days with foreign pilots on some routes within the country, this authorization will not be revoked.
According to the general secretary of ASPA, the authorities agreed to review the legislation to strengthen civil aviation.
“We need to hold inter-ministerial meetings to implement the necessary safeguards so this doesn’t happen again,” Ortiz added.
Meanwhile, the president of the Mexican College of Airline Pilots (CPAM), Ángel Domínguez, said the message is that the Constitution needs to be strengthened.
“In our opinion, Article 32 is very clear: pilots who fly Mexican aircraft must be Mexican citizens. Now, it seems we need to make it even clearer; let’s do it. It’s part of the amendment,” Domínguez emphasized.
The CPAM president assured that the aeronautical authority is verifying the qualifications of the foreign pilots who, starting today, began piloting at least seven Volaris aircraft.
Source: elfinanciero
