AeroMexico will begin round-trip flights between Ontario International Airport and Mexico City four times a week starting April 6, airline and airport officials announced Wednesday, March 25.
It will increase service at the airport from 14 to 15 major cities. The previous service addition was Mexico-based Volaris, offering flights to Guadalajara, in April 2014.
The departing flights from Ontario on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays will be “tecolotes” – night-owl flights – departing at 1:05 a.m.
Return flights are scheduled for 9:10 p.m. departure, Mexico City time, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Los Angeles World Airports, which owns and operates ONT, sweetened the deal with AeroMexico with a fund-matching marketing program, and is finalizing an agreement with the airline for conditional landing fee waivers, a spokeswoman said by email on Wednesday.
The service to Mexico City by a major carrier could have broad appeal to the Inland area. More than 2.1 million Hispanics live in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, and the majority of those have roots in Mexico.
“ONT worked very closely with the AeroMexico team to identify marketing opportunities,” spokeswoman Maria Tesoro said in an email.
“A lot of people ask for more flights to Mexico City and Michoacan,” said Maria Mercado, an agent at Diana’s Travel in Rialto. “A lot of people will use it.”
The airport, which has been owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports for decades, has had air service declines and has seen passenger counts drop by millions since 2007.
A total of 4.1 million passengers flew on domestic and international flights at Ontario in 2014, compared with 3.9 million in 2013. But it was a distant number from the 7.2 million passengers that used the airport in 2007.
The city of Ontario is locked in a lawsuit with Los Angeles to regain control and ownership of ONT, alleging the defendants have purposely let service falter at the Inland regional airport.
“The additional AeroMexico service at ONT is welcome news for Inland Empire travelers who no longer will need to commute to a distant Southland airport for travel to Mexico City,” Ontario Mayor Pro Tem Alan D. Wapner said in a statement Wednesday.
Jack Keady, an aviation consultant in Playa Del Rey, said there has been a “spotty history of service from Ontario to Mexico City. It’s come and gone.”
AeroMexico last flew to Mexico City from ONT in 2000.
Keady said a four-flights-a-week schedule will not appeal to business passengers, who want daily flights.
“Who are they catering to? Probably not so much business people as people visiting relatives and Mexicans coming up here for holidays, to visit Disneyland,” he said.
Tecolotes Outbound
Departing flights, AM 0793, will be Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.
The “tecolotes” – night owls – will leave Ontario at 1:05 a.m. for an arrival in Mexico City after a 41/2-hour flight. Mexico City time is one hour ahead of Ontario. A random check of the schedules showed some variances in departure times.
Return flights, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, AM 0792, will depart Mexico City generally at 9:10 p.m. local time.
AeroMexico flies four times a week to Guadalajara from Ontario International Airport; the addition of four weekly flights to Mexico City doubles the airline’s flights from the airport.
Incentives Agreement Near
AeroMexico will use 132-passenger 737-700 aircraft, with 12 first-class seats. .
As an incentive for AeroMexico to offer the service from ONT, Los Angeles World Airports is putting the final touches on an agreement in which AeroMexico will get six months of waived landing fees, which will be credited after 12 continuous months of service to Mexico City, spokeswoman Tesoro said.
“Incentives can be part of a new route’s success, but the longer term success … is driven by local demand and profitability for the carrier,” Tesoro said. “Our hope is that the local market supports this great, new service.”
International travel at ONT in 2014 was up 58 percent over 2013, boosted by the addition of Volaris and AeroMexico’s service to Guadalajara.
Keady characterized AeroMexico a carrier “with deep pockets that can develop the markets, and it will take some marketing push … to make this a long-term payoff.”
An April 7, economy-class nonstop adult seat to Mexico City was listed at $112.58 Wednesday evening. Various grades of business and first-class seats went for $236.58; $411.58; $452.58 and $906.58.
A nonstop 9:10 p.m. return flight for April 25 was listed at $146 for economy; prices went from $230 and $406 for two types of tourist class; $486 for business class and $940 for first class.
Contact the writer: 951-368-9573 or rdeatley@pressenterprise.com
