Following the December 19 announcement of Grupo Más Vuelos, the Volaris and Viva Aerobus alliance—controlling 69% of Mexican airline passengers—raises antitrust concerns in Mexico and the US. Experts warn of regulatory blocks, despite promised cost synergies.
The alliance, branded as Grupo Más Vuelos (also referred to as Grupo Mexicano de Aerolíneas), would dominate 69% of passengers on Mexican airlines—more than double Aeroméxico's share—and 44% of total traffic to/from Mexico including foreign carriers. In the Mexico-US market (40 million passengers yearly), it would claim nearly 25%, surpassing American Airlines' 18%.
Antitrust authorities in Mexico, the US, Colombia, and beyond are scrutinizing the deal amid US-Mexico aviation tensions. Aviation law expert Juan Carlos Machorro of Santamarina y Steta noted: “This qualifies as concentration. From the start, a concentration at this level lights up red flags in any antitrust authority.”
Volaris CEO Enrique Beltranena highlighted the cross-border focus, while Viva Aerobus CEO Juan Carlos Zuazua stressed synergies in fleet, infrastructure, and systems to cut aircraft costs. The combined entity exceeds 250 planes, aiming for low fares to grow Mexico's low-penetration market. Regulators will evaluate risks to competition and pricing on key routes.
