Senator Gerardo Fernández Noroña was photographed enjoying first class on an Aeroméxico flight back from Rome to Mexico City on January 6. The Premier One service features seats that convert into beds and other exclusive amenities. The incident sparks controversy following a viral video confrontation in Rome.
Morena legislator Gerardo Fernández Noroña ended his Rome vacation with a return flight in first class aboard an Aeroméxico plane. Photos taken by a fellow passenger on January 6 show the senator in the Premier One service, where the seat fully reclines to become a flat bed during the trip to Mexico City.
Journalist Gustavo Macalpin recounted in an interview with Azucena Uresti that Noroña enjoyed the exclusive perks, such as priority boarding and check-in, along with a special menu. So far, the senator has not reacted to the circulation of these images.
Days earlier, a video went viral in which a Baja California native, Roberto Quijano, confronted Noroña on the streets of Rome near the Fontana di Trevi and Piazza di Spagna. Quijano asked: “What does it feel like to be in Rome?”, to which the senator replied: “Very good. Do you think you're the only one who has the right to be in Rome? No, my friend.” Noroña's companion intervened, calling the questioner a “poor idiot.”
This trip adds to Noroña's other European journeys, such as one to France, where he was also seen in first class. The Morena member has publicly defended his right to such luxuries, stating that austerity applies only to the government and that he covers the difference from his own pocket, in addition to Senate per diems for alleged work purposes. In past instances, he justified purchases like a 5,000-peso tortilla maker from Palacio de Hierro, recommended by Belinda, and supported AMLO's son seen with a Hermès bag, saying: “If his income allows it, go ahead.”
