Volaris says US-Mexico air travel demand resilient despite political turbulence
March 13, 2026
Despite headlines dominated by political turmoil and drug-related violence, the US-Mexico air market is booming, said Volaris’ head of capacity planning and network strategy, Ryan Isemeyer.
Demand between the North American neighbours had remained “resilient” despite the geopolitical turbulence, Isemeyer said during the Routes Americas 2026 conference in Rio earlier this month.
US-Mexico traffic resilient, says Volaris
Pointing to 11 newly announced US routes and a strategy focused on using data – not news cycles – to grow the carrier’s network, he said that reports of a schism between the countries had been overblown.
“There’s been a lot of discussion politically about the relationship between the US and Mexico, and to be very honest, the Mexican demand is so resilient,” he said.
“Obviously, what happened [last month with drug cartel violence disrupting flights] really had an impact, and the media has run with it. But we know the Mexican traveller, and they’re really resilient, and so I think there’s a hyperbole of what happens between the two countries.”
Violence disrupts flights last month
In February, dozens of flights were cancelled to and from Mexico after cartel violence in the country sparked chaos, with several major airports affected.
In Jalisco state, airports in the cities of Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara were worst hit, with arrival and departure boards effectively wiped out and no aircraft able to land or take off.
The large US carriers, including United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines, all cancelled services into the area, with several Mexican airlines, including Aeromexico and Volaris, also impacted.
Canadian carriers, including WestJet and Air Canada, also cancelled services to the area, and smaller operators such as Air Transat and Flair Airlines were similarly affected.
A statement from Mexico’s Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) at the time said that following the events “in the vicinity of the airports of Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta and Tepic, some international airlines bound for Puerto Vallarta Airport diverted their flights, based on their internal protocols”.
It added that the airports had continued to “operate normally”.
Volaris adding routes to US
Despite the unrest, Volaris is continuing with its expansion plan.
Isemeyer said, “We continue to grow in the US. We just announced 11 new routes to the United States, including two new airports. So even though there’s this big rhetoric of the US and Mexico’s relationship, we still seem to manage between the two.
“We always ensure that we’re not taking tips from the news to make our decisions; we use data.”
He said the bigger factor for Volaris was whether it could take delivery of the aircraft it needs.
“What’s important to us and how we think about our planning … is from the supply chain,” he said. “It is about the aircraft and deliveries.”
Late last year, Volaris announced plans to merge with fellow Mexican operator, Grupo Viva Aerobus.
The two carriers would retain their current operations under their independent operating certificates and own brands. The merger is set to be completed this year.
With a growing economy and increasing numbers of Mexicans flying each year, Volaris sees a positive future for the group.
Isemeyer said there were “so many unserved routes” and his focus was on getting “people off the roads, because driving in Mexico can be dangerous or lengthy”.
He added, “We are in growth mode. Mexico is a growing economy. We really want to ensure that the network that we’re providing democratises air travel.”
Featured image: Tomás Del Coro | Wikimedia Commons
