Trump administration order cancels new nonstop route between Austin and Mexico City

AUSTIN (KXAN) — An order by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy means a planned nonstop route between Austin and Mexico City is now canceled.

Mexican low-cost airline Viva planned to launch the new route between AUS and Mexico City's Felipe Ángeles International Airport (NLU) on Nov. 20.

The order prohibits Mexican airlines from operating "combination service" flights — those that carry both passengers and cargo — between the U.S. and NLU. Mexican airlines are also prohibited from launching new combination services between the U.S. and Benito Juárez International (MEX), Mexico City's main airport.

The move comes as the Trump administration accuses Mexico of "ongoing anti-competitive behavior" and violating the 2015 U.S.-Mexico Air Transport Agreement by canceling and freezing U.S. carrier flights to Mexico for three years while allowing Mexican carriers to add new routes.

"Until Mexico stops the games and honors its commitments, we will continue to hold them accountable," Duffy said in a press release. "No country should be able to take advantage of our carriers, our market and our flyers without repercussions."

In a statement, Viva said it was "carefully measuring the impact that this mandate will have on our operations," adding, "We trust that the negotiations between our government authorities and their U.S. counterparts will find a reasonable solution to this conflict to minimize the impact on our passengers."

An airline spokesperson told KXAN Viva's current route between Austin and Monterrey will not be affected by the order.

"At Viva Aerobus, our top priority will always be to put our customers first. We reaffirm our commitment to following all of the national and international regulations and promoting fairness and equality in the aviation industry," the airline's statement said.

Rival Aeroméxico currently flies between Austin and Mexico City, but uses MEX airport rather than NLU.

Twelve other routes are also canceled due to the order, including planned Viva routes between NLU and Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston Bush. Aeroméxico's existing service between NLU and both Houston and McAllen have also been canceled.