Viva Aerobus estimates to transport more than 20 million passengers at the end of this year, which would mean a growth of at least 31% compared to 2021, and a gain of eight million users compared to 2019.
The growth would occur in an environment of rising costs, such as fuel -the largest operating expense in the air sector-, as well as in the face of adjustments in the limit of air operations at the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) , which was reduced by 15% for the winter season, and that it could be extended for a longer time.
“It has not been confirmed if [the reduction] is going to be one season or two. It can be up to two, or more,” Juan Carlos Zuazua, general director of Viva Aerobus, told the media. “At the AICM we no longer have growth plans. The only way we can grow in the AICM is by changing small teams with large ones, putting more a321 planes, since almost all of our base in the AICM is with a321”.
From when are operations reduced at the AICM?
A few weeks ago, the AICM agreed with the airlines to provisionally reduce their operations for this year’s winter season, which will go from the current limit of up to 61 operations per hour to 52 as of October 31.
The reduction of operations is contemplated for a time range that goes from 7 a.m. to 10:59 p.m., with the purpose of “improving the quality of care services for the general public.”
In this regard, the manager assured that the adjustment of operations is already contemplated in the itineraries that they offer to the public.
“The reduction that Viva is working on has practically already been done , there will not be an impact on our passengers. They are not going to arrive on November 1 and be told: ‘your flight is cancelled’ because there was a temporary reduction. This is not going to happen,” he stressed.
Viva Aerobus ventures into loyalty programs
The airline also presented Doters , a loyalty program with which users can accumulate points to purchase flights, additional services, Grupo IAMSA bus tickets for the ETN Turistar, Costaline and Autovías La Línea lines, among other services.
The company plans to have three million users within this program during the first year, who will also be able to use the points to pay for extra baggage, select VIP seats and to cover the Airport Use Fee ( TUA ) for their flights.
The program will be divided into three levels, which will grant different benefits according to user spending, and eventually plans to add other services such as lodging, restaurants and banking services, among others.
