ROUTES AMERICAS: Aeromexico to Link Mexico City to Rio de Janeiro

Aeromexico is to launch flights between Mexico City and Rio de Janeiro from June this year, adding to its existing Brazilian link to Sao Paulo. A four times weekly non-stop service will commence from June 29, 2014 and will be operated by a Boeing 767 configured with 171 seats, including 30 in the front Clase Premier cabin.

This new route represents the second city Aeromexico has added to its network of destinations in Latin America within the last year, thereby reaffirming its commitment to the region. It already serves 12 destinations across Latin America and is Mexico's largest operator into this market.

The airline says the addition of the new Brazilian destination will allow the carrier to respond to business demand in Rio de Janeiro, known as the largest producer of oil and natural gas in the region. The network growth has been facilitated by the arrival of new 787-8 Dreamliners and the redeployment of existing resources.

Alongside the point-to-point demand between the two cities, Aeromexico will offer Carioca passengers traveling to Mexico City the offer of onward connections to more than 45 domestic destinations it serves across the country as well as adding connectivity between Rio de Janeiro and the 17 cities it flies to the US, plus three destinations in Europe, two in Asia and one in Canada.

Aeromexico will be the sole carrier to serve the Mexico City - Rio de Janeiro city pair. In the analysis below we highlight the O&D demand on the route over the past ten years. Last year more than 30,000 bi-directional O&D passengers flew between the destinations, the highest demand for at least a decade and up 29.3 per cent on 2012.

Richard Maslen

Richard Maslen has travelled across the globe to report on developments in the aviation sector as airlines and airports have continued to evolve and…