U.S. Carriers Largely Ignoring Passenger Rights Regulations in Mexico

Young handsome man passenger in 20s with carry-on backpack collecting his luggage at conveyor belt in arrivals lounge of airport terminal building

U.S. airlines say that popular consumer protections in Mexico, such as compensation for delayed flyers and bans on checked bag fees, do not apply to foreign carriers operating in the country.

Rules put into place by regulators in Mexico were designed to protect passengers from hidden fees by airlines and to ensure that flyers are taken care of in the event of delayed or canceled flights. These consumer protections make Mexico something of an oasis when it comes to air travel in North America – the U.S. and Canada have a decidedly more laissez-faire approach when it comes to passenger rights.

According to a new Bloomberg report, however, airlines based north of the border are not especially interested in playing by the rules when flying to and from Mexico. U.S. carriers say that existing treaties supersede the rules put into place by the consumer protection agency in Mexico known as Profeco.

So far, there is something of a stalemate when it comes to enforcing the passenger protection rules in Mexico. Most US Airlines continue to charge fees for checked bags and reimburse delayed passengers based solely on the individual airlines’ terms of carriage. Meanwhile, Profeco continues to levy hefty fines against US carriers caught breaking the rules.

“A4A has engaged with both Mexican and U.S. government officials to express our concerns on the effect of the new regulations regarding checked baggage fees on the U.S.-Mexico air services agreement,” Airlines for America spokesperson Kathy Allen told Bloomberg’s Andrea Navarro. “We remain committed to ensuring that the rights of US carriers are being honored.”

The issue isn’t expected to reach a resolution anytime soon. Profeco says that U.S. airlines are racking up millions of dollars in fines. The airlines have challenged those fines in court. It is believed that the case could reach Mexico’s highest court and a final ruling could be months, if not years away.

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