Delta Air Lines and Aeroméxico have filed a petition on 10 October in the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit to challenge a US Department of Transportation order dissolving their joint venture by 1 January 2026.
The petition seeks judicial review and a stay on the deadline during proceedings; the 2017 venture allows coordination on US-Mexico routes under DOT antitrust immunity.
The DOT’s 15 September order cites anticompetitive effects in US-Mexico City markets, pointing to Aeroméxico’s slot majority at Mexico City International Airport and US carrier restrictions violating the 2015 Open Skies Agreement.
Delta and Aeroméxico operate 60pc of Mexico City-US flights; the order spares Delta’s €450m 20pc stake in Aeroméxico and permits codeshares.
The partnership supports 3,779 jobs and €720m annual consumer benefits via expanded routes; The DOT has extended termination from October to January for unwinding.
The filing says that since 2017, 15 new routes have been launched, including Atlanta-Monterrey and Los Angeles-Guadalajara and that the move will cause reduced frequencies and higher fares for 86,000 daily passengers.
Delta reported €13.7bn Q3 2025 revenue, 35pc international; Aeroméxico restructured in 2022 with €1.2bn financing.
The US Department of Justice backed the revocation in August.
