AeroMéxico

Aeroméxico maintains a generally good safety record, with a 7/7 safety rating from Airline Ratings. However, like any major airline, it has experienced notable incidents throughout its history.

• Recent safety record and any notable incidents:
• One of the most significant incidents was the Aeroméxico Flight 498 crash on August 31, 1986, when a McDonnell Douglas DC-9 collided mid-air with a private plane over Cerritos, California, resulting in 82 fatalities (all on both aircraft and 15 on the ground).
• On July 31, 2018, Aeroméxico Connect Flight 2431, an Embraer ERJ-190AR, crashed shortly after takeoff from Durango due to adverse weather conditions. Remarkably, there were no fatalities among the 99 passengers and four crew members, though many were injured.
• More recently, in July 2025, an Aeroméxico flight returned to Mexico City due to a pressurization system failure. Earlier in the same month, an Aeroméxico Connect aircraft was involved in a near-collision with a Delta Air Lines plane on a runway at Mexico City International Airport.
• In January 2024, Aeroméxico temporarily grounded 19 of its Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft in compliance with FAA directives following an incident involving another airline's 737 MAX 9.
• Other recent incidents reported in 2024-2025 include an engine pod strike, wing tip strike, engine failure, and loss of separation.

• Regulatory certifications: Mexico's aviation safety status was downgraded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to Category 2 from Category 1 in May 2021, citing a lack of compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. This downgrade restricted Mexican carriers, including Aeroméxico, from introducing new U.S. routes and impacted code-share partnerships. Aeroméxico has been actively working with Mexican aviation authorities to regain Category 1 status in compliance with ICAO standards.

• Fleet age and maintenance reputation: Aeroméxico operates a relatively young fleet, with its mainline aircraft having an average age of approximately 10.1 years as of December 2023. The airline has invested in modernizing its fleet, acquiring fuel-efficient aircraft like the Boeing 737 MAX and Boeing 787 Dreamliner. While specific details on maintenance reputation are not extensively covered in public search results, the airline's commitment to expanding and upgrading its fleet suggests a focus on safety and comfort.

• Overall safety assessment: Based on available data, Aeroméxico has a good overall safety rating of 7/7, indicating strong safety protocols and a modern fleet. However, the FAA's Category 2 rating for Mexico's aviation authority highlights ongoing regulatory oversight challenges that the airline is working to address. The airline's proactive grounding of its Boeing 737 MAX 9 fleet in response to safety directives demonstrates a commitment to operational safety.

• Safety awards or recognitions: No specific safety awards or recognitions were found in the provided search results.