VivaAerobus to Offer Monterrey – Chicago Connection

Mexican low-cost carrier VivaAerobus is to introduce a link to Chicago Midway from its base at Monterrey’s General Mariano Escobedo International Airport. The new flight will operate twice weekly from October 14. This will be the airline’s third destination in the US with existing connections to Houston and Las Vegas, routes it has been serving since 2009.

“Our arrival in Chicago is part of our international expansion plan here in the US. Offering our service to this city’s market represents a great opportunity for VivaAerobus,” said Roberto Valdez, Commercial Director, VivaAerobus.

The airline has become known as the Ryanair of the South American market and is in fact a joint venture between Mexican bus operator IAMSA and Irish investment vehicle Irelandia, which is controlled by the Ryan family, the original founders of the Irish budget carrier. It launched flights in November 2006 and in its almost five years of operations has carried more than 8.5 million passengers. It now operates 15 Boeing 737-300s on a network that covers 54 routes.

There are currently no direct links from Monterrey to Chicago Midway, although Aeromexico does offer a four times weekly service to Chicago O’Hare using an Embraer regional jet, a route that was previously operated by Mexicana prior to its closure. An estimated 37,000 O&D passengers travelled on the route in the last year, with more than three quarters having to connect via another US airport.