MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mexicana's rocky return to the skies

The Boeing 737-800 finally made it to Tulum after a stop in Merida allegedly due to bad weather

Mexicana's Flight 1788, the carrier's maiden flight after being rescued from bankruptcy by the Government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, made the headlines Tuesday for all the wrong reasons after diverting to Mérida from its original destination: Tulum.

The Boeing 737-800 aircraft that had taken off from the Army-run Felipe Angeles Airport in what used to be the Santa Lucia Military Air Base No. 1 in Zumpango 44 km north of the Historic Center of Mexico City finally made it to Tulum after refueling at the alternate stop. Initial reports said the maneuver was due to poor visibility but other sources hinted there could have been a fuel leak problem.

Mexicana de Aviación plans to transport tourists from the country's main cities to tourist centers such as Tulum, Puerto Vallarta, Zihuatanejo, Acapulco, and Mazatlán. Flights are scheduled every three or four days, mainly on weekends. The company has five aircraft - three from Boeing plus two Brazilian-built Embraers for shorter routes. The carrier is now in the hands of the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena) after an agreement with the 7,407 workers of the defunct airline. The company hopes to compete mainly on price. Tickets to Tulum sold for US$ 92, a third cheaper than commercial airlines. However, Tuesday's mishap resulted in thousands of mockery memes that went viral.

Mexicana de Aviación made its first flight in 1921, was privatized in 1990, and went bankrupt in 2010. It is now handled by the same agency managing some airports and railroads (including the controversial Mayan Train). It also builds hotels and intends to take charge of Mexico's cultural and tourist development.