Delta Sends Warning to All Customers After Disappointing Decision

Delta Air Lines was dealt a pretty significant blow this week as the U.S. Department of Justice made a decision that seriously hinders one of its key partnerships. Now, the airline has issued a warning about what it will mean for its customers.

Over the years, Delta has had a long-standing alliance with Grupo Aeromexico, allowing the two carriers to coordinate flight planning and pricing.

However, that partnership is now under threat following a recent move by the U.S. Department of Justice.

DOJ Shuts Down Antitrust Immunity

In a filing made Monday, the DOJ determined that the two airlines should lose their antitrust immunity, claiming that the Mexican government has engaged in restrictive and potentially discriminatory practices that have stifled competition.

This development follows a warning issued last month by the U.S. Department of Transportation, which urged Mexico to address anticompetitive conduct, according to Bloomberg.

In its Monday filing, the Justice Department argued that actions by Mexico’s government “have limited entry and expansion by certain carriers” at Mexico City’s Benito Juarez International Airport and "thereby undermined competitive conditions in Mexico, thwarting open market access on routes between Mexico and the United States."

Bloomberg also reported that the DOT believes Mexico has been in violation of a 2015 agreement since 2022 by taking slots away from U.S. airlines at Benito Juarez Airport and imposing restrictions on air cargo flights there.

Delta Pushes Back on the Decision

Following the decision, Delta issued a joint statement with Grupo Aeromexico saying it “would punish a US company and US consumers" and not the government of Mexico.

“Other, superior measures are available to remedy the situation with the GOM without harming the US economy; the Department should pursue those alternatives instead,” the airlines wrote in their joint statement.

Delta claimed in its joint statement that the alliance between the two airlines “fosters enhanced competition” with other U.S. and Mexican carriers.

Delta Issues a Warning to Customers

The decision from the DOJ marks a significant turning point for a partnership that dates back to 2011. Last month, Delta issued a pretty clear warning to its customers about what this change could mean for travel between the United States and Mexico.

"The U.S. Department of Transportation's tentative proposal to terminate its approval of the strategic and pro-competitive partnership between Delta and Aeromexico would cause significant harm to consumers traveling between the U.S. and Mexico, as well as U.S. jobs, communities, and transborder competition," Delta said in a statement last month via the Associated Press.

The U.S. claims that the alliance no longer “serves the public interest,” but Delta clearly disagrees.