Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador proposed on Friday, November 11th, that the presidential Boeing 787 be handed over to the Mexican airline Mexicana de Aviacion. The president has stated that the aircraft would be used for special trips to reward airline workers and their families. The widebody jet has spent the past few years taking up hangar space as it has not been used while the government has been working to sell it.

A gift to the private sector

President Lopez Obrador has shared that the long-haul aircraft will be put to great use within Mexicana's operations as it can be used to reward its best workers. These top-tier workers will have the opportunity to take flights around the world. The president stated,

"It will be delivered to Mexicana de Aviación for special trips, if they want to go to Europe to another continent or from Mexico City, to Tulum, Cancun, Los Cabos, although it is a little more, it could be and rent them for those who want to take their families, their workers as a reward for their performance."

While the aircraft may offer many benefits for airline employees, the proposed gift to the private airline may be viewed as hollow, as Mexicana de Aviacion is an up-and-coming military-owned airline. The president is working to create the new airline under Olmeca-Maya-Mexica, a military-owned business. Lopez Obrador has stated that the new airline will be named Mexicana de Aviacion after the country's flag carrier Mexicana which filed for bankruptcy over a decade ago in 2010.

Lopez Obrador has stated that the government is working towards solidifying the airline's name. Lopez Obrador stated,

"We are already in talks with Mexicana workers, both active and retired, and an agreement is already being sought for the new airline to be renamed Mexicana de Aviación."

Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: Sign up for our newsletters today.

History of a marvel

The modern 787 widebody airliner has had a rather peculiar history since it first joined the ranks of Mexican aircraft. The relationship between the Mexican government and the 787 registered XC-MEX began in 2012 when then-president Felipe Calderón signed an agreement to acquire the Dreamliner through a lease agreement. The aircraft initially cost $114.6 million; however, after being retrofitted as a presidential transport aircraft, the total cost rose to $218.7 million.

The airplane was delivered in 2016 when President Enrique Peña Nieto used it frequently. When now president Lopez Obrador rose to power in 2018, the aircraft was put into storage as the president refused to use it. He has previously stated that the jet is an unnecessary luxury and expense.

The president promised the Mexican people that the airplane would be sold; however, the government has struggled to sell the aircraft. It was previously in talks to sell the 787 to Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, although this deal was never finalized. The presidency even attempted to raffle the aircraft off, but this did not yield the desired results. For now, the aircraft will continue to receive its necessary maintenance as it awaits its undetermined fate.

What do you think of the Mexican Presidential 787 being gifted to Mexicana de Aviacion? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: Reuters, Posta