The new Mexican regional startup carrier Aerus will begin flying next month, according to the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Javier Herrera. With a fleet of Cessna and Alice aircraft, Aerus is looking to replace Aeromar as the country’s leading regional airline flying point-to-point routes from its base in Monterrey International Airport (MTY).

New carrier – new goals

Aeromar ceased operations in February 2023 after more than 30 years in the Mexican regional aviation market. This has left a hole ready to be filled, and Aerus is looking to take advantage of it.

A render of Aerus' Cessna aircraft
Photo: Aerus.

Aerus is set to launch operations next month and will have an investment of $98 million over the next three years, Javier Herrera said in an interview with the local newspaper El Sol de México. He added that the company is starting with 100 employees, many of which were attracted from the now-bankrupted Aeromar, including its Chief Commercial Officer, Miguel Legorreta. Aerus’ first routes will be announced next week.

The airline grabbed headlines earlier this year after announcing the order for 30 Eviation Alice Electric aircraft. It will be the first Mexican carrier to operate flights with an all-electric fleet. In the meantime, Aerus will begin its connectivity with a fleet of two Cessna SkyCourier twin-engine turboprops and four Cessna Grand Caravan EX Turboprops.

Improving the regional market

Aerus will be based at Monterrey International Airport. From this hub in the north of the country, the startup will operate point-to-point routes. Aerus is already considering expanding its reach to southern parts of the country. A possibility is the Felipe Ángeles International Airport in Mexico City. “Our business model is regional and focused on covering routes that were attended by other airlines,” Javier Herrera said, mentioning Aeromar and other recently bankrupted Mexican carriers such as Interjet and AeroCaribe.

Aerus team. Aerus is a new Mexican airline set to launch flights in 2023
Photo: Aerus.

In the long run, Aerus would also be interested in flying to the United States –Texas is their primary goal– but Mexico remains downgraded to Category 2 status by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Once the Category is restored, Aerus could jump the border. Aerus will focus on business people, directors, and owners of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The fleet

Aerus will start operations with a fleet of six Cessna aircraft. The SkyCouriers and Grand Caravan EXs have the capacity to carry nine and 19 passengers, respectively. Additionally, the Mexican startup has a deal to acquire 14 extra Cessna planes towards the end of 2024, according to the interview.

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In the long run, Aerus will receive up to 30 Alice nine-seater fully electric commuter aircraft. This all-electric plane will offer a single-charge range of about 250 nautical miles initially but is predicted to increase to 450 nautical miles as battery technology advances. When the deal was announced, Eviation president and CEO Gregory David said,

“Just as Uber disrupted the taxi market, Alice promises to usher in 'UberAir' through the introduction of low-cost, point-to-point air travel. Our aircraft is an ideal fit for Aerus as a large number of flights in northern Mexico are already less than 250 miles.”

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Source: El Sol de México.