Aeroenlaces Nacionales, S.A. de C.V., trading as VivaAerobus, is a Mexican low-cost airline fully owned by the largest bus company group in Mexico, IAMSA.
History
VivaAerobus started operations on November 30, 2006 with its hub at Monterrey International Airport, in Monterrey, Mexico. The airline initially connected Monterrey to a number of Mexican domestic locations and, in July 2007, publicly confirmed its intention to open its first base outside of Mexico and first US destination in Austin, Texas. VivaAerobus was co-owned by Ryanair and the Mexican bus company IAMSA. Ryanair joined with Alexander Maurice Mason of Kite Investments to establish "RyanMex" to facilitate the Irish family's investment in the Mexican airline. RyanMex used to hold 49 percent of shares in the airline, while IAMSA had the remaining majority stake. As of December 8, 2016, IAMSA holds 100% of the company. The airline commenced operations with an initial investment of $50 million and two Boeing 737-300 aircraft. VivaAerobus fares were intended to undercut traditional Mexican carriers by up to 50 percent, in a change of the industry that started with the arrival of the country's second generation of low-cost airlines and the privatization of Mexicana, one of the two top national airlines. On November 5, 2007, the airline received approval from the US Department of Transportation to operate to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, initially serving the Mexican destinations of Cancún, Monterrey, Guadalajara and León. Flights to the South Terminal Austin began on May 1, 2008. On May 16, 2009, VivaAerobus stated it would cease passenger operations at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on May 31, 2009. The airline blamed the pullout in part on an outbreak of swine flu, which caused an unprecedented decrease in demand for service. The company began to fly between Monterrey and Las Vegasin the summer of 2009. In November 2009, the airline announced it had applied to commence operations between Hermosillo and Las Vegas beginning in March 2010. In April 2010, the airline finally began serving Mexico's capital with two flights, one from Monterrey and the other from Guadalajara. It also started serving Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport. However, the airline planned to serve Houston Hobby Airport on completion of that airport's new terminal in 2015. In 2010, the airline opened a focus city at Mexico City International Airport on October 1 after Mexicana ceased operations. VivaAerobus switched Mexico City from focus city into a hub on April 1, 2011, beginning more destinations from the airport. On July 26, 2011, the airline received approval to fly to Chicago-Midway International Airport. On August 15 the same year, VivaAerobus announced it would begin round-trip service between San Antonio and Monterrey, Mexico starting that November. On April 13, 2012 the airline ceased flights to Chicago Midway. On December 7, 2019, the airline resumed flying from Monterrey to Chicago, but this time via O'Hare International Airport. In addition, the airline flew to Morelia, Guadalajara, Leon and Zacatecas from Chicago-O'Hare for the 2019-2020 winter season. On May 15, 2014, VivaAerobus received and started using Airbus A320s. It continued using Boeing 737s until the end of 2016, when it began operating an all Airbus fleet. In October 2014, VivaAerobus began nonstop flights from Ciudad Juárez to Mexico City, León, and Hermosillo. In 2015, the airline launched flights to Dallas-Fort Worth from several Mexican cities. The service was terminated in October 2015. On December 17, 2017, VivaAerobus began non-stop service to Los Angeles International Airport from Guadalajara International Airport. In 2018, VivaAerobus began non-stop service to Las Vegas International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport from Mexico City International Airport. VivaAerobus announced the launch of its cargo subsidiary, Viva Cargo, in January 2020.
Destinations
In-flight services
VivaAerobus has a buy on board program offering food and drinks for purchase. The airline also provides an in-flight magazine.
Bus services
VivaAerobus operates a shuttle bus from downtown El Paso, Texas to Abraham González International Airport in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. VivaAerobus operated a bus shuttle between Austin-Bergstrom International Airport South Terminal and the Omnibus Mexicanos Bus Terminal in eastern Houston in addition to a bus shuttle between the Austin airport and the Omnibus Mexicanos Bus Terminal in downtown San Antonio for passengers on flights going to and from Cancún and Monterrey.
Fleet
, the VivaAerobus fleet consists of the following aircraft:
In May 2015, the airline took ownership of the first Airbus A320neo. This was part of an order placed with Airbus in 2013 for 52 Airbus A320 family aircraft, including 12 A320neos, at the time the largest number of aircraft ordered by a Mexican airline directly from Airbus. At the time of receiving the first A320neo the carrier operated a fleet of six leased A320s and Boeing 737-300 aircraft. The first A320neo was delivered in 2016.
