By Maria Ortiz
Mar 28, 2024, 00:04 AM EDT
The company SAT Aero Holdings, based in Texas, filed a lawsuit before the Southern District Court of New York against the state-owned company Mexicana de Aviación, in which it demands compensation of $836 million dollars, and accused the airline of not paying the amount stipulated in the contract for the lease of 10 Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
The new commercial airline Mexicana de Aviación, under the control of the Secretariat of National Defense of Mexico, signed a contract for $836 million dollars with the company SAT Aero Holdings so that the latter would be in charge of managing the leasing of the aircraft and their maintenance, in addition to hiring the crew.
The lawsuit, which La Opinión was able to review, alleges that Mexicana de Aviación put Aero Holdings’ operation at risk, so it filed the appeal before a New York court to claim payment for damagesin addition to the costs generated by the trial.
According to the lawsuit, SAT Aero Holdings would purchase or lease aircraft for Mexicana de Aviación and the airline would bear the costs, however, it is alleged that the airline broke the agreement by failing to pay $5.5 million dollars so that they could lease the first two of 10 aircraft.
This lack of funding jeopardized the parties’ $800 million investment from the beginning, according to demand.
SAT Aero Holdings also accuses Mexicana de Aviación of refusing to sign documents required to comply with its obligations, illegally trying to hire its pilots and crews, and failing to obtain the necessary licenses to import the planes to Mexico and operate them.
The “material infractions and its lack of willingness to work with SAT to resolve the problems caused” by Mexicana left “no choice” but to sue, says the company that provides services to Mexicana de Aviación.
SAT Aero Holdings, based in San Antonio, Texas, is seeking payment of $838.5 million in damages representing the “total amount” of the contractplus “out-of-pocket” costs that so far exceed $2.4 million dollars.
Last year, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador launched Mexicana Airlines, reviving the brand of a bankrupt airline.
The government has marketed this airline as a less expensive alternative for travelers to the country’s largest airlines, such as Aeroméxico, with which López Obrador has often clashed.
SAT Aero Holdings said it agreed with Mexicana de Aviación that contractual disputes could be addressed in New York courts under the laws of that state and the terms of the contract between the parties.
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