Several US and Canadian air carriers have decided to cancel select flights to Mexico following civil unrest in the state of Sinaloa. The decision to cancel flights comes after an Aeromexico flight and two Mexican Air Force planes were shot at last week. The airlines have stated that flights will be resumed once the threat to public safety has been neutralized.

Canadian cancelations

Canadian Air carriers WestJet and Sunwing Airlines have canceled all flights to Mexico's Aeropuerto Internacional de Culiacán (CUL), Mazatlán International Airport (MZT), and Los Mochis International Airport (LMM). These flight operations will be ceased until further notice. The airlines have not given any indication as to when the routes may be reopened. The closure of these routes means that dozens of weekly flights will be canceled as both carriers operate regular flights to these locations, as they are popular tourist destinations.

Sunwing informed the public that the decision to cancel operations in the region temporarily was not easy. From MZT alone, the airline operates to five Canadian airports, showing how canceling operations to just one airport can significantly affect its overall operations. The airline reassured the public that the decision to cancel the flights was "out of an abundance of caution." The Canadian carriers both plan to reopen operations as soon as they deem it safe to do so.

A representative for WestJet told the public that it is monitoring the situation and finds the safest decision to be made is to cancel flights to the region. They stated,

“We are monitoring the civil unrest in Sinaloa State closely and out of an abundance of caution for the safety of our guests and crews have proactively cancelled operations to and from Mazatlan International Airport today, January 6, 2023.”

American speculation

Several US airlines are also looking to cancel flight services to these airports shortly. No official decision to cancel all flights to the region has been made by any US airline. However, American Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, United Airlines, and Alaska Airlines have all offered customers an opportunity to cancel flights to MZT and CUL for free. This decision hints that the airlines are likely looking to cancel flights to these airports should tension in the region rise.

American Airlines told FlightGlobal the following concerning the situation,

"The safety of our customers and team members is our top priority, and we will continue to monitor the situation and make any additional changes to our operation as necessary."

Ongoing danger

The announcements from the airlines concerning the cancelations and potential cancelations of flights to these airports came shortly after the Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte (OMA) decided to begin reopening the three airports in question. The airports were initially closed after an Aeromexico Embraer E190 was shot at during a period of civil unrest.

The unrest comes following the arrest of cartel leader Ovidio Guzmán. Clashes between the Sinaloa drug cartel and Mexican Army ensued following the arrest. Amid the chaos, the local communities went into a sort of self-imposed lockdown. It was during this time that the Aeromexico plane was shot at along with two Air Force planes. Tensions seemed to have cooled across the state, although the threat of civil unrest remains high.