BEFORE THE 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

_________________________________________ 

 ) 

Application of ) 

 ) 

Aeroenlaces Nacionales, S.A. de C.V. ) Docket No. OST-2011- 

(d/b/a vivaAerobus) ) 

 ) 

For an Exemption from 49 U.S.C. § 41301 ) 

(Monterrey, Mexico – San Antonio, Texas; ) 

Monterrey, Mexico – Chicago, Illinois ) 

Guadalajara, Mexico – Las Vegas, Nevada) ) 

_________________________________________ ) 

APPLICATION OF AEROENLACES NACIONALES, S.A. de C.V. 

(VIVAAEROBUS) FOR AN EXEMPTION 

Communications concerning this document should be addressed to: 

 

David M. Kirstein 

 Joanne W. Young 

 KIRSTEIN & YOUNG PLLC 

1750 K Street N.W. 

Suite 200 

 Washington, D.C. 20006 

(202) 331-3348 (telephone) 

(202) 331-3933 (facsimile) 

 

 Counsel for 

 Aeroenlaces Nacionales, S.A. de C.V.

March 21, 2011 

NOTICE: Answers supporting or opposing this application must be filed with the 

Department on or before April 4, 2010. vivaAerobus will poll all carriers served 

in this application and notify the Department of the results.
 

BEFORE THE 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

_________________________________________ 

 ) 

Application of ) 

 ) 

Aeroenlaces Nacionales, S.A. de C.V. ) Docket No. OST-2011- 

(d/b/a vivaAerobus) ) 

 ) 

For an Exemption from 49 U.S.C. § 41301 ) 

(Monterrey, Mexico – San Antonio, Texas; ) 

Monterrey, Mexico – Chicago, Illinois ) 

Guadalajara, Mexico – Las Vegas, Nevada) ) 

_________________________________________ ) 

APPLICATION OF AEROENLACES NACIONALES, S.A. de C.V. 

(VIVAAEROBUS) FOR AN EXEMPTION 

 Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 40109(c), Aeroenlaces Nacionales, S.A. de C.V. 

(“vivaAerobus”), a Mexican air carrier, respectfully applies for exemptions from provisions of 

49 U.S.C. § 41301, authorizing it to engage in scheduled foreign air transport of persons, 

property and mail between Monterrey, Mexico and San Antonio, Texas; Monterrey, Mexico and 

Chicago, Illinois; and Guadalajara, Mexico and Las Vegas, Nevada. vivaAerobus plans to 

institute this service on or about June 15, 2011. 

In support of this Application, vivaAerobus states as follows: 

1. vivaAerobus was established as the first low-cost Mexican air carrier in 

November 2006. It currently operates from its hub at General Mariano Escobedo International 

Airport, in Monterrey, Mexico, to various Mexican destinations, as well as to Las Vegas, Nevada 

and Houston, Texas. 

2. Starting approximately on June 15, 2011 vivaAerobus plans to operate daily 
Application of Aeroenlaces Nacionales, S.A. de C.V. 

Monterrey-San Antonio, Monterrey-Chicago, and Guadalajara-Las Vegas Exemptions 

Page 2 of 3 

nonstop roundtrip service between Monterrey, Mexico and San Antonio, Texas; Monterrey, 

Mexico and Chicago, Illinois; and Guadalajara, Mexico and Las Vegas, Nevada. The proposed 

nonstop services will generate significant benefits for the traveling and shipping public. 

3. vivaAerobus has been found fit, willing and able to provide foreign air 

transportation and currently holds a foreign air carrier permit to operate scheduled service 

between the Mexican points of Monterrey, Guadalajara, Puebla, Leon, Queretaro, and Cancun 

and Austin, Texas. See Order 2008-1-23. It also holds exemption authority for Monterrey, 

Mexico – Las Vegas, Nevada; Monterrey, Mexico – Houston, Texas; and Hermosillo, Mexico – 

Las Vegas, Nevada. See Notice of Action Taken, Docket OST-2008-0095, dated May 22, 2009; 

Notice of Action Taken, Docket OST-2010-0082 dated April 28, 2010; and Notice of Action 

Taken, Docket OST-2009-0298 dated November 24, 2009. There have been no material changes 

within the company that would affect the Department’s prior fitness findings. 

4. The Mexican DGCA has authorized vivaAerobus to provide these services. See 

attached authorizations/designations. 

5. vivaAerobus uses Boeing 737-300 aircraft for all its services. Mexico is a 

contracting state to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (“ICAO”) and observes all 

applicable ICAO standards. This exemption application does not raise any environmental or 

energy issues because approval of this request will not result in an increase in fuel consumption 

of ten million gallons or more in the near future. 

6. The requested authority is covered by the U.S.-Mexico Air Transport 

Agreement. On December 12, 2005, the Governments of the United States and Mexico signed 

an amendment to the Bilateral broadening air transport services between the two countries and 

permitting designated Mexican carriers to operate from a “point or points in Mexico to a point or 
Application of Aeroenlaces Nacionales, S.A. de C.V. 

Monterrey-San Antonio, Monterrey-Chicago, and Guadalajara-Las Vegas Exemptions 

Page 3 of 3 

points in the United States” subject to limitations on the number of designations per market. 

vivaAerobus’s proposed services are within the scope of the U.S.-Mexico bilateral. The above 

referenced routes are available for service by a Mexican carrier pursuant to Annex I Paragraph 

B.5 of the 2005 Amendment. 

7. Grant of the exemptions is consistent with the public interest. vivaAerobus’s 

scheduled operations will increase competition in U.S.-Mexico market and provide low-cost 

travel options to passengers. 

WHEREFORE, vivaAerobus respectfully requests the Department grant it exemptions 

from 49 U.S.C. § 41301 as well as such other and further relief as the Department may deem 

necessary to allow vivaAerobus to engage in scheduled foreign air transport of persons, property, 

and mail between Monterrey, Mexico – San Antonio, Texas; Monterrey, Mexico – Chicago, 

Illinois; and Guadalajara, Mexico – Las Vegas, Nevada. 

RespectfullySubmitted, 

 __________________________ 

David M. Kirstein 

Joanne W. Young 

 KIRSTEIN & YOUNG PLLC 

1750 K Street N.W. 

Suite 200 

 Washington, D.C. 20006 

(202) 331-3348 (telephone) 

Counsel for 

 Aeroenlaces Nacionales, S.A. de C.V. 

March 21, 2011
Certificate of Service 

I certify that on this 21st Day of March, 2011, a copy of the foregoing 

Application of Aeroenlaces Nacionales, S.A. de C.V. for Exemptions was served 

by email on the following: 

carl.nelson@aa.com

dan.weiss@coair.com

jeffrey.manley@united.com

jrichardson@johnlrichardson.com

sllunsford@fedex.com 

anbird@fedex.com

dvaughan@kelleydrye.com

rbkeiner@crowell.com

msinick@ssd.com

sascha.vanderbellen@delta.com 

sametta.c.barnett@delta.com 

jeff.morgan@delta.com 

slachter@lachter-clements.com

pmurphy@lopmurphy.com

benjamin_slocum@usairways.com

howard_kass@usairways.com

robert.land@jetblue.com 

efaberman@wileyrein.com

john.allen@faa.gov 

byerlyjr@state.gov 

brian.hedberg@dot.gov 

george.wellington@dot.gov 

jhill@dlalaw.com 

 

 

 ________________________ 

 Lyndsey M. Grunewald