FILE PHOTO: Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum speaks as she hosts a parade celebrating Independence Day, in Mexico City, Mexico September 16, 2025. REUTERS/Raquel Cunha/File Photo

By Natalia Siniawski and Raul Cortes

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Wednesday she disagrees with a U.S. decision to revoke approval of 13 Mexican airline routes to the United States and the cancellation of combined passenger and cargo flights from Mexico City's Felipe Angeles International Airport.

Sheinbaum will request a meeting between Mexico's foreign minister and the U.S. Secretary of State to review the grounds for the "unilateral actions", she said in her daily press conference, adding that she believes an understanding can be reached.

On Tuesday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Mexico "illegally canceled and froze U.S. carrier flights for three years without consequences."

The Transportation Department said Mexico has not been in compliance with a bilateral aviation agreement since 2022 when it rescinded U.S. passenger carriers' slots and forced U.S. all-cargo carriers to relocate operations.

Sheinbaum added she will meet with Mexican airlines on Friday to gain insight into their perspective on the matter.

One of the affected airlines, Viva Aerobus, said the unilateral decision announced by the U.S. government, and the short notice with which it was issued, will impact thousands of American and Mexican passengers during the peak holiday season.

Mexico is preparing to celebrate Dia de los Muertos at the weekend.

The measure affects Viva flights scheduled to begin operations from Mexico City's Felipe Angeles International Airport (AIFA) from November, including routes to Los Angeles, Chicago, Orlando, Austin, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Miami, and New York, the carrier said in a post on X.

Another airline, Volaris, said in a statement that the cargo regulations would have a marginal effect due to its limited cargo operations between AIFA and U.S. destinations.

However, it said it was analyzing options to minimize the impact of the cancellation of a new passenger route from AIFA to New Jersey, which was scheduled to begin on Sunday.

The Mexican Air Pilots Union said on social media it was "deeply concerned" about the measures implemented by Washington, which could affect air connectivity, national aviation competitiveness and thousands of jobs.

(Reporting by Raul Cortes and Natalia Siniawski, Editing by Franklin Paul, Kirsten Donovan)