FAA Restores Mexico To Category 1

The FAA has returned Mexico to a Category 1 safety rating, which will remove restrictions placed on Mexican carriers since the country’s rating was downgraded in July. The Category 1 rating was based on the results of an FAA review of Mexico’s civil aviation authorities last month. The U.S. agency determined that Mexican regulators now fully comply with ICAO standards. While the Category 2 restrictions were in place, Mexican carriers could not add new service to the U.S. There were also restrictions placed on code-sharing between U.S. and Mexican carriers. The downgrade was based on Mexico’s oversight of airlines and was not a reflection on Mexican airline standards. Mexican officials said the problem was inadequate inspector staffing levels. The FAA says Mexico “has made significant progress” since its previous review. It says that Mexico has requested that the FAA “continue to provide technical assistance to support and maintain the changes the civil aviation authority has made.” Under its International Aviation Safety Assessment, the FAA assesses civil authorities of nations with airline service to the U.S. A Category 2 rating means a country “either lacks laws or regulations necessary to oversee air carriers in accordance with minimum international standards, or that its civil aviation authority … is deficient in one or more areas, such as technical expertise, trained personnel, recordkeeping or inspection procedures.”