Mexico’s Cintra May Soon Have Wings Clipped

Cintra, the government-controlled company that holds a virtual monopoly on Mexican air traffic and battles U.S. carriers for the 10 million passengers flying each year between the United States and Mexico, could be living its final days. The government’s anti-monopoly agency this week is expected to issue its recommendation on Cintra’s future. The agency has long been in favor of splitting Cintra’s two carriers--Aeromexico and Mexicana de Aviacion--into separate, competing entities. The expected Cintra sale has awakened interest among large international airlines, attracted by the Mexican market, which generates an estimated $14 billion in annual sales. Industry sources said they would not be surprised to see bids for Cintra or one of its airlines from a large U.S. carrier such as Delta Air Lines or UAL Corp.