MEXICO CITY -(Dow Jones)- Mexicana de Aviacion, one of Mexico's two largest airline companies, said Thursday it expects to transport 11 million passengers in 2008, up from 9 million last year, but with growth slowing in 2009.
The company, which includes low-cost subsidiary Click, sees its passenger traffic reaching around 11.5 million in 2009, said Isaac Volin, Mexicana's sales director.
Volin said he expects Mexico's total market for domestic passengers to grow next year, albeit modestly, thanks in part to a drop in the price of jet fuel that could help compensate for a slowdown in economic growth.
Record-high fuel prices during the spring and summer of this year dented airlines' passenger traffic, contributed to the grounding of several Mexican carriers, and prompted some analysts and insiders to predict a massive consolidation of the local industry.
But when international oil prices backed off their mid-summer peaks and entered a nosedive in recent months, "one pressure on the airlines' finances obviously was lifted," Volin said. The benefits of lower oil prices were offset in part by the weaker peso, he added.
Mexicana is the country's leading airline in the market for international passengers, with an 18% share, and is second to rival Aeromexico in the domestic market, with a 22% share.
The company has recently invested $70 million to improve its corporate image, streamline its service and upgrade key processes such as its online reservations system, Volin said.
Online reservations now account for around 20% of Mexicana's total ticket sales, but Volin said he expects online bookings to grow by a third next year.
The company is also leasing four new commercial airplanes to serve new routes to Sao Paolo, London and Madrid, all of which Mexicana plans to open in coming months.
-By Paul Kiernan, Dow Jones Newswires; (5255)5001-5726, paul.kiernan@dowjones.com
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
November 27, 2008 16:09 ET (21:09 GMT)

Publié le 27 novembre 2008 Copyright © 2008 Dowjones