History
VivaAerobus started operations on November 30, 2006 with its hub at General Mariano Escobedo International Airport (MTY), in Monterrey, Mexico. The airline initially connected General Mariano Escobedo International Airport to a number of Mexican domestic locations and, in July 2007, publicly confirmed their intention to open their first base outside of Mexico and first US destination in Austin, Texas. The airline currently flies between Monterrey and twenty one other Mexican cities, Chicago Midway, Las Vegas, Miami, Orlando, San Antonio and Houston.
VivaAerobus is co-owned by the Ryan family, founders of Ryanair and the Mexican bus company IAMSA. The Ryans joined with Maurice Mason of Kite Investments to establish "RyanMex" to facilitate the Irish family's investment in the Mexican airline. RyanMex hold 49 percent of shares in the airline, while IAMSA will have the remaining majority stake. It started off with an initial investment of $50 million and two Boeing 737-300 airliners bearing its vivid green and red dots logo. The airline has served 1.3 million passengers in its first year of operations and anticipates handling 2.4 million passengers in 2008.
VivaAerobus fares were intended to undercut traditional Mexican carriers by up to 50 percent, in a change of the industry that started with the arrival of the country's first low-cost airlines (Avolar, Click Mexicana, Interjet, Volaris) and the privatization of Mexicana, one of the two top national airlines. On November 5, 2007 the airline received approval from the US Department of Transportation to operate to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, initially serving the Mexican destinations of Cancún, Monterrey, Guadalajara and León. Flights to the South Terminal Austin began on May 1, 2008.
On May 16, 2009, VivaAerobus stated it would cease passenger operations at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on May 31, 2009. The airline blamed the pullout in part on the outbreak of the swine flu, which caused an unprecedented decrease in demand for service. The company began to fly between Monterrey and Las Vegas since summer of 2009.
In November 2009, the airline announced that they have applied to commence operations between Hermosillo and Las Vegas beginning in March 2010.
In April 2010, the airline finally arrived to Mexico's capital with two flights one from Monterrey and the other from Guadalajara. They also started serving Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).
In September 2010, the airline will serve a focus city at Mexico City International Airport on October 1 after Mexicana ceased operations. It will offer 6 more flights making Mexico City a focus city.
VivaAerobus will switch Mexico City focus city into a hub on April 1, 2011, beginning more destinations.
On July 26, 2011, the airline got approval to fly to Chicago-Midway International Airport.
On August 15, 2011 VivaAerobus announced it will begin round-trip service between San Antonio (SAT) and Monterrey (MTY), Mexico starting in November 2011. The new non-stop service to and from SAT and MTY will begin with three flights per week.
On April 13, 2012 VivaAerobus ceased flights to Chicago Midway.
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