The ultra-low-cost airline Interjet cancelled 10 domestic flights in Mexico, affecting 1,557 passengers, according to the consumer protection agency Profeco.
Six of the cancelled flights were scheduled to leave from Mexico City, and the other four from Oaxaca, Mérida, Chetumal and Culiacán.
Numerous other flights were delayed, including international flights from Mexico City to New York, Havana, Bogotá, San Salvador and Chicago, affecting 659 passengers. According to sources who spoke with the newspaper Milenio, a total of 30 flights were delayed on Monday.
Passengers complained on social media, and said they were told by Interjet that the cancellations and delays were due to a shortage of personnel. Passengers also complained that they were not receiving information about the status of their flights.
Complaints of delays continued to appear on social media today.
Profeco has notified the airline that it is required by law to compensate affected passengers. A spokesperson for Profeco said the agency has attended 150 passengers who were inconvenienced.
So far in 2019, Profeco has received 830 complains against Interjet, which has paid over 6.2 million pesos (US $325,000) in compensation to passengers, as well as 506,819 pesos in fines.
If a flight is cancelled, an airline must put the passenger on another flight at no charge, and pay compensation of at least 25% of the cost of the flight.
The company told employees on Monday that it needs to hire 160 pilots in the next 12 months to keep its planes in the air.
Source: Milenio (sp), La Jornada (sp)
