Mexico to recover US air safety rating next week, president says

The US Department of Transportation has told Mexico that it will officially recover a US-given air safety rating next week, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday, preempting the much-anticipated decision. Mexico was downgraded by the US FAA to the Category 2 safety rating more than two years ago, pausing Mexican airlines' plans to expand new routes to its northern neighbor. The FAA, responding to a request for comment on Lopez Obrador's remarks, said it continued to assist Mexico's civil aviation authority and it expected to conclude the process "in the near future." The downgrade was a major blow to national carriers, as US airlines were able to scoop up market share. Mexico overhauled its civil aviation law, but faced several hurdles in recovering the Category 1 rating. "This is good news," Lopez Obrador said in a regular morning press conference, explaining that Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena had been informed by the U.S. Department of Transportation of the upcoming decision. "All of the requirements have been met," he added. In a June audit, the FAA raised concerns about Mexico's process for post-accident investigations and for carrying out medical exams for sector employees, meeting minutes obtained by Reuters showed.<br/>