The former Mexican airline Interjet has been formally accepted into a domestic bankruptcy process by a district judge. Interjet will now be able to negotiate up to 40 billion pesos in debt (nearly US$2 billion) with its creditors, SimpleFlying.com reported. On Tuesday, a Mexican judge approved the airline Interjet formally entering a bankruptcy process. Interjet ceased operations in December 2020, after a years-long crisis fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic. Before that, Interjet was the third-largest airline in Mexico, had a fleet composed of 88 aircraft, including 22 Sukhoi Superjet units, and operated under a hybrid business model with both low-cost and legacy-like services. The management of the ill-fated airline celebrated the judge's decision, saying it was great news for the company. The airline will now be able to restructure financially, eyeing a return to the skies in the future, said Carlos del Valle, deputy director of Interjet. The airline will employ the benefits available in the Mexican bankruptcy process to strengthen its financial position, protect and preserve its assets, and organize the company's liabilities, safeguarding the creditors and employees, said Interjet in a statement. Former Interjet employees launched a strike in January 2021 and seized most of the company's assets across the country, including its airport counters at Mexico City Benito Juárez International (MEX).
