Mexicana Airlines suspends flights

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Troubled Mexicana airlines announced it will suspend all of its operations at midnight Friday.

The debt ridden airline's problems have put the Fresno Yosemite International Airport in a big financial hole.

In Los Angeles dozens of passengers had their flights cancelled more than once.

Others like Jenny McCollum flew to Los Angeles from New Zealand, hoping to catch her flight to Mexico for vacation.

She's been at LAX since early Friday morning.

"This is the first day of my holiday. I'm stressed about coming home, because when I fly down to Mexico i don't know if I'll be bale to get back. It's stressful at the moment." said McCallum.

Mexicana flights in and out of Fresno have been suspended since august 11th, resulting in tens of thousands of dollars in lost revenue.

However FYI's aviation director Russ Widmar says he's not ready to close down the international terminal just yet.

"I don't like to spend that money frivolously, but I don't want to shut this facility down because frankly if we shut it down I don't think we'll re-open." said Widmar.

Fresno mayor Ashley Swearengin supports Widmar.

"They've been very aggressive to try and find replacement service. We know there is a market here. So hopefully something will materialize in the not too distant future."

Widmar recently traveled to Mexico City looking for another Mexican based carrier.

He told the Fresno City Council Thursday that losing hundreds of thousands of dollars now will pay off down the road.

But aviation expert and former airline CEO Kent Scott says Widmar needs to cut his losses now.

"I would cut the overhead tomorrow. I would disband the personnel. I would forgo the lease. I would just get rid of the overhead because in my mind it's not going to be relevant for another three to six months and that's a lot of money." said Scott.

Widmar says he's currently in talks with another carrier about coming to Fresno but wouldn't tell us which one.

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fresno, fresno-yosemite international airport, local, tommy tran

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