WHAT DID THE MELISSA ZAMORA-AEROMEXICO ISSUE STIR UP?

By Juan Montoya
After we posted the latest wrinkle about the relationship between City Commissioner Melissa Zamora, Mayor Tony Martinez, Elite Promotions and AeroMexico, we received several comments we thought indicated something might be afoot in response to comments made by the commissioner distinguishing FlyFrontera Airlines and the Mexican carrier.
Commissioner Zamora, the commenters said, claimed that comparing FlyFrontera to AeroMexico was like comparing apples to oranges because AeroMexico was a "reputable" airline and had never filed for bankruptcy.
Here's the response:
"In response to Melissa Zamora claim about apples and oranges, Fly Frontera never filed for bankruptcy. Aeromexico has.

"Aeromexico Files for Bankruptcy," Reuters
Published: April 18, 1988
"Mexico's state airline, Aeromexico, has filed for bankruptcy, after a four-day strike by ground staff that cost the company an estimated $7 million, the Transport and Communications Ministry said today.
A ministry statement announcing the company's decision said the move would help reorganize Mexico's air transport system.
The airline's collapse affects the jobs of 875 pilots, 1,500 crew members and 7,250 ground staff.
The company, which has 12,500 employees, has had a steady deterioration in its financial situation. Government subsidies have averaged $106 million annually in recent years.
The ministry said the company's collapse was caused by a combination of the country's economic crisis, administrative problems and union demands.
The airline put 13 of its 45 jet aircraft on sale earlier this month and cut both domestic and international flights. Unions responded on Tuesday with the strike, arguing the cuts would cost up to 3,500 jobs. Union leaders rejected the bankruptcy filing saying that the airline could not legally declare itself bankrupt when a strike was in effect. The strike forced Aeromexico to cancel all 223 of its daily flights."

Now, we stand corrected because in a previous posting we had said that AeroMexico had not been in bankruptcy. The Reuters article indicates we were mistaken.

But that's not all. We understand that one of the FlyFrontera representatives, Accion America's Carlos Quintanilla has taken umbrage with the commissioner's statements and suspects that her relationship with the Mexican airline and the ad agency she works for – Elite Promotions – may have been at the root of her stance when FlyFrontera sought incentives to establish regional air service between Tampico, Monterrey and Brownsville.

We have intercepted an information request from Quintanilla to the City of Brownsville and by the looks of it, his search for answers will be wide and deep in scope to unearth any potential motives against FlyFrontera's proposal.
Below is a copy of the request:

Mr. Larry Brown
Director, Brownsville SPI International Airport
Brownsville, Texas
Sent Via Email Monday June 27th 2011

Dear Mr. Brown:
This letter will serve to request under the Open Records Act the following information of which you have by law ten days to respond accordingly.

1. Copies of minutes of the following meetings where funding for Fly Frontera was discussed
a. Brownsville Economic Development Board;
b. Greater Brownsville Incentives Board;
c. Public Utilities Board;
d. Brownsville Airport Advisory Board
e. Brownsville City Commission

2. Copies of any and all emails, written correspondence by and between Michael Jones and Melissa Zamora.
3. Copies of any and all correspondence including emails by and between Airport staff (Brown, Jones et al ) and Jim Gallagher.
4. Copies of any and all correspondence including emails by and between airport staff (Jones, Brown et al ) and Charlie Cabler.
5. Copies of any and all correspondence by and between airport staff and Greater Brownsville Incentives Board and Brownsville Economic Development Corp.
6. Copies of any and all correspondence by and between airport staff and Pan American Airlines.
7. Any and all correspondence including emails by and between airport staff (Jones, Brown et al) and Aeromexico Airlines.
8. Copies of any and all agreements by and between Brownsville Airport and Aeromexico and Pan American Airlines.
9. Copies of any and all agreements by and between Brownsville SPI Airport and Elite Promotions.
10. Copies of any and all correspondence by and between BV SPI Airport and past and present members of the Brownsville Commission.

Notice is hereby submitted, Monday June 27, 2011.
Respectfully Submitted,
Carlos Quintanilla


As Yogi Berra used to say: "It ain't over till it's over."