The Sinaloa Cartel would have more aircraft than Qatar Airways and Air France
Although they use smaller aircraft, the Sinaloa Cartel fleet is comparable to the main airlines in the world
"The cartel's fleet is even comparable to some of the major international airlines," said Jorge Gustavo Arévalo-Kessler, the pilot who was flying for the Sinaloa Cartel and sentenced to 11 years in prison. Although they generally use smaller aircraft than the Boeing and Airbus used to transport passengers, the criminal network has a larger fleet than many airlines around the world, with which it moves large amounts of drugs and money.
Leer en español: El Cartel de Sinaloa tendría más aviones que Qatar Airways y Air France
In fact, the New York Times pointed out that the Sinaloa Cartel generates close to 3,000 million dollars a year. Although there is evidently no database with information on the logistics and operations of the cartel, the size of its air fleet is estimated based on the number of aircraft confiscated by the Mexican authorities. Between 2006 and 2015, 599 aircraft and helicopters linked to the cartel were confiscated.
"Considering that this number is exclusively confiscated air fleet, not active, the absolute total is probably higher and we can expect the cartel to replenish its losses after these operations," said an article published by Infobae. When knowing the number of airplanes of the drug trafficking group, it has been said that they have a larger fleet than Aeromexico, the largest airline in the country. Next, we compare the data of the Sinaloa Cartel with some of the main airlines in the world.
Sinaloa Cartel
Country: Mexico
Foundation: 1989
Alliances: Gulf Cartel, The Knights Templar
Fleet: 599 confiscated aircraft and helicopters. It is presumed that they replace aircraft to maintain operations
Types of aircraft: Cessna, Gulfsteam, Piper, Boeing
Tours
4771 clandestine airstrips in the northern states of Mexico
It is estimated that they have operations in 50 countries, but it is difficult to identify routes.
Qatar Airways
Country: Qatar
Foundation: 1993
Alliances: Oneworld
Fleet: 214 aircraft
Types of aircraft: Airbus, Boeing
Routes: 81 countries – 167 destinations – 244 routes
https://www.pexels.com/photo/aerial-air-air-traffic-air-travel-674783/
Air France
Country: France
Foundation: 1933
Alliances: Sky Team, Air Corsica
Fleet: 217 aircraft
Types of aircraft: Airbus, Boeing
Routes: 92 countries – 191 destinations – 265 routes
Avianca
Country: Colombia
Foundation: 1919
Alliances: Star Alliance
Fleet: 224 aircraft
Types of aircraft: ATR, Airbus, Boeing
Routes: 26 countries – 82 destinations – 174 routes
LATAM
Country: Chile and Brazil
Foundation: 2012
Alliances: Oneworld
Fleet: 313 aircraft
Types of aircraft: Boeing, Airbus
Routes: 26 countries – 142 destinations – 359 routes
https://www.flickr.com/photos/carlosdob777/33907622701/
Delta Airlines
Country: United States
Foundation: 1924
Alliances: Skyteam
Fleet: 671 aircraft
Types of aircraft: Airbus, Boeing, McDonnell Douglas
Routes: 61 countries – 332 destinations – 1096 routes
https://www.flickr.com/photos/airlines470/15493379776/
Lufthansa
Country: Germany
Foundation: 1953
Alliances: Star Alliance
Fleet: 728 aircraft
Types of aircraft: Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Canadair, Embraer, De Havilland Canada, Sukhoi Superjet
Routes: 82 countries – 233 destinations – 415 routes
https://www.pexels.com/photo/a380-air-airbus-aircraft-358220/
American Airlines
Country: United States
Foundation: 1926
Alliances: Oneworld
Fleet: 950 aircraft
Types of aircraft: Airbus, Boeing, Embraer, McDonnell Douglas
Routes: 61 countries – 359 destinations – 1184 routes
https://www.pexels.com/photo/aeroplane-air-travel-airbus-aircraft-321159/
Latin American Post | Paula Bautista
Translated from “ El Cartel de Sinaloa tendría más aviones que Qatar Airways y Air France”
