Recommended for the Port Commission's approval at this week's meeting, the "Risk Mitigation Program" is designed to assist Mexicana with their new three-times-weekly service by reducing their risk of loss during the first year of new operations. The program, which will cost the Port about $200,000 in income, also includes marketing assistance to promote the new service in Oregon and in Mexico.

The program acknowledges that the regional Hispanic community and various government agencies helped to encourage Mexicana to bring international air service to Portland. The waivers are similar to the one approved by the Port Commission in February for Lufthansa, which began providing non-stop service between Portland and Frankfurt, Germany.

As with Lufthansa, the funding for this program will initially come from the Aviation Port Cost Center. The Aviation Port Cost Center funds are owned by the Port and include those areas at PDX that the Port has financial risk and control over, including the auto parking and air cargo operations. The Aviation Airline Cost Center, which is funded by the airlines' revenues, will then repay the Aviation Port Cost Center in an amount equal to the fee waivers in equal monthly installments over the remaining term of the Agreement.