A budget airline has abruptly announced that all of its flights are suspended for at least two weeks due to "logistical issues". Magnicharters grounded its entire operation on April 11, and this is expected to remain in place until May as the airline struggles to fulfil its current schedule.

The Mexico-based carrier flies to popular holiday destinations such as Cancún and the Yucatán, leaving thousands of tourists stranded and prompting the government to step in with an emergency response. Founder and CEO Gabriel Bojórquez cited "logistical issues" as the reason for the suspension, but did not give any more details.

He said Magnicharters "deeply regrets the inconvenience caused" and is "addressing this situation with due diligence to restore operations as soon as possible".

The move left thousands of people stranded in the popular spring season, leaving the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) to coordinate a contingency plan involving airport operators and other Mexican carriers.

Passengers at airports in Cancun, Merida, and Huatulco were directed to the counters of Aeroméxico, Viva, and Volaris for potential re-accommodation.

The government also ran a special evacuation flight from Cancún, which had the biggest backlog of stranded passengers.

While Magnicharters has not revealed the number of affected passengers, AFAC data showed that the carrier transported around 7,500 people in the first two months of the year.

Before the suspension, it was only operating four routes across five airports, with a fleet of just two aircraft and 56.6% full loads, according to Pablo Casas, director of the National Institute of Legal-Aeronautical Research.

As of April 13, five formal complaints against the airline had been filed, Mexico's Federal Consumer Attorney's Office reported.