The infrastructure in most airports in Central America can not cover the increase in the number of air passengers transiting in the region.
In the region, traffic has increased by almost 80% over the last ten years going from 95 million to 170 million passengers. "Today, 30% of Latin American flights take off or land at congested airports, which constitutes one of the main difficulties in the development of the airline industry," noted an article in Eleconomista.net.
The airline said that from July 1 they will start operating a direct daily flight between Los Angeles and San Jose, Costa Rica.
This new route will complement the two daily services currently offered by Delta from San Jose to Atlanta and will be operated by a Boeing 757-200 with capacity for 180 passengers, with 24 seats in first class and 156 in economy class.
The Association of Tourism Professionals has joined other associations and chambers of the tourism industry together with representatives from Avianca-Taca in order to analyze the impact of changes in the routes of the airline.
A statement from the Costa Rican Association of Tourism Professionals (ACOPROT) reads:
The tourism industry warns of the damage that could be caused by the lack of nonstop flight connections to cities like New York, Los Angeles, Havana, Guayaquil and Quito.
A statement from the National Chamber of Tourism (CANATUR) reads:
Cancellation of Avianca-Taca direct flights is disrespectful to Costa Rica
• Country will stop receiving 8,000 direct passengers a month.
The airline has announced the purchase of 15 ATR 72-600 aircraft and purchase rights for another 15, with an investment of $700 million.
The new aircraft, which will be built starting in June 2013, will be designed to cover routes inside of Colombia and Central America.
The President AviancaTaca, Fabio Villegas said in an article in Terra.com, "With the addition of the new ATR 72-600 aircraft we are reaffirming our commitment to the connectivity of regions within strategic markets such as Colombia and Central America. The equipment chosen will allow us to increase our capacity in short-range routes and improve coverage. "
Following the closure of operations by Aeroperlas, Air Panama is the only airline operating in the Panamanian domestic market.
An article in Prensa.com reports that "Avianca-TACA group has no plans to revive the operation of its subsidiary Aeroperlas, which ceased working in March."
The Panamanian Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) currently does not have any application for operating internal flights, which could change when the remodeling of the airports Enrique Jimenez in Colon and the Rio Hato terminal are completed.
Without ruling out the idea of building their own airport terminal, the airline will wait to see how the modernization works initiated by the Executive Port Commission (CEPA) evolve.
Fidel Chavez Mena, vice president and legal representative of TACA, said that after meetings with representatives from CEPA, they have agreed to wait and see how the financing of the works evolves.
Thank you Interjet and Aeromexico for making it possible to buy a ticket without feeling like you have been robbed at gunpoint.
As was the case in other Central American countries with the opening of flights operated by companies outside of the isthmus, in Costa Rica, airline ticket prices for flights from San Jose to Mexico City have fallen by 60%.
The administrative entity from the International Airport of El Salvador is expecting a formal proposal from TACA airlines to build a new terminal.
The president of the Autonomous Executive Port Commission (Cepa), Alberto Arene, said that when they have received a formal proposal by the airline it will be studied and evaluated. A renovation plan for the terminal is currently being developed.
The government of El Salvador and AviancaTaca managers are working together to explore possibilities for the renewal and expansion of the International Airport of El Salvador.
Roberto Kriete, Chairman of the Board of AviancaTaca, said they are working together with representatives from the State and the Autonomous Executive Port Commission, to find a solution for the redevelopment of the airport terminal.
The government of El Salvador has welcomed an announcement by the President of the airline of their intention to build its own terminal at Comalapa.
The Technical Secretary of the Presidency, Alexander Segovia, in light of statements by AviancaTaca’s CEO Roberto Kriete said, "A few weeks ago, the president of TACA approached us. We have assembled a working group. They are interested in building a terminal themselves, and we are very interested. "
Roberto Kriete has announced that that the renovation of the El Salvador International Airport, one way or another, will be carried out within a maximum period of three years.
The chairman of the board of AviancaTaca told Laprensagrafica.com that Comalapa airport needs not only improvements, but a complete update according to a master plan designed by Aéroports de Paris.
In the absence of plans for the expansion of the El Salvador International Airport, the airline is hoping to settle in another of the region’s capitals.
Comalapa airport is home to AviancaTaca and its air hub in the region, but it is becoming stretched to capacity and inadequate for the airline’s expansion plans.
According to an article in Elsalvador.com, executive vice president of the airline AviancaTaca, Stuart Ortiz, "has not ruled out another country in Central America for establishing a regional hub, especially for travelers moving between the region and the U.S. ... if in the next five years the Government of El Salvador has not initiated a master plan to expand the airport in Comalapa’s capacity to attend to aircraft."
After three years of announcements about the move, Star alliance has confirmed the formal admission of Copa Airlines and AviancaTaca into the global airline network.
An article in Laprensagrafica.com reports that "The alleged integration of Star Alliance into Copa was first mentioned in 2009, especially since Continental, with whom Copa has codesharing alliances, announced it would join Star Alliance and leave SkyTeam, the other major airline alliance in operation today. Although Copa is no longer part of SkyTeam, it has not yet officially joined Star Alliance. "