From 23rd to 25th of February representatives from airlines, airports and the tourism industry will be reviewing air services in the region.
More than 400 aviation professionals, representatives from 70 airlines, 25 authorities for tourism and airports will meet from 23rd to 25th February in El Salvador in the seventh edition of Routes Americas, an event aimed at developing new routes and expanding connectivity .
United Airlines, American Airlines and Air Canada have also suspended the sale of tickets for international flights to Venezuela.
The international airlines American Airlines, United Airlines and Copa Airlines have decided to temporarily cancel the sale of air tickets in Venezuela. The measure was taken due to the uncertainty generated over a multi million-dollar debt the government holds with some airlines and the changes that have been made relating to foreign exchange.
Central American countries need to grant each other complete air freedom, with unrestricted frequencies and multiple designations.
A study of the conditions of competition in air transport for passengers in El Salvador, prepared by the Superintendency of Competition in the country, contains relevant definitions for optimization of air transport not only for El Salvador, but also all other Central countries.
The Venezuelan state airline Conviasa is to start flying directly, starting in December, from Maiquetia airport to Tocumen and Augusto Sandino.
"On December 5 we will be flying from Maiquetia (the airport which serves Caracas) to Panama and on December 7 wewill be flying from Panama to Nicaragua," said Hebert Garcia, Minister of Water and Air Transport in Venezuela.
The abandonment of several routes by Avianca leaves, apparently, niches that could be used by new players.
An article in Elfinancierocr.com reports that "If all goes as planned, 2014 could see the start of operations by three new Central American airlines: Air Ticos, Ticas Airlines and Vuelos Económicos Centroamericanos (VECA). The new companies want to attend to the international passenger routes amid an industry dominated by giants such as Avianca, Copa Airlines, Delta and 20 other international airlines."
El Salvador's Vuelos Económicos Centroamericanos and Costa Rica's Ticos Air and Ticas Airlines are in various stages of preparation and registration to offer flights in the region.
Vuelos Económicos Centroamericanos (CASI) reported that it has leased two Airbus aircraft and will invest nearly $100 million in order to start operations in March 2014. The company is interested in creating a market in the low-cost segment and not competing with airlines such as Avianca and Copa, said Edgar Hasbun, CEO of the company.
American Airlines has withdrawn its supply to Despegar.com accusing the company of using a wholesale pricing policy which is unfair and inaccurate.
The airline has withdrawn sale of its flights by Despegar.com and from websites developed by Despegar.com, including all sites worldwide such as Decolar.com.
Now customers can purchase airline tickets at aa.com at no additional charge.
Starting next December the airline will start flights between Tampa International Airport, Florida, and Tocumen in Panama.
The new route will link passengers from Tampa with Central American countries and those in South America, through Copa's hub in Panama.
No details have been released about the flight, to verify if Copa Airlines will use a Boeing 737 aircraft. The duration of the flight will be approximately two and a half hours.
Vuelos Económicos Centroamericanos S.A.'s project will have the financial support of Alba Petróleos.
This was confirmed by the principal advisor to Alba Petróleos, José Luis Merino. "Alba has received the group of businessmen behind the possible airline, who have requested financial support to study the current context of aviation and decide on their entry," said Merino.
Vuelos Económicos Centroamericanos S.A. has started negotiations with the Civil Aviation Authority to operate in the region under the Salvadoran flag.
This was announced by Roger Menendez, executive director of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), who explained that in compliance with the first requirement, the company was recently incorporated and its executive board presented to the AAC.
In major U.S. international airports delays at immigration and customs controls can last more than three hours.
"Authorities are warning of extreme delays in the next few months on entering the United States, after waits of over three hours were recorded in the second quarter, which is low season, at control points of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, or CBP" reported Laprensa.hn.
The Panamanian airline has launched the Latin American Academy of Superior Aviation where they will train pilots needed for their operations.
The growth in workforce is accompanied by the addition of new destinations. At the end of this year Copa will open two new routes, but for now it is not known which ones they are.
Robert Katz, director of the Latin American Academy of Superior Aviation (ALAS by its initials in Spanish) said that students will be trained for a period of 12 months and will accumulate 250 flight hours.
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.
High prices in the region for air fares and roaming telephone services have been attributed to monopolistic practices by the companies who provide these services.
This was explained by the president of the National Assembly of Nicaragua, Rene Nunez, during the Open Skies and Communication Forum. According to the official, in the case of telecommunications, specifically in the use of "roaming" charges, rates are not clear, because users do not realize exactly how much they are being charged in the country they are in.