Tropic opens terminal in Corozal
While those in San Pedro have known for years that you can fly to Corozal, it’s been a relative secret from those in Belize City. But if you are in a hurry, you don’t have to spend hours on the highway, you can take the skyway. Today Tropic Air inaugurated its terminal at the Corozal Airstrip. News Five was invited to the occasion.
From Belize City you can reach Corozal in thirty-five minutes by air. A considerable time saving that takes two hours by road. Tropic President John Grief says most Belizeans don’t even know the service is available.
John Grief, President, Tropic Air
“Corozal-Belize City, we feel is a route ripe with possibilities. Unfortunately, because it’s kind of a like a chicken and the egg thing, people don’t request it so we don’t offer it, and probably people don’t request it because the service isn’t offered. So now, you can connect through San Pedro with a five minute, I promise five minute layover on the ground, then go to Belize City and you can do the same thing to come back.”
Grief says the new Corozal terminal is part of Tropic’s in-country expansion and illustrates their commitment to customer service.
John Grief
“So Corozal is now the final piece of the puzzle, everywhere that Tropic flies now we have an air conditioned office with full-time staff to take care of whatever problems come up. It takes a lot of the burden off the pilot whose job should be to fly the airplane.”
Marco Vellos started working for Tropic twelve years ago as a baggage handler. He rose through the ranks at the Belize City office and is excited to return to his hometown to manage the Corozal terminal. He hopes Corozalenos will not only fly Tropic but take advantage of the delivery service.
Marco Vellos, Manager, Corozal Terminal
“We just opened the new office. We’d like the public to come by, whatever they want to send packages, boxes, whatever freight, envelopes; we accept it. We have three flights everyday from seven thirty, ten thirty and three thirty from here.”
Tropic Air has two flights a day to Flores, Guatemala and says it is looking to provide service to Cancun, Mexico. Karla Heusner for News Five.
Tropic says if the Corozal flight becomes popular they will put on a direct flight. For now those who want to travel from Belize City to Corozal through San Pedro, or the reverse, can do so for eighty-nine dollars each way.
