Direct air service inaugurated between Bz. & Guat.
The service is only twice a week and the route is not particularly busy. But the inauguration of direct air links between Belize and Guatemala City is one of the few hopeful developments in the otherwise stagnant diplomatic situation between the neighbouring countries. This morning I was on hand for the festivities at the P.G.I.A.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
We are not certain when–or even if–the Guatemalan claim to Belize will be resolved but new transit service may very well help the process. This morning the Guatemala Airline Tikal Jets landed for the first time in Belize. Among the dignitaries on onboard flight WU071 was Belize?s Ambassador to Guatemala, Alfredo Martinez.
Alfredo Martinez, Belize?s Ambassador to Guatemala
?It?s part of the confidence building measures that both governments have been promoting towards a final settlement of our dispute. Part of the problem has always been that both sides distrust each other, just as we say oh we do not want to go to Guatemala because we don?t trust them, neither dot hey want to come here because they feel the same way about us, not everyone but quite a few. This is going to go a long way of building bridges to get our people together, to get to know them to get to know each other.?
Richard Laveres, British Ambassador to Guatemala
?Well I think it?s an enormously important step because it helps to build confidence. It helps to build understanding. I know that Ambassador Fred Martinez has worked enormously hard on this and that I think it?s just the kind of thing that can have a positive impact. I?m absolutely delighted.?
Juan Pablo Forno, Commercial Director, Tikal Jets
?We are always looking for new destinations; for leisure market. But Belize is extremely important for us because we think it is the moment to pray that we have an alliance between the two countries.?
Alfredo Martinez
?We have been talking for the past six months with Tikal Jets. They showed an initial interest about coming to Belize with the embassy. So our embassy as the channel to the Government of Belize worked with the ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Tourism and then from there on Tikal Jets worked with the Ministry of Transport and the Civilization Departments. We are trying to get the authorities together from both sides getting them to understand the importance of the flight.?
The link not only promises to strengthen friendship between Belize and Guatemala but also boost tourism in both countries.
Juan Pablo Forno
?Currently Guatemala receives over eighteen thousand people from Belize plus the people that travel from Guatemala to Belize. We think this a market that can easily expand. ?
Alfredo Martinez
?It means sharing their tourism coming in from Europe because now Iberia has started non-stop flights to Guatemala City form Madrid and so has Lada Air from Milan Italy, trying to avoid the crush in Miami. So most of these European tourists that come Guatemala to visit Antigua, Guatemala City and Tikal would find a way then to come to Belize much easier. So for tourism for Belize it means a big boost.?
The total journey takes about three hours including an intermediate stop in Flores. The Tikal Jets service to Belize will include two flights a week, Monday and Friday, on their one hundred and twenty-three seat DC aircraft. The airline, which was founded in 1992, prides itself being the first low cost carrier in Central America.
Juan Pablo Forno
?Tikal Jets has a very singular way in that we buy the airplanes cash, we don?t have any debts. We have zero leasing. We don?t manage our airlines with bank loans or anything like that. So in that way the only cost we have is the operation cost and our fix cost are extremely low. We have a hundred and fifty employees. We have three airplanes and so this has helped us to maintain very low costs.?
The airlines? commercial director, Juan Pablo Forno, is confident that Tikal Jets will quickly become the first choice for travelling between Belize and Guatemala as it offers travellers an attractive price one hundred and thirty Belize dollars one way to Guatemala City and fifty Belize dollars one way to Flores, Peten.
If you would like more information on Tikal Jets or make reservations, the number to call is 227-2593.
