All flights to U.S. cancelled

Belizeans in the United States were not our only citizens effected by the disaster. Because of the closure of U.S. airspace, all flights in and out of that country were cancelled, including those to and from Belize. This meant that Belizeans and visitors wanting to travel today were forced to make other plans. News 5’s Ann-Marie Williams visited the Philip Goldson International Airport at noon, a time when the facility would ordinarily be gearing up for the busiest part of the day. What she found was a virtual ghost town. According to operations manager, Enrique Hoare, the airport was open…but without travel to the States, not much was happening.

Enrique Hoare, Operations Manager

“We had one flight arrived from Salvador for Taca, which will remain here for this afternoon and take back passengers planning to go Salvador and beyond, meaning southward. Security wise, what we have done is we have stepped up more stringent baggage searches and passenger search, additional profiling around the airport done by ourselves along with the Police Department.”

Ann-Marie Williams

“The airport has to be kept open though?”

Enrique Hoare

“Yes. We’re going to be open during normal operating hours for domestic travel throughout today and for any other operator wishing to operate.”

According to American Airlines Manager in Belize, Luis Alpuche, American will not be flying to or from Belize on Wednesday. With regard to security on that airline, which saw two of its jets highjacked today and hundreds of passengers murdered, Alpuche said he could not comment and that all public communications was being handled by headquarters in Dallas. People scheduled to travel to the U.S. on Wednesday on American, Continental or Taca, are advised to check with their respective airline.