Frontier Brings Direct Flights to Denver, and New Addition of Belize-Orlando
‘Tis the season for increased air travel and visitors from the U.S. or Belizeans heading north now have yet another option. Frontier Airlines arrived in Belize for the first time this weekend. News Five’s Marion Ali was at the P.G.I.A. to greet the new arrivals and found out more about the new routes.
Marion Ali, Reporting
The landing of not one but two inaugural Frontier airline flights from the USA on Saturday adds to the promise that Belize’s tourism industry is on a healthy rebound post-COVID impacts. Once a week, Frontier will bring tourists to Belize from Orlando, Florida and from Denver, Colorado.
The departure at Denver, Colorado on Saturday morning was as spirited as it was…as it was at the P.G.I.A. with lively brukdown music trumpeting inside the VIP lounge for the official welcome ceremony.
This new arrangement between Belize and Frontier follows several months of discussions between the Ministry of Tourism and the airline company – and it is only one of many more that the Minister of Tourism, Anthony Mahler would like to see holds, despite the COVID uncertainties ahead.
Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism
Anthony Mahler
“That is our goal going into 2022, to expand air routes, to continue the partnership with Frontier, to ensure that the two new flights into Belize are successful and we will work diligently, we will work frenetically, to ensure that we are successful here in Belize. Tourism represents forty percent of GDP, forty percent of the employment and so, as the Minister of Tourism and Diaspora Relations, failing is not an option in 2022. No matter what COVID throws at us, any variants, we will work together with the private sector and we will succeed with new partners like Frontier.”
The airline is offering perhaps the most affordable airfares where it flies. They’ve been able to do so by incorporating innovative seating layouts and weight-saving and baggage measures that have resulted in a forty-three percent saving in fuel expenses – the most fuel efficient in the US. Frontier has passed on these savings to their passengers. Frontier’s Sales Agent, Alfredo Gutierrez assured that even though prices will depend on seasonality, their airfares will remain tempting for travelers.
Alfredo Gutierrez
Alfredo Gutierrez, Sales Agent, Frontier Airlines
“We will have some amazing promotional fares in off-season. We always tell people that if there’s flexibility in travelling, to look at the different dates because the fares could definitely change between one week and the other. We also believe on the American side that Belize is a country that doesn’t need seasons. You are a year-round destination and for markets that are looking for great weather, whether it be in the northeast, Chicago, Boston, Seattle, you don’t need seasons. You have the year-round product.”
Frontier is also known as a green airline because of its conscious effort to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and to protect the environment and wildlife. It is an effort that Alfredo Gutierrez says the airline was also looking for in a destination.
Alfredo Gutierrez
“We have one of our beautiful airplanes decorated with a beautiful flamingo. It’s not there just for decoration. It is there because we need to make people aware of these animals in danger of extinction. I don’t want my kids or their kids to only be able to see these beautiful animals on the tail of an airplane. They need to see them in the wild, in their habitat, especially in countries as beautiful and in the natural wonders as Belize has to offer. These ideals – protecting the environment, respecting nature, those ideals are things that Frontier Airlines as a green airline was looking for – and a country that has done so much in eco-tourism, sustainable tourism, protection of the animals and everything that you’ve done aligns perfectly with the ideals of Frontier.”
Frontier’s flights will arrive in Belize on Saturdays. Marion Ali reporting for News Five.
