«Low cost» decree: JetBlue and Volaris would land in Honduras

Volaris and JetBlue are negotiating with the government of Honduras to disembark in the country starting in September and December respectively, according to the Minister of Tourism of the Central American country, Nicole Marrder, in declarations produced by the newspaper La Prensa de Honduras.

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In a context of reopening of flights and economic rebound, and favored by the recent bill to promote low-cost, these low-cost lines are committed to consolidation in the regional market. In this sense, the «Law for the Promotion of Low Cost Air Transport» emphasizes attracting more airlines and opening more routes. It is key for the country to have more flights in Central and South America, the United States and the Caribbean, facilitating connectivity with Europe.

Nicole Marrder, Minister of Tourism of Honduras commented that «with the application of this law, new routes are opened at the regional and international level, those airlines that want to fly in the country will have an incentive in the cost of landing and take-off fees, and also in airport services and fuel taxes.»

The official of the Chamber of Tourism of Honduras, Epaminondas Marinakis, expressed that they expect a substantial reduction in the net value of the tickets, calculating a reduction of approximately 40%.

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In terms of infrastructure, Geovani Rosa, director of Empresa Hondureña de Infraestructura y Servicios Aeroportuarios (EHISA), announced that JetBlue’s inaugural destination in December will be New York City. Regarding the operation of the airport, it presents a percentage of 90%, to achieve 100% operation, remaining to inaugurate one of the recently installed boarding bridges.

At the moment, neither JetBlue nor Volaris systems show flights to the country.

Honduras is currently connected to the United States by more than 100 weekly fligths of American Airlines (flights from Dallas and Miami to Roatán, San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa), Delta (from Atlanta to Roatán and San Pedro Sula), Avianca (Miami – San Pedro Sula), Spirit (connects San Pedro Sula with Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Orlando, Miami and New Orleans), Sun Country (connects Minneapolis with Roatan), and United Airlines (connects San Pedro Sula with Newark, Houston and Los Angeles; and to Houston with Tegucigalpa and Roatán).

As for Mexico, there are only six weekly flights of Aeroméxico between Mexico City and San Pedro Sula.