from the Chamber of Commerce....

Steve Schulte of Tropic Air reported that there is a delay to finishing the new terminal due to some undelivered material, but that the building is progressing and hopefully will be in use in the near future.

They are looking for resorts to put together travel packages that can be offered to the individual airline travel agencies. Most airlines offer package deals with lodging, meals, vehicles, etc. But here in Belize, there are few packages to offer. It would increase travel to Belize if the airlines had more package deals to market. Please contact Steve for more information. His email is steve@tropicair.com.

A good start in attracting tourists to the island would be to lower the cost of flight from Belize International to San Pedro. At just north of $120 usd for a 15 minute flight, it is a bit steep. Don't get me wrong, I think Tropic is great...just a bit expensive.

Others far better informed than I can and hopefully will reply, but I suspect the costs of operating Tropic and Maya are relatively enormous, because of the ever encroaching corrosion we experience here. Somehow they have to recover that money, or close up.

Also, what do you think the terminal put em back?
And, look at what it costs for local short carrier flight in the states.

Or Canada, or anywhere else in the world. I think if you do the research you will find that Tropics prices are lower then comparable fares around the world.

papashine, I just checked a comparable short flight in the USA and you seem to be correct. Tropic's prices seem reasonable.

You can leave a light aircraft parked for a month on tarmac or grass in most parts of Britain or the US and other than basic checks there'll be nothing to do before flying it again. I know, I used to do it. Leave one of the Caravans parked at the SP apron for a month and I suspect the airframe will have corroded significantly. It's a whole different ballgame.

Are air fares regulated in any way by the GOB? The different tarifs from Municipal and International make it seem likely that they are. For Maya flights to San Pedro Sula from Savannah, they add a nominal additional fee for connections to Savannah from outlying stations. With the advent of CUN-BZE services, could a carrier devise a fare structure that would keep Cancun passengers on its domestic flights?

I know nothing about aircraft but would assume that international flights carry a huge load with the carrier in as much that the planes and pilots would have additional requirements which would increase the fares.

Tropic's new terminal will be so nice for San Pedro passengers, and will surely benefit others system-wide in many ways. I can't know the competitive strategy of either airline, but Cancun flights have the potential to greatly influence market share.

Yes the Cancun flights would be nice, but they really do not have the potential to greatly influence market share, there are a lot of reasons for a small airline not to bother with a cancun run.

I don't know if thats true or not Papashine. When I went to Jamica, people were taking flights to Cuba from there cause they could. I would suspect that Belize would get quite a few lookie loos from those staying in Cancun or nearby resorts if they had extra time and was easy to do.

I know I would travel 100% of my flights through Cancun unless they were significantly more expensive, especially if it landed directly on Ambergris Caye.

Plus, one of the biggest advantages of a Cancun route is that Europeans can travel to Belize without a transfer in the US. Several European cities have direct flights to Cancun.

Ok, so here I go out on a limb probably upsetting my friends at Tropic - upsetting someone being a first for me.
My question is: Why do we need a 3 million dollar terminal placed where it is already a highly congested traffic area for people who spend ten minutes getting on or off the planes? It is not like they are in transit and need a place to wait hours for their next flight.

PS: I say forget the terminal, lower my ticket price, and of course to my friends at Tropic, give them all a raise.

(Because the already own the property they are building on ($$$!))

Don't understand that. I can't see where the new terminal will add to the profitability of Tropic, unless they have installed pay toilets, only add to their overhead in servicing the debt and causing ticket prices to increase or remain at high levels. Thus discouraging travel to Belize - which I am not opposed to. Too many tourist now for the infrastructure, too much traffic,too much uncontrolled development etc. There I bet that will upset somemore who feel the answer to all of Belize's problems is more tourism.

I know I'm hoping for a bar and snack stand.

I believe I read here that the new terminal would serve not only as Tropic's passenger arrival and departure facility on AC, but also as it's base of operations for maintenence and logistics etc. What I find interesting is what I also read here about Maya's acquisition of a couple of ATRs with the intent to fly from CUN to BZE. Maya already offers access to Belize with flights from San Pedro Sula. Both CUN and SAP have low-cost and charter flights from abroad. Are there regulations in place that will hinder Maya from scheduling their international passengers on their domestic services? I think the San Pedro airstrip can handle ATRs and the island already has customs and immigration personnel. Anyway, it's just like anything else in Belize, absolutely fascinates. Does anyone know the status of Atlantic Airlines? They were flying 737s and suddenly went off the radar last December.

Thanks, kicman. There are different messages wherever they flew. Looks like Corn Is. and Bluefields in Nicaragua are those left stranded in the long run. Bummer.

They are not stranded without air service. La Costena still services them.

there already IS one - it's called The Lime and is only 10 steps across the way.

by - as usual, what you said makes sense to me.

What? and cross all that traffic just for a beer?

And if you want your first or last AC breath of sea air and cold Belikin you can walk through the alley and park yourself on a BC's bar stool

Now you're talkin', Gela!!

i was gonna say that too, u guys, but knowin' that folks like poor ole ds can't even muster the energy to walk across the street to lime, i cant' fathom they'd go all the way down the block to the beach. (just teasing, ds - all in fun, dude.)

gotta say, i spend as little time at the tropic terminal as i have to. cant wait to leave it upon arrival, and savoring every last second of sand,sea & palms till i have to board.

Centralizing the operations that used to be run out of 3 buildings, into one central location certainly has to increase efficiency. Selling the 2 other locations (3rd will become a part of the runway) or not renting them anymore and not renovating (they are all more than due) helps to pay for construction.

Tropic Air is located here on Ambergris Caye and therefore it makes sense to have their headquarters in a representable building. For tourists traveling, the airport where they arrive on the island is their first impression of Ambergris Caye, so that can cost a little extra imho.

That would make sense Short, if that were the case, but it is not. The only building being replaced at this time is the old terminal. The new terminal building does not consolodate or eliminate anything other than the old terminal.

And, I think the first impression tourist get flying into San Pedro is a birdseye view of the dump, sewage treatment plant and DFC.

I assume that was in somebody's Master Plan.

Have to admit -- upon arrival on my first flight into AC, I was wondering what Mrs. O. was thinking I had gotten her into. It's a good thing we were till reeling over the wonderful flight over the water.

It's become a tradition to park my bags at BCs and wait til the last possible moment to schlep over to the terminal. Lime is great too!

It was my understanding that they were moving their corporate offices into the new terminal as well. Where are you getting your information?

From a friend I grew up with back in Illinois. I flew him to Belize back in the 80's for a fishing trip. He ended up living there. He knows a lot of what is going on, especially about Tropic.
Where are you getting yours?

My main take on the new terminal is that it's quite out of place visually/architecturally. I'll bet a thatch waiting area with some soft Caribbean music would make a better impression for those arriving on the island. (which may be why they all head off to BC's).

BC's might have more to offer of interest besides music and thatch.

From talking to locals, taxi drivers and bartenders.

The Tropic terminal will be just that, a terminal. There will be a pilot and one other office on the second level. The main offices will still be upstairs next to the bank and SunBreeze Hotel. The cargo office will be where the main terminal is now.
That's from Johnny himself during a tour of the new terminal in February.

not saying who is right and who isnt....

while a lot of us learn all kinds of good stuff in this fashion, i absolutely would NOT take any of that as gospel. on other topics, we have asked people like you mention all kinds of stuff, and rarely get the same story or explanation from each person. 5 locals/taxi drivers/bartenders, 5 different answers. its one of the charms of AC (like many small towns). just an observation.

For my two cents worth, I will take the ombiance of Maya's terminal over Tropic's current on new terminal any day. Maybe it's just the old "mine is bigger that yours" syndrome that is comming into play with Tropic.

"And, I think the first impression tourist get flying into San Pedro is a birdseye view of the dump, sewage treatment plant and DFC."


hell,, here in Placencia we park our garbage trucks right at the terminal!

Guess you haven't seen Maya's terminals throughout the country then.

The Tropic terminal is missing "ombiance", but it's certainly not "mines bigger than yours" syndrome. Mayaisland has monstrasities all over Belize. A couple that might get 10/15 pax a day.
The Terminal is there to give the traveller comfort and safety while waiting for their flt.

say what you will about the new tropic terminal...its quite someting different than the old. but no need to pit tropic against maya island. choice is great, be thankful for choice while you got it!

I have seen Maya's terminals, such as the one at Belize Municipal, which I agree is huge, but you don't have to drive around it to get to town. The only good use I can see for the one in SP is a plane that can't stop on the runway can always run into that huge hunk of concrete rather than running into the other buildings at the end of the runway.

Neither was I.

Whenever I fly from Dangriga I choose Maya because their building is so much more pleasant to wait in. Mind you, the waits are often longer with Maya.....

What is this waiting business that all of you are doing?

I get a taxi to the airport, check in and then get on my plane to the mainland. Not much waiting involved there.

Maybe with the new terminal, I could go a bit earlier and then use the fancy washroom facilities?

who says the wash rooms are fancy, I like the "pay toilet" idea actually.

true about the not waiting, Tropic does move the people, not much waiting.

I've waited over an hour for a Maya flight that never arrived, on several occasions.

There are times I'd willingly pay a bit more and go Tropic.

I have waited for an hour or more for Tropic flight too...

When I flew back to BZE from SPR in February on Maya, my 1:00pm flight left at 1:45pm. While I waited, I counted 7 Tropic planes landing for Maya's one plane. It was then that I decided to pay the extra $30 rt and leave on time with Tropic on my next trip.