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Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
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The first try was in 1977 with Belize Airways Ltd., and while that effort provided some of the best in-flight service in the world, the laws of economics eventually prevailed. Since that time a number of local operators have tried and failed to find a niche in the finicky market...and to be fair, the list of airline casualties also includes some U.S. heavyweights like Eastern, Pan American and Air Florida. Undeterred, another group of erstwhile investors arrived today at P.G.I.A., complete with a lot of promises and far fewer answers to questions from the press. Ann-Marie reports.
Ann-Marie Williams, Reporting A new airline, which promises to provide weekly charter service between Miami and Belize, touched down at the Philip Goldson International Airport this afternoon.
Although the plane belongs to Cayman Airways, the men paying the bills call themselves Bel Air International Airlines. CEO David Honkala says the first charter flight is on June eighth.
David Honkala, CEO, Bel Air Int'l Airlines "The flight is scheduled to leave here around 1 o'clock in the afternoon, which will put us around a 5 o'clock arrival into Miami. We tried to choose these schedules to make it convenient for people to connect on to other cities into the United Stated if they don't intend to make Miami their final destination. There is still adequate flights in connecting time available to reach the west coast cities as well as the north east cities."
The 737-200 airplane with a seating capacity of one hundred and ten, will operate between the United States and Belize.
David Honkala "Miami being s shorter distance to some of the U.S. cities, that's a good hub for us to have people flying from either from the north-east, or even from the west coast and connect through Miami onto Bel Air International flight."
Ann-Marie Williams "Where are your office be located?"
David Honkala "Currently our head office is...on the state side it's located in San Diego and we will have representation here in Belize as well."
However, listening to the President of the Belize operations, Tom Greenwood, you'll never know, especially since an office has not yet been set up.
Tom Greenwood, President, Belize Operations "That is exactly what I'm hoping to set up within a matter of a few days if not a week or two, permanent offices in a good location in Belize City. This is really nascent, but we're going to go for it, and I'm sure that Belizeans will get more than a great opportunity to purchase tickets at good prices and to fly to their favourite places, which will of course be Cayman and the United States and also include Cuba."
Ann-Marie Williams "You'll operate as a travel agency I take it?"
Tom Greenwood "Well what we're going to do is more than that. We're going to tie in with other operations. For instance, we'll tie in with the tour operations to provide tour packages."
And with any new venture, especially the volatile airline industry, the public is always interested in who the shareholders are. However, Honkala was not talking.
David Honkala "The exact name of the shareholders, I'm not at liberty to discuss at the point."
Ann-Marie Williams "Why not?"
David Honkala "The investment group that's funding the airline at this point is based out of London and we will be starting out services and it's very well funded from this investment group. It's taken some extra time to make sure that we put everything together and in order, which we have now, and we're hoping this is the first of a very long relationship of flight in and out
of the country of Belize."
Ann-Marie Williams for News 5.
Bel Air International Airlines will fly once per week, on Saturdays, between Miami and Belize. Viewers should note that the flights operate on a charter basis and that Bel Air International has no designation as a national flag carrier of Belize. In related news, as we reported last month, the United States carrier U.S. Air is expected to inaugurate regular service between Belize and Charlotte, North Carolina in the near future.
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,062
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I keep hearing & reading that Air Jamaica will be offering service to BZE shortly as well.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ But then what do I know, I am but a mere caveman
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 256
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Just announced that US Air will fly twice weekly from Charlotte to Belize, starting around Nov 1
Maya Travel Services
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 60
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Wonder what a flight out of Charlotte is going to cost??? I am only two hours from there! Looking for a cheap way to get back to San Pedro!
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 713
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Great news about US Air. Competition is always welcome. As for the new airline ("Bel Air") -- the fact that this company does not want to identify its shareholders would make me very reluctant to buy a ticket. Without public bona fides, I would be concerned about safety history. Have the principals operated an airline before? Did they have safety problems? Were they forced out of business? If there is any industry that needs to operate in the sunshine, it is the airline industry. There is also the risk to consumers that the airline may go under before your trip (or worse, in the middle of it...) but that can be alleviated by using a credit card and purchasing travel insurance. I would be more concerned about the safety track record. This new company may be 100% OK...but by refusing to divulge their bona fides, they give the appearance of having something to hide and that makes me nervous, since I don't know what that something is...
Susan Guberman-Garcia, Attorney at Law. Phone: 510-792-2639 Fax/Voicemail:: 510-405-2016 Email: [email protected]
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,054
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I was also surprised to see on their original Web site that they claimed to be the "national flag carrier of Belize" which was totally without any basis. I would be very careful about this whole situation.
--Lan Sluder
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,062
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They still do refer to themselves that way.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ But then what do I know, I am but a mere caveman
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 455
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Please tell us more about Charlotte to Belize as soon as possible! From Atlanta, that;s better than flying to Houston first. (We won't fly out of Miami...to crowded)
Grace DeVita
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Joined: May 2001
Posts: 266
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Heck yeah, I live in Atlanta too and would drive to Charlotte to catch a flight!! Hopefully that will mean flights cheaper than the $500+ ones we can only find from here on American or Continental right now (connecting of course through somewhere.) Now if only Delta would jump on that bandwagon (as thats where my FF miles are...)
Andrea
Andrea in Atlanta
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 60
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Well, I hope someone with some clout with that airline sees this post....several interested flyers here!!!! We take the train all the time to Charlotte to the Panther's home games....train to Charlotte to the airport...hmmmm? That would work!
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