I just noticed that the previous thread Central American Aviation Thread - 12! (by Carmenlu15 Jun 28 2007 in Civil Aviation) went the way of the dodo bird due to a system glitch, so I'm opening a new one...

All your comments, questions, and discussions are welcome, and your photos of GUA are even more welcome  

Saludos!
Carmen

Ok Carmen, as soon as I have more GUA pics I will post them here.

Juanchito

Just to let you know, DL has quietly added a second flight to GUA. Flight is listed as operating a 757, and I assume it's seasonal.

DL 232 GUA - ATL
Dep. 9:25 am - Arr. 2:57 pm

DL 233 ATL - GUA
Dep. 7:45 pm - Arr. 9:12 pm

Thank goodness we're back...I felt a little out of place in the Caribbean forum!

And on tehe DL topic.....DL are bringing back the LAX-BZE 757 in Nov....the trial run for 6 weeks has been a success with loads always above 75%. all O&D of course.....they should have just kept the route going...taking it away for 3 months will kill the momentum.

Runway extention set to open here as soon as they can move the house at the (now) end of it....

Quoting Aer (Reply 2): DL 232 GUA - ATL Dep. 9:25 am - Arr. 2:57 pm

Nice to see a 2nd ATL-GUA-ATL. But given those times.. maybe an after midnight GUA departure would have meant better aircraft utilization for DL.

Quoting 2travel2know (Reply 4):

Well one would have to put together the 3 flights that DL has got now (310/311, 227/228, and 232/233) and check the a/c utlization, and if it's permanent, how the flight to JFK will play.

Quoting Aer (Reply 2): Just to let you know, DL has quietly added a second flight to GUA. Flight is listed as operating a 757, and I assume it's seasonal. DL 232 GUA - ATL Dep. 9:25 am - Arr. 2:57 pm DL 233 ATL - GUA Dep. 7:45 pm - Arr. 9:12 pm

Thanks for the update.

Juanchito

Got some new pictures from GUA.

Aeromexico


New Terminal


Juanchito

Quoting Juanchito (Reply 7):

Thanks for the pictures.

So my fellow GUA a.netters...how have the NK loads been lately?

Does anyone know how DL is doing on their flights to GUA? Do they offer meal service on these trips like they do from ATL? Does BZE also get full catering like other international flights?

LACA773

Quoting LACA773 (Reply 10): oes BZE also get full catering like other international flights?

I doubt it.....besides this is the last week it operates till November....and i belive the flght is full....go figure!

Quoting Yellowtail (Reply 9): So my fellow GUA a.netters...how have the NK loads been lately?

hmmm when i get to travel again i'll let you know hehe, the job isn't helping.

Where is everyone?.....on holiday perhaps.....

On another note Maya Island Air (no idea on their code) have announce a MWF BZE-SAP flight......there is clearly a need for this, but I don't know how many people are going to want to sit on a Caravan for 1.5 hours....

[Edited 2007-07-13 19:15:42]

Quoting Yellowtail (Reply 13): Where is everyone?.....on holiday perhaps..... On another note Maya Island Air (no idea on their code) have announce a MWF BZE-SAP flight......there is clearly a need for this, but I don't know how many people are going to want to sit on a Caravan for 1.5 hours....

Thtas good news, new routes are welcome. Have one question are you sure that is 1.5 hours?

Regards,

Juanchito

Quoting Juanchito (Reply 14): Have one question are you sure that is 1.5 hours?

Brief stop at PBR (Puerto Barrios) maybe?

Quoting Yellowtail (Reply 13): how many people are going to want to sit on a Caravan for 1.5 hours....

Back in 2001, TA used to fly SAL-BZE with a Caravan. We took it and there was no problem at all. BTW, we were the only couple in the small aircraft, us and two pilots.

PZ

Quoting Pzurita1 (Reply 16): Back in 2001, TA used to fly SAL-BZE with a Caravan. We took it and there was no problem at all. BTW, we were the only couple in the small aircraft, us and two pilots.

Hmmmm...nice and Cozy! I remember that flight....they were trying to supplement the 320.....at one point they used to do a stop in Barrios too.

Quoting Juanchito (Reply 14): Thtas good news, new routes are welcome. Have one question are you sure that is 1.5 hours?

IT is non-stop....they tried Pt. Barrios before.....no luck......as for the time...by my calculations..it would be about that.....I fly to Punta Gorda regularly from TZA (belize municpal) and it is almost an hour.....figure double the distance.....it shoudl be about right...

I think everyone ins Central America must b e on vacation....EVERYONE is so silent....

I know AA issued their route schedules fro Sept-Nov....yesterday...and from BZE we keep our double daily MIA (one of which usually goes away for this period) which is obviously a defensive move against NK coming in. Yields to MIA are above excellent but Sept-Nov..the loads are less than stellar....and they can't really offer a sale on the flights as the prices are fixed byour fine Governement. IMHO..AA is prepared to take a loss for 3 months in order to keep NK from even entertaining any thoughts...
But in a strange move the daily DFW becomes 3X (intead of the usual 5X)....becoming SatSunMon only till Nov 15th when it becomes daily again.

Quoting Yellowtail (Reply 18): But in a strange move the daily DFW becomes 3X (intead of the usual 5X)....becoming SatSunMon only till Nov 15th when it becomes daily again.

I think BZE should invite AA to fly a Sat and/or Sun STL-BZE-STL by years end. It's time AA make better use of the STL hub they inherited from TWA and at least start flying weekends to selected leisure markets.. CGM, MBJ, AUA, SJO, LIR, BZE maybe even GUA all come to mind.
AA still flies DFW-GUA, DFW-SAL?

Quoting 2travel2know (Reply 19): I think BZE should invite AA to fly a Sat and/or Sun STL-BZE-STL by years end. It's time AA make better use of the STL hub they inherited from TWA and at least start flying weekends to selected leisure markets.. CGM, MBJ, AUA, SJO, LIR, BZE maybe even GUA all come to mind. AA still flies DFW-GUA, DFW-SAL?

BZE probably has but AA rather send them via DFW now...

Based on my "looks" as to whome comes off these flights....CO has a bigger share of the leisure market than AA....but AA has the business market sown up...and that is where the money is....

We jsut had a business pax in here who flew AA..IAH-DFW-BZE..when he could have flown with CO.....go figure....

Quoting 2travel2know (Reply 19):

AA still flies GUA-DFW daily.

Quoting 2travel2know (Reply 19): think BZE should invite AA to fly a Sat and/or Sun STL-BZE-STL

that would be cool, then I could go visit my college friends at STL

Quoting Yellowtail (Reply 13): Maya Island Air (no idea on their code)

the code is MW

Bad news to report today, CMs stock has taken a dive, it was downgraded, analyst think the frequency realignment is going to increase cost. On time for the quarter is down; still above average but down compared to previous quarters. Also a P5 Ejet overran the runway in Santa Marta and went into Sea Water, this will probably result in a write off of a brand new jet.

Quoting Luisca (Reply 23): Also a P5 Ejet overran the runway in Santa Marta and went into Sea Water, this will probably result in a write off of a brand new jet.

First JJ accident with 200 people dead. Now this P5 accident [thanks God only few injured passengers].

What a day!

Links available only in Spanish:

http://www.prensaescrita.com/diarios...agina=http://www.el-informador.com

I've not seen anything about P5 mishap in SMR yesterday on the local Panamanian media, much less about CM stock dive (yet).

Quoting 2travel2know (Reply 19): AA still flies DFW-GUA, DFW-SAL?

AA never flew DFW-SAL. It was a code share with TA. TA still flies it. Not sure about the frequency though.

Quoting 2travel2know (Reply 25): I've not seen anything about P5 mishap in SMR yesterday on the local Panamanian media, much less about CM stock dive (yet).

Central American media tends to be hmmm "selective" when it comes to issues like this which hurt local pride. Nothing in www.laprensa.com yet

Quoting Luisca (Reply 23): analyst think the frequency realignment is going to increase cost.

Actually should be the other way around, they will be able to use resources more efficiently de peaking the hubs.

Quoting Mt99 (Reply 26): Central American media tends to be hmmm "selective" when it comes to issues like this which hurt local pride. Nothing in www.laprensa.com yet

laprensa.com is a San Antonio news paper; Prensa.com is Panama's flagship newspaper

Anyway the stock dive was reported on Monday's or Friday's Prensa; too busy to find a link but that is were I read about it, stocks are down today, they have lost almost 11 dollars since thursday.

Today Prensa has 3 articles on the TAM tragedy, but nothing on P5s accident.

http://www.prensaescrita.com/diarios...agina=http://www.el-informador.com

"
“Empresa Aerorepública es irresponsable”, Jaime Martínez


El reconocido periodista del Diario El País de Cali, Jaime Martínez Duarte, quien venía acompañado de su esposa y su pequeña hija como pasajeros en el avión HK 4455 de Aerorepública, denunció negligencia por parte de la empresa de aviación al momento del accidente.

Según el comunicador, el personal de la empresa que llegó minutos más tarde al sitio del accidente se preocupó más por los elementos de emergencia para que no fueran robados, antes de percatarse de los resultados del hecho que afortunadamente no dejó víctimas mortales.

De igual, manera resaltó Martínez Duarte que a la empresa le faltó el respeto a los pasajeros quienes lo único que querían era salir del aeronave y para eso tenían que contra con el apoyo del personas, por lo que no se explica como una reconocida empresa en vez de velar por la seguridad de sus usuarios estuvieran más pendientes de un equipo de socorro, que en este caso la mayoría se estaba usando.

“Fueron momentos muy angustiantes, al momento que el Capitán intentó aterrizar, volvió y despegó, dio una vuelta volvió a aterrizó, cuando vimos que el avión cogió mucho impulso, por lo que se salió de la pista, fue una situación muy dura, cuando cayó al mar”, dijo el periodista.

Así mismo, continuó manifestando que “en ningún momento el Capitán informó de nada sobre la emergencia, no dijeron nada, fue un pánico y un caos total en ese momento cuando cayó y para evacuar a las personas que allí estábamos”.

En medio del nerviosismo recalcó que “aprovecho este medio de comunicación para denunciar públicamente a la aerolínea Aerorepública por duramos mas de hora y media allí y nadie nos da informe de nada.

Lo lamentable de todo fue que primero se preocuparon por recoger los chalecos salvavidas, sin preguntar nada, ni una lista de los heridos, en ese momento no sabíamos para donde coger, no sabíamos nada de los equipajes, sólo hasta cuando los pasajeros se alborotaron, fue cuando decidieron que los iban a llevar a un importante hotel de la ciudad”.

“Nosotros venimos de paseo una semana a Santa Marta, la verdad es que todavía tenemos en la mente las escenas de pánico que vivimos 57”, concluyó Jaime Martínez Duarte."

This is a real serious accusation.

[Sorry link in Spanish only, from a Santa Marta, Colombia newspaper].

Quoting TACAA320 (Reply 29):

Seems like someone blowing things way out of proportion, he is not a pilot or cabin crew to know what was going on, and how is the captain going to keep them informed? Ladies and Gentlemen Please fasten your seat-belts the airplane will be landing but we will run off the runway. After they evacuated the airplane I am sure the cabin crew have a lot of things to do, Talking to passengers is not one of those concerns.

Obviously this person has a right to be mad and confused and scared, he has just been in a plane crash, but it has not been 24 hours yet and you are accusing the airline of irresponsible? they evacuated everybody, took them to get medical care, put them up in hotels,the Airline's CEO has had 3 press conferences and is in Santa Marta right now, they have 2 dedicated phone lines for relatives of passengers, What else does he want?.

Sure the first hours at the scene of a plane crash is going to be total chaos. But what is "being irresponsible" the airline has done everything they can to deal with this. This is just another badly informed cheap "journalist" trying to create a scandal.

This article is so badly written I dont even get what the passenger is complaining about, something about some medical equipment? what the #ell is he talking about? first aid kits? Seems like the kind of person that wanted the captain to come and personally explain why his plane had crashed 5 minutes after it had happened. If you read he is worried about his fricking LUGGAGE!

What a moron and what a stupid article.

Quoting Luisca (Reply 30): What else does he want?.

Money. Unfortunately he may be thinking in a lawsuit.

Quoting TACAA320 (Reply 31): Money. Unfortunately he may be thinking in a lawsuit

When was the last time there was an accident with no lawsuits?

Quoting Mt99 (Reply 32): When was the last time there was an accident with no lawsuits?

Can you illustrate us in such regard.

Quoting TACAA320 (Reply 33): Can you illustrate us in such regard.

No i cannot. That is why i asked a question. I am asking the readers to point out to me an occasion in which an [airliner] incident of this magnitude has occurred and no lawsuits have followed. If I would be able to illustrate - there would have been no need for asking that question.

[Edited 2007-07-18 23:03:03]

Quoting Mt99 (Reply 34): No i cannot.

I supposed that from the very beginning.

Quoting TACAA320 (Reply 35): I supposed that from the very beginning.

Ok whatever. And you "wasted" 3 posts to prove to us all that you know the meaning of the word "Question". Pat yourself on the back.

----

Anyway, back to topic: I certainly hope that both of these incidents have help governments understand the need for funding and/or oversight of air operations in Latin America.

Quoting Yellowtail (Reply 18): I think everyone ins Central America must b e on vacation....

Well, at least I'm on a forced vacation of sorts...  

Quoting Mt99 (Reply 26): TA still flies it. Not sure about the frequency though.

If memory serves me right, it's 4 times a week... I still remember back in the times when they flew GUA-DFW daily  

Quoting Mt99 (Reply 36): Ok whatever. And you "wasted" 3 posts to prove to us all that you know the meaning of the word "Question".

How you dare to accuse me of "wasting" posts?
Now is a good time to remember you two key words: freedom and respect. In a few words, respect for other's opinion.

A possible cause of P5 accident. Unbelievable...

Sorry, but once again only in Spanish:

"

En medio de la impotencia y colmado de ira, Alejandro Palacio, un señor quien presenció el accidente aeronáutico, dijo a los medios de comunicación que el hecho se registró por que la torre de control le dio preferencia al despegue del avión de la Policía antes que el aterrizaje del de pasajeros.

Don Alejandro aseguró que el HK 4455 de Aerorepública tuvo que sobre volar varias veces y cuando lo hizo, entró muy rápido al aterrizaje, según él, fue el motivo de la emergencia que hoy mantiene cerradas las operaciones del Aeropuerto Simón Bolívar de Santa Marta.
De igual manera relató Palacio que él se encontraba esperando a varios familiares que llegaban procedentes de Cali, pero el pánico se apoderó de él y de otras personas que lo acompañaban por la manera como la aeronave volaba sobre el aeropuerto.

“El avión tuvo que sobrevolara con intento de aterrizaje dos veces, por que le dieron preferencia a un avión DC 3 de la Policía Nacional y cuando el avión entró a la pista de aterrizaje entró muy rápido, con pista mojada, yo llegué entre los primero, pero todos nos dimos cuenta que la causa principal fue esa”, argumentó Alejandro Palacio.


"

http://www.el-informador.com/detgen.php?id=18181

Quoting TACAA320 (Reply 39): A possible cause of P5 accident. Unbelievable...

I read the article and my comment is: "Such is life in the Tropics"

Quoting TACAA320 (Reply 38): How you dare to accuse me of "wasting" posts? Now is a good time to remember you two key words: freedom and respect. In a few words, respect for other's opinion.

You know - i wont derail the thread anymore. This is an aviation forum. Ill be happy to continues this in another venue of your choice. I am sure everyone else will appreciate it.

Quoting Carmenlu15 (Reply 37): I still remember back in the times when they flew GUA-DFW daily

Me too. Now that i think about it the flight might actually now be DFW-SAL not GUA. I wonder how it is doing. I was under the impression that that flight made sense because of the AA/TA relationship and now that that has ended i wonder how it is doing.

Hello, everyone!
I recently joined at Airliners.net. I´ve read carefully all Central American threads.
Following might be painful: JJ that crashed July 17 in CGH belonged to TA from March 1998 to late 2003. According to airfleets.net, this A320-233 was registered as N454TA. How many times did you see it in SJO, SAL, GUA...?
Source: http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-a320-789.htm.

Quoting SJOtoLIR (Reply 43):

Welcome !   

Quoting Mt99 (Reply 41): You know - i wont derail the thread anymore.

That will be too much appreciated.

Quoting SJOtoLIR (Reply 43): Hello, everyone! I recently joined at Airliners.net. I´ve read carefully all Central American threads. Following might be painful: JJ that crashed July 17 in CGH belonged to TA from March 1998 to late 2003. According to airfleets.net, this A320-233 was registered as N454TA. How many times did you see it in SJO, SAL, GUA...? Source: http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/pl....htm.

Welcome to A.net

Thanks for the info on the airbus aircraft from JJ.

Juanchito

Guys, there is a rumor that Carlos Slim will be buying TA, have anybody have any other information.

Juanchito

Quoting SJOtoLIR (Reply 43): I recently joined at Airliners.net.

Bienvenido! 

Quoting SJOtoLIR (Reply 43): Following might be painful: JJ that crashed July 17 in CGH belonged to TA from March 1998 to late 2003. According to airfleets.net, this A320-233 was registered as N454TA. How many times did you see it in SJO, SAL, GUA...?

Odd, the first thing I thought when I saw the news on the paper was "oh, a 320... just like the ones TA has"  

Quoting Juanchito (Reply 47): Guys, there is a rumor that Carlos Slim will be buying TA, have anybody have any other information.

Wha?   

Quoting Juanchito (Reply 47): Guys, there is a rumor that Carlos Slim will be buying TA, have anybody have any other information. Juanchito

Wow, that would be big.