CANCUN – According to Notimex, the daily operation of a Fort Lauderdale-Cancun flight on Southwest Airlines is part of a project that contemplates new investments and plans to reach 50 cities and international destinations in which Mexico will have significant participation, said Steven Swan, director of international planning for the US airline.
In an interview with Notimex, he said that the daily flight from South Florida to the Mexican Caribbean represents a huge challenge for the competition that has to reach one of the most sought-after destinations in the United States.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (Photo: Google)
He said the arrival in the Caribbean is part of an ambitious investment and business plan that includes the remodeling and expansion of one of the terminals at Fort Lauderdale International Airport, where they spent $333 million USD.
In an interview with Notimex, prior to the inaugural flight of the connection between Fort Lauderdale and Cancun, he explained that in the neighboring country the intention of traveling to Mexico’s tourist destinations prevails and a test is the connection with South Florida.
The new flight between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL) and Cancun International (CUN) departed Sunday at approximately 11:00 am. The flight lasts approximately 90 minutes.
Attendees from the Cancun Visitor and Conventions Office, headed by the General Director, Lizzie Cole Guerrero, welcomed passengers at the Cancun terminal, who highlighted the importance of new flights arriving from different U.S. cities, Cancun’s main market.
Steven Swan said that for several years planning was in the works for the launch of the flight, along with investments in the terminal in Fort Lauderdale. Most important of all is the response of the customers, because since it was announced a high level of reservations is maintained.
He added that with this new flight from Fort Lauderdale, there are already nine cities in the United States with direct flights to Cancun.
In relation to the remodeling of the terminal, he said that it will have five concourses, a project that began two years ago and that they hope to put into operation for the heaviest part of the peak summer vacation season.
The interviewee said that there will be facilities for Customs, Migration, and that for each concourse, it will be possible to give attention to 10 “domestic” flights.
Likewise, he explained that in this new terminal they expect to mobilize up to 8 thousand passengers a day in any of the two high summer seasons, that of the students who arrive in Florida and of the adults who travel to the Caribbean.
He said that a few weeks ago it was announced that new weekly flights will begin in November, departing from St. Louis, Missouri and Nashville, Tennessee, two airports with about 100 daily domestic operations.
According to figures provided, Southwest operates more than 3,900 flights per day during the high season through a network of 101 destinations in the United States and eight other countries, to which will be added service to Grand Cayman, beginning on June 4, subject to approval by the government.
On that same date, it was scheduled to start service from Cincinnati.
Source: www.notimex.gob.mx
