04/07/2009
Louis Armstrong Airport Lands Deal for AeroMexico Service
NEW ORLEANS , La. -- Greater New Orleans Inc., the regional
economic alliance, in partnership with the City of New Orleans, is
pleased to announce an agreement has been signed with AeroMexico to
restart international service at Louis Armstrong Airport.
The new service is planned to begin on July 6, utilizing 50-seat
ERJ 145 regional jets and will include six weekly, non-stop flights
to Mexico City, with very convenient connecting flights to San
Pedro Sula, Honduras. The AeroMexico flights represent the first,
new international commercial airline service for Louis Armstrong
New Orleans International Airport since 2005.
Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Stephen Moret said,
"Landing the first direct international flight since Hurricane
Katrina is a significant milestone with both symbolic and practical
value. New Orleans is one of the great cities of the world, yet it
is a city that has so much unrealized potential as a center for
commerce. Today's announcement represents a terrific step in the
right direction, and LED is proud to have supported this exciting
initiative. These new flights will strengthen the region's economic
foundation by improving the business relationship between Louisiana
and Mexico, and by creating new revenue streams for businesses
located in the New Orleans region. We salute GNO Inc. and local and
regional leaders who worked together to make this happen."
Frank Galan, vice president, U.S. Division, AeroMexico, said,
"We're very excited about this opportunity to provide the people of
New Orleans and surrounding region with a convenient way to travel
to Mexico City with easy connections to Honduras and over 60
destinations in Mexico and around the world. Our decision is a
statement about the distinctive service we plan to bring to your
city. It also is an expression of our confidence in New Orleans and
the tremendous progress you have made since Hurricane Katrina. We
believe this is an ideal time to expand the travel opportunities
for residents of New Orleans and visitors to your community."
Mayor C. Ray Nagin said, "This new international flight is a
major accomplishment as we continue our recovery from Hurricane
Katrina and the flooding that followed. It will allow for
strengthened business relationships with Mexico, Honduras and Latin
America. It will create new tourism opportunities. And it will
provide for easier travel for the tens of thousands of our
residents who have family ties in these countries. By working
together as one community, we are creating a New Orleans that will
be better and stronger than ever before."
Numerous partners in the region and state played an integral
role in finalizing the deal.
Michael Hecht, president and CEO of GNO Inc., said "AeroMexico
coming to the New Orleans region is significant on many levels: it
means that Louis Armstrong Airport is truly international again; it
means that the Greater New Orleans region is on its way to
reclaiming the mantle of "Gateway to the Americas;" and it means
that through public-private collaboration, we can make great things
happen. The AeroMexico agreement was secured thanks to the vision
and efforts of the City of New Orleans and numerous local and state
partners, in the public and private sector. Within this group GNO
Inc. played a critical role as a broker and catalyst - ensuring
that the discussion progressed, that problems were solved and that,
ultimately, a deal was structured that will benefit all parties,
and the Greater New Orleans region as a whole. I congratulate all
of the government, economic development and private sector
contributors to this important effort."
Sean Hunter, director of aviation for Louis Armstrong New
Orleans International Airport said, "The return of AeroMexico to
New Orleans and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
is welcomed news and extremely important. The demand for service to
the Latin American hemisphere has been increasing, especially with
the growing number of Hispanics now living and working in the Gulf
South Region. The fact that we will now have non-stop service to
Mexico City with a very convenient connection to San Pedro Sula
means that air service access to almost anywhere in Mexico, Central
and South America will now be improved. This return has the
potential to reintroduce New Orleans as a partner in commerce to
the Latin American nations."
"Mexico visitors always have been a key to our success as an
international destination," said Stephen Perry, president and CEO
of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau. "We are grateful
to AeroMexico for their commitment and new service, which will make
New Orleans even more accessible for business and leisure
visitors."
Dr. Ana Hands, director of international health services for
Ochsner Health System, said "This service has been desperately
needed and will go a long way to help Ochsner's approximately 4,000
international patients and physicians who visit the main campus
every year, she said. Ochsner receives most of its international
patients from Latin America, specifically Honduras, Nicaragua and
Venezuela.
"Dr. Ochsner used to travel a lot to these areas so we get
generations of the same families coming here for 30 or 40 years,"
Dr. Hands said. "Before, when we had direct flights, it was a lot
easier for them to get here. Now, it will be less complicated, and
they won't have to fly into Houston and Miami, which is why we've
been pushing for international service. Everyone benefits."
For a full recap of the economic impact of this flight, please
visit www.GNOInc.org.
AeroMexico is the largest airline in Mexico, with about 35
percent of the market share of domestic Mexico airline service.
AeroMexico and AeroMexico Connect operate more than 600 daily
flights through its primary hub at Mexico City International
Airport to more than 45 destinations in Mexico, 16 U.S. cities in
11 states, two cities in two Canadian provinces, four locations in
South America, two cities in Central America, four European
destinations and two markets in Asia. It is the only Latin American
carrier that flies to Asia and has served Europe for more than 30
years.
