WELCOME TO REGIONAL AMERICAS

Over the past four years the Route Development Group (RDG) have organized a number of Routes’ Regional Events throughout the world that allow airports and airlines to meet and do business, ensuring that they build on the strengths of Routes, The World Route Development Forum yet still cater specifically for airlines and airports in each regional market.

The inaugural Routes’ Regional Americas event was declared a resounding success by delegates meeting in Cancun, Mexico. 300 air service development professionals gathered to discuss new route opportunities in the first event to link North, South and Central America. Airlines attending ranged from the US majors to Latin American low cost start-ups. Airports confirmed that many route opportunities had been identified over the two days of networking and new services were likely to follow.

Hosted by the Mexican airport group, ASUR, the event began with a conference which discussed "Winning strategies for the Americas". The keynote address was given by Alex de Gunten, Executive Director, ALTA, the Latin American airline association. Important contributions were also made by speakers from Southwest Airlines, vivaAerobus, Continental Airlines, Dallas Fort/Worth International Airport and ASUR.

Mike Howarth, Chairman of Routes said, "For some time there has been a need for an airline to airport networking event that links both North and South America and the success of this first Routes' Regional Americas has proved this. New air services will undoubtedly result from the meetings held in Cancun and we are proud that Routes has helped to make this possible".

Mike Szucs, vivaAerobus CEO commented, "This inaugural Routes' Regional Americas forum was the first of what I hope will be many in the years ahead. The opportunity for aviation market growth in Latin America is enormous. It is therefore timely, though not surprising, that the Americas now has a forum to focus on its specific needs. vivaAerobus does not go big on events, but when one such as this brings so many stakeholders together, for once it makes good cost sense to attend".

Buddy Anslinger, Managing Director, Planning and Scheduling, Continental Airlines added, "I have had many productive and informative meetings over the past couple of days and I look forward to next year's event Routes' are an important part of my annual network development activity and it is great that they are now holding a regional event for the Americas".

ASUR will also host the second Routes' Regional America event in Cancun to be held 15-17 February 2009.

Can you afford not to be there?