Puerto Vallarta to enjoy spring break thanks to Mexicana

Mexican authorities have revealed that tickets for travel on Mexicana, Mexico's once proud flag-carrier, will go on sale February 20 of this year. The announcement revealed the size of the now dramatically reduced fleet of nine Airbus A319 and A320 planes.

According to National Deputy Secretary of Transportation Secretary, Humberto Trevino, the recently bankrupted Mexicana Airlines, which in August 2010 suspended all flights, will resume flights to Puerto Vallarta in May 2011.

Gerardo Badin, who headed up the bankruptcy negotiations for the airlines, stated that the company avoided outright collapse by restructuring as a much smaller, but stronger player in the highly competitive tourist-sector. It will be operated by Avianca domestically and American Airlines overseas.

Miguel Gargollo representative for Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), the owners of Puerto Vallarta´s airport (PVR), confirmed that Mexicana had transported approximately 18% of GAP's passenger traffic to its 12 airports throughout Mexico's Northwest. In December 2010 the group handled over 1,779,000 across its network of airports. While businesses in the Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit expressed optimism that the resurgence of Mexicana was good for business, most expect a slow recovery throughout 2011.

Hotels and restaurants in Puerto Vallarta and neighboring Riviera Nayarit have suffered a series of economic set backs over the past few years beginning with hype surrounding the swine flu, the international financial crisis, an increase in drug violence in Mexican towns along the US border, the demise of Mexicana and most recently the cold front that has engulfed much of the pacific area.

Many expressed relief at the good news with one local business-owner stating "It's heartening to have something to celebrate. Mexican tourist destinations have had a difficult time fighting a wave of bad press in recent years. While most of the trouble facing Mexico occurs hundreds of miles from the nearest tourist resort, many would-be vacationers are concerned about traveling to places like Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cancun or the Riviera Maya. Despite an increase in local security and public relations efforts it's been a tough season, though things are beginning to pick up, that is if the weather improves."

GAP had initially forecast a loss in passenger traffic upon hearing of Mexicana’s bankruptcy announcement. However it beat analyst expectations closing 2010 with a 5.6% increase in passengers thanks to the addition of new flights by other carriers, including Alaska Airlines and Continental, which quickly absorbed close to 30% of Mexicana's lost passenger traffic.

It is reported that the airline will re-launch operations with domestic flights to Mexico City, Cancun and Guadalajara. International flights will include Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Antonio and San Francisco.

The national carrier will then expand its domestic service to include Monterrey, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Puerto Vallarta and Tuxtla Gutierrez while simultaneously increasing international flights to Bogota, Guatemala, El Salvador, Havana, Costa Rica, Orlando, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary in Canada just in time for the much anticipated Spring Break.