The Government Holds Talks with Airlines from Belgium, Europe, the United States, Asia, and South America, Informed CEPA. Currently, 14 passenger airlines operate at El Salvador’s airport.
The strategies implemented by President Nayib Bukele’s government have allowed new international airlines to land at El Salvador’s International Airport in recent years, stated Federico Anliker, the president of the Autonomous Executive Port Commission (CEPA).
The first airline to operate in the country under President Bukele’s administration was Frontier, which landed in April 2021, followed by Volaris in October of the same year. The following year, Tropic Air and TAG Airlines, Arajet, and Air Transat joined the list. Currently, other airlines have shown interest in starting operations in El Salvador.
“We are on the verge of receiving a new airline… There are companies from Belgium, the United States, South America, Asia, and European countries with whom we are having serious discussions, and we have already had on-site visits to the airport,” assured the official.
He added that the government’s strategies to modernize various sectors have also allowed airlines to open new routes to different destinations. “We are expanding the range of healthy competition so that Salvadorans can have more options and choose the best fares and services,” said the official.
According to the records of the autonomous commission, there are currently 14 commercial passenger airlines and six cargo airlines operating at the airport.
The official also highlighted that the flow of passengers at the country’s main air terminal has increased by 18%, serving nearly 1.7 million passengers between January 1st and June 4th.
Additionally, he reported that the airport’s cargo terminal has recorded 10 million kilograms of imports and exports, representing a 5% increase from January 1st to the present.
Ilopango Airport
The president of CEPA also announced that the works at Ilopango Airport are 45% complete. “There has been no investment since the 1960s. It was an extremely limited infrastructure. We are resolving what past governments failed to do,” he stated.