There are now 69 airline delegates registered for the 6th Routes Americas event and, with three weeks to go until the event opens, it looks likely that this event will surpasses last year’s total of 71. Routes Americas is the only annual event designed to facilitate meetings between senior airport executives and airline route decision makers as well as tourism authorities from North, Central, South America and the Caribbean.
Since the inaugural event, which took place in Cancun, Mexico, the event has seen year on year growth with over 350 delegates expected to attend this year’s event which takes place on 10-12 February in Cartagena. The seniority of airline delegates registered for this event is higher than any previous Routes Americas event with CEOs and other high level delegates from a variety of carriers. The team has already received registrations from the likes of Michael Thomas, Managing Director - Network Development for American Airlines, Alex Benitez, VP of Alliances, Fleet & Network Planning for AviancaTaca, Jason Reisinger, Director, Route Planning for US Airways, Enrique Beltranena, CEO of Volaris and John Kirby, Senior Director, International for Southwest Airlines.
The event is expected to attract over 60 airlines from across the region and beyond with confirmed representation from 48 carriers to date. All four US network carriers; US Airways, American Airlines, United Airlines (who attended the event for the first time last year) and the world’s largest airline, Delta Air Lines, have already confirmed that they will be in Colombia for the event along with the top low-cost carriers in the US (JetBlue, Southwest, and Spirit).
From elsewhere in the region the three largest carriers in Latin America (LATAM, GOL and AviancaTaca) have confirmed their presence along with Brazilian regional carrier AZUL who will attend their very first Routes event, Volaris, COPA Airlines, Aeromexico, start-up carrier VivaColombia and most recently Vivaaerobus. Moreover, a strong presence from Canada looks likely as registrations have so far included Sunwing Airlines, Air Canada, who will return to the event for the first time since 2009, and leading low cost carrier, WestJet which boast an extensive network into the Caribbean. Meanwhile out of region carriers who have confirmed they will attend the event include Condor, Norwegian and Turkish Airlines. Click here for the complete and most up to date list of attending airlines.
Almost 120 airport delegates representing 145 airports have also registered to attend the event to date. During the last week new registrations have been received from a number airports and tourism authorities including Aeropuertos de Honduras, Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares, Chicago Rockford International Airport, Guatemala Tourism Board – INGUAT, Jamaica Tourist Board, Visit Orlando and Martinique Promotion Bureau who will attend the event for the first time. Other first time attendees to Routes Americas include Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), Liege Airport and World Travel & Tourism Council.
Recently Winnipeg Airports Authority and Corporacion Quiport raised their profiles at Routes Americas significantly by confirming that they will each take one of the sponsorship packages available. Winnipeg will sponsor the Meetings System whilst Quiport confirmed sponsorship of the Routes Americas Strategy Summit, which is held in association with ALTA and will open the event on Sunday 10thFebruary.
With delegate figures rising all the time, this event is not to be missed by those wishing to discuss route development across the entire Americas region, for more information and to register your place click here.
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