Government Tells San Pedro: Your Airport Is Running Out of Room
The government and the Belize Airport Authority called the new airport proposal “not a response to current failure” and described it as planning for future demand.
The statement comes as the San Pedro Town Council has formally voted to oppose closing the existing airport.
The airport was built when passenger numbers, flights, tourist arrivals and development were far lower than they are today, the government says. With the resident population and visitor arrivals both still growing, the government points to mounting pressure on aircraft movements, passenger processing, room to expand and long-term safety planning.
A new airport would bring more capacity, better terminal and airside facilities, safer design and more room to operate, according to the government. It would also hold up better in emergencies and natural disasters and create investment, jobs and business openings for Belizeans. The government calls it part of a bigger plan to modernise transportation, strengthen tourism and draw investment.
It also took on the worry over the eventual closure of the existing airport. “Those concerns are understandable and deserve thoughtful consideration.”
The government said any move would be handled carefully: “Any transition would be undertaken only through careful planning, consultation, and coordination with airlines, regulatory authorities, businesses, and the people of San Pedro.”
The government says the issue shouldn’t be treated as a fight between development and preservation or between the government and the airlines. It says talks with airline partners have already started.
