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» HAS Newsroom
HOUSTON - (December 15, 2005). The direct nonstop flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina that departed from George Bush Intercontinental Airport last night marks the opening of a new air route between the United States and Latin America. This new route, which was awarded to the Houston Airport System and Continental Airlines by the U.S. Department of Transportation this past October, provides direct air service to and from Argentina on a daily basis from Houston for the first time in history.
For the Houston Airport System, this new service marks the 73rd international destination and the 52nd Latin American destination to which it's George Bush Intercontinental Airport provides air service. Prior to this air route there were no direct flights to Argentina from Houston.
Nonetheless, because of the strength with which Latin American markets have grown over the last several years in Houston, the Houston Airport System is emerging as one of the primary gateways to Latin America in the world. In the last 10 years, passenger traffic between Latin America and Houston has increased by 135 percent or by 1.9 million more passengers - year-to-date, more than 3.6 million passengers have traveled to and from Latin America from the Houston Airport System.
"Latin America is one of our strongest markets," explained Richard M. Vacar, director of the Houston Airport System. "This is not just due to our close proximity to this region of the world, but also to the convenient and easy access that our three airports provide to the rest of the world."
The Houston Airport System's George Bush Intercontinental Airport ranks #1 in the country for offering the largest air service network to Mexico - it offers the most weekly nonstop flights to Mexico and serves the largest number of destinations in that country. In addition, also during this month, the Houston Airport System will inaugurate new services to the islands of Punta Cana and Bonaire.
Passenger traffic between Latin America and Houston makes up 69 percent of the Houston Airport System's overall international market. International passenger traffic at the Houston Airport System reached 6.5 million passengers in 2004 and is growing at a double-digit rate this year.
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The Houston Airport System served more than 44.8 million passengers in 2004. It is the 4th-largest multi-airport system in the U.S. and the 6th-largest in the world. Bush Intercontinental is the world's 12th-busiest airport. For more information, visit www.houstonairportsystem.org.
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