COLOMBIA: DEMARCHE ON AIRES SERVICE TO FT.

UNCLAS BOGOTA 000100 SIPDIS SENSITIVE EEB/TRA FOR DHUTCHENS AND TROCHE; PASS TO DOT BHEDBERG E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR EINV ECON PGOV ETRD EFIN CO SUBJECT: COLOMBIA: DEMARCHE ON AIRES SERVICE TO FT. LAUDERDALE REF: ROCHE - POPP 1/7/2009 UNCLASS EMAIL ¶1. (SBU) On January 9 Econoff delivered copies of ref email points to Claudia Esguerra, Director of International Affairs & Regulations at AeroCivil. Esguerra said she supported the AIRES route and would send official notification to DOT of their selection of Ft. Lauderdale as a city on the route schedule during the next few weeks. (NOTE: Initially Esguerra did not seem to understand our question, regarding the selection of Ft. Lauderdale as a point on the route schedule. She had an assistant bring a copy of the bilateral agreement and re-read Annex II(A)(2)a before saying that they would designate Ft. Lauderdale. END NOTE.) Esguerra referred to a letter addressed to DOT's Office of Aviation Negotiations on March 18, 2008, stating she thought that letter clearly displayed AeroCivil's support of Ft. Lauderdale as a destination for AIRES. Post can fax or email a copy of the letter at DOT request. AeroCivil will select the other two points at a later date, as they receive requests from airlines for new routes. Esguerra added that AIRES had not yet purchased a plane able to fly to the U.S., and that AIRES would not receive AeroCivil certification for U.S. flights until after that purchase. NICHOLS