Air France and South America's Grupo TACA announced Wednesday they are to form an alliance in a bid to expand passenger and cargo traffic between Europe and Guatemala.

TACA Chairman Federico Bloch said that his company was satisfied at being able to seal an alliance with one of the world's leading passenger airlines and the fourth-largest international air freight carrier.

In addition to TACA airlines, Grupo TACA also includes Central American carriers Aviateca, LACSA and NICA.

Under the terms of the agreement, which takes effect April 9 and is designed to promote Guatemala as a tourist destination, Air France will be allowed to use Grupo TACA's route codes on its own flights.

In return, Grupo TACA will be able to connect to Air France's 273 destinations in 85 countries via Miami International Airport.

Air France has a fleet of 213 planes and operates some 1,300 flights per day, according to Jean Louis Pinson, Air France's director for Latin America.

The alliance will provide the best connection to Europe from Guatemala, and will provide Guatemala with great benefits for the economy and the tourism industry.

The agreement between TACA and Air France was signed at a time when Dutch airline KLM announced that it was closing down its operations in Guatemala, KLM's only Central American destination, because of the global aviation crisis.

Bloch said that TACA remained hopeful that the situation would not adversely affect the newly forged agreement.

Link: http://news.airwise.com/

This could get interesting, AA and AF now both TACA partners. Maks me think that thoes LP miles will now be more valuable AF, KLM TW, and US to Europe.

BSL