Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Almost five months behind schedule, Transporte Aéreo Regional (TAR), based in Queretaro, will begin regional operations next March - once it receives the first 3 of 14 planes that will constitute the first stage of the company's fleet.

The regional director of the Jalisco Ministry of Tourism, Ludwig Estrada Virgen, stressed that the addition of the Mexican airline will be very important for Puerto Vallarta, as the 50-passenger air crafts will operate as a supplementary airline for larger enterprises.

Initially a November 1st "debut" was contemplated, however for logistic reasons, the commencement date was postponed until two more planes have been added to the first Embraer ERJ145 that has already been delivered. Once there are three planes in the fleet, TAR will focus on routes not covered by larger carriers, typically regional flights that can be made in under an hour and a half, with destinations such as Guadalajara (extending to Puerto Vallarta), Monterrey, Acapulco, Ixtapa, Los Mochis, Durango and Puebla.

The investment made by the Grupo MAFRA Company for the acquisition of aircraft, building the base of operations and the service and control center is more than 265 million pesos, which will generate around 320 direct jobs.

Estrada Virgen considers the addition of another airline serving Puerto Vallarta and routes that connect to this destination will result in more competitive air fares and offer national travelers more choices for the next holiday period of Holy Week and Easter vacations.