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The airline Viva Air suspends operations. What can travelers do now?

2023-02-28T21:04:09.027Z


"That they put me on another plane or that they pay me for the ticket," says one of the passengers stranded at airports. The company has 5,000 direct and indirect workers in Colombia.


By Astrid Suárez and Fernando Vergara -

The Associated Press

The low-cost Colombian airline Viva Air suspended its operations on Tuesday, alleging the critical financial situation it is going through, while it waits for the completion of an integration process with a group of airlines that must be approved by the Colombian authorities.

The suspension of operations was informed by the airline on Monday night with "immediate effect" and without indicating to passengers the steps to follow to continue their itineraries.

This Tuesday, dozens of travelers demanded a solution at the Bogotá international airport while they waited with their suitcases on chairs or lying on the floor.

In Peru, where Viva Air also operates, there were hundreds of passengers affected, especially at the country's most important airport, Jorge Chávez, in the capital.

A Viva Air passenger sleeps next to her suitcases at the El Dorado International Airport in Bogota, Colombia, Tuesday, February 28, 2023. Fernando Vergara / AP

Jesús Oñate, 35, was waiting at the El Dorado airport in Bogotá to board a flight for Montería, a city in the north of the country, for which he paid $53.

“I want them to put me on another plane or pay for my ticket

,” the man who lives in the capital and had planned to travel to see his family told The Associated Press news agency.

[The Mexican airline Aeromar closes due to financial problems and leaves almost 600 workers in suspense]

According to what he said, Viva Air notified him two days ago that his flight would be postponed from five in the morning to after noon, but he found out about the suspension through the media.

What can those affected do?

The Superintendence of Transportation, the authority in charge of monitoring the sector, urged Viva Air on Tuesday to guarantee the rights of users by maintaining communication channels and immediately seeking solutions "that the transportation contract demands of them."

The Civil Aeronautics indicated that

LATAM, Avianca and Satena will offer transportation alternatives, at no additional cost

and according to availability, to passengers who have a

confirmed Viva Air ticket or reservation for February 27 and 28 and 1 of March.

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In the case of

passengers bound for Lima and Mexico City, the help will be provided free of charge by LATAM and Avianca airlines.

While the airlines Viva Aerobús, Volaris and Wingo will apply special rates for passengers to Mexico City and Cancun.

[One pilot thought the flight instructor was “kidding” when he rested his head on his shoulder.

He was not asleep: he was dead]

Viva Air represents approximately 20% of the market in Colombia with national and international flights and

has 5,000 direct and indirect workers in the country.

Seven months ago, Viva Air and Avianca began a process for their business integration with the Colombian Civil Aeronautics, which according to the airlines would allow Viva Air to continue its operations as a low-cost subsidiary of Avianca —which represents approximately 40% of the market. local-.

However, the process has had obstacles and in November it was objected by the Air Transport Directorate because the alliance "tended to produce an undue restriction on competition" in the country, the Civil Aeronautics explained Tuesday in a statement.

After an appeal, the process was reactivated in January.

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"Unfortunately we are at this point due to the repeated delays of the Civil Aeronautics and its inability to recognize that what is best for Viva is also the best for all Colombians," the airline said in a statement.

Civil Aeronautics, for its part, defended itself by saying that it has been effective and has rigorously respected the procedural terms.

The day before, the Civil Aeronautics reported its decision to admit the airlines Ultra Air, Wingo, Aerolíneas Argentinas, LATAM and Jetsmart under the figure of third parties interested in the procedure after they expressed their interest in participating because they are competitors in the market and the business integration process could affect them.

Said airlines warned the Colombian authority that a possible approval of the integration could generate a high degree of concentration of participation of the routes in which they will compete, limitation in the access of the infrastructure in the El Dorado airport or practices that generate "exclusionary effects". ” how to offer low prices to create barriers.

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Castlesouth Limited, holder of the voting rights over Viva Air, criticized the decision of the Colombian authority the day before and warned that if it does not act and Viva Air disappears from the market, "the Colombian government will have privileged the interests of airlines managed from Argentina , Chile, Panama and the United States over those of Viva itself”.

Source: telemundo

All news articles on 2023-02-28

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