By Juan Pedro Sanchez Zamudio
Avianca Transported 929,000 Passengers Over Holiday Season
Between Dec. 2020 and Jan. 11, 2021, Avianca moved more than 929,000 passengers across 9,287 flights in its network of domestic and international routes in Colombia, which reflects that air traffic is still active.
In the domestic market, more than 747,000 passengers flew on 7,192 flights and on international routes about 182,000 travelers on 2,095 flights, under strict biosecurity protocols that the Colombian carrier has.
In a press release, Avianca also stated that the airline maintained a punctuality indicator of 95.41% and 98.95% in compliance with schedules.
In this regard, Julián Laverde, Avianca’s Vice President of Network Operations, commented, “We continue to gradually reactivate our operation to continue connecting Colombians, who can be sure that we maintain and apply the strictest biosecurity protocols so that they can fly safely”.
“We have strengthened our operational processes to offer our clients a better service, which reflects the positive results in the indicators of punctuality in the departure of flights and compliance with itineraries”, he added.
“The numbers reflect the relevance of air transport for the country, so we will continue working to adapt our network – one of our most precious assets – to the needs of the new market and the new traveler”, he finished.
Although the reactivation is gradually taking place positively, compared to last holiday season, the airline transported 65% fewer passengers, when 2,666,097 customers traveled on national and international routes.
Currently, Avianca has 35 active domestic routes, which include not only direct flights from Bogotá, but also regional routes that connect directly without stopover at El Dorado airport. On the international side, customers have 34 active routes from Colombia.
Despite this press release, during the last holiday season and the beginning of the year, Avianca maintained more than 40 aircraft on the ground, largely due to the decrease in passengers and restrictions in some countries around the world.
A large part of the Colombian carrier fleet remains on the ground, taking into account that of its 132 aircraft, 90 are operating, the rest still do not start engines, most of them are those that make flights to Europe or long distance, such as for example part of their Boeing 787s.
According to reportur, the Colombian Government opened an investigation against Avianca for transporting a passenger who flew from Florida and presented a positive PCR COVID-19 test at the immigration control at El Dorado Airport in Bogotá. Apparently, at the time of the boarding, the passenger stated that she had not been able to carry out the test, so the airline allowed him to travel based on the protocols established by the Ministry of Health.
The Colombian Government requires passengers to prove a negative PCR COVID-19 test to enter the country by air, but with exceptions such as the possibility of taking it once they enter the country or do isolation for 14 days, or until they have the result.
The three things Juan Pedro loves most about aviation are aircraft, airports, and traveling thousands of miles in just a few hours. What he enjoys the most about aviation is that it is easier and cheaper to travel around the world and this gives you the opportunity to visit places you thought were too far away. He has traveled to different destinations in North, Central, South America and Asia. Born, raised and still living in Perú, Juan is a lawyer, soccer lover, foodie, passionate traveler, dog lover, millennial and curious by nature.
