LATAM Colombia has added five new Airbus A320 to its fleet in recent days to meet the needs faced as a result of Viva’s cessation of operations, the company said in a press release. As a result, it now has 30 aircraft operating in the country.
See also: Avianca – Viva integration: Colombian authorities decision expected today
More aircraft and more personnel for LATAM Colombia
The new aircraft will allow it to sell an additional 210.000 seats per month. The figure represents a 20% increase in LATAM’s offer in Colombia. To sustain this operation, the company hired 220 former Viva employees, including pilots, cabin crew and maintenance technicians.
On 28 March, the airline will inaugurate flights between Bogotá (BOG) and Riohacha (RCH). In addition, from 1 April it will increase the number of seats in tourist cities such as San Andrés, Cartagena, Santa Marta and Pereira, as well as in Medellín, Barranquilla, Cali and Bucaramanga.
Expansion after Viva’s collapse
“At LATAM, we were able to react quickly to expand our operations and thus assume, with concrete actions, the responsibility we have with the country to protect the connectivity of Colombia and the consumer”, said Santiago Álvarez, CEO of LATAM Colombia.
Until the cessation of its operations, Viva was the third largest carrier in the country and represented 21% of the total market. It was also the dominant operator at some airports, so the termination of its activities had a particular impact on some communities.
For example, it operated 41% of the flights to and from Riohacha each month. In this context, the inauguration of LATAM Colombia services between Riohacha and El Dorado International Airport, a major hub, is strategic.
“We were able to mobilise quickly to respond to the pressing need to keep La Guajira connected to the rest of the country”, said Álvarez.
With the inauguration of the new service, LATAM Colombia will have a network of 35 domestic routes in fifteen cities in the country. It will also offer eight international routes to Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Peru and the United States.
