Avianca: “Aerocivil’s conditions to approve integration with Viva Air are unfeasible”.
In an interview on Blu Radio’s Mañanas Blu program, Avianca’s Global Vice President of Operations, Frederico Pedreira, gave details about his position regarding the conditions of the Civil Aeronautics for the integration with Viva Air.
According to Pedreira, nine months have already passed without a firm decision and on the other hand, he assured that Aerocivil’s conditions to allow the integration of the two airlines are unfeasible.
“The conditions, as they are today, are impossible to accept. On the one hand, there are demands to maintain capacity. There is no firm decision, we cannot accept,” he said.
Regarding the number of Viva’s airplanes, he pointed out that, out of 22, there are now 10, and in terms of personnel, he stated that they do not know how many workers there are.
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With respect to user protection, he highlighted that in the midst of the contingency due to the cessation of operations of Viva and Ultra, Avianca has mobilized around 15,000 passengers free of charge: “we are willing to accept the conditions to protect passengers”.
For his part, he spoke about slots, which have become a point of conversation about what would be the integration, which is basically the authorization to land or take off at a certain time.
“If you don’t have the aircraft and slots, the operation is not viable. We have to achieve consistent slots”, he emphasized.
Finally, he made strong criticisms against airlines such as Latam and Copa, which he implicated in the delays that have occurred in order to achieve an eventual integration.
Regarding the Aerocivil, he said: “Considered opinions of third parties, third parties such as Latam and Copa have delayed the decision. They (airlines) are being considered in the process and their objective is that Viva is not saved”.
Aerocivil’s conditions for the merger:
- Respect the rights of Viva Air users, reimbursing tickets for cancelled flights and allowing those with reservations pending execution to fly without problems.
- Return slots in both departures and arrivals, in order to guarantee competitive conditions at El Dorado Airport.
- Maintain Viva Air’s low-cost scheme as an option that offers alternatives to air transport service users, especially on those routes served only by that airline.
- Return frequencies on the Bogota – Buenos Aires route, without affecting the supply of seats, opening the possibility for new entrants.
- Maintain an effective fare ceiling on those routes where the integrated entity has 100% participation and also guarantee dynamism on the routes subject to greater concentration.
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