Colombia: Avianca denounces LATAM for marketing flights without permission
Avianca denounced that LATAM “has been publishing and marketing flights to and from Bogota, without having the required slot, that is, previously authorized by the Civil Aeronautics”, according to the resolution of the Superindustry.
Let’s remember that a slot is the aircraft’s take-off and landing time slot, a very valuable asset in the airline industry.
In addition, the company assured that LATAM is marketing a greater number of flights than the number of slots and/or historically assigned. By way of example, it indicated that “for November 1, 2023, in the slot between 07:00 and 07:59 a.m. local time, LATAM is marketing 9 flights, when in fact it only has the approval to market 6 flights. The same happens between 11:00 a.m. and 11:59 a.m. local time on the same date, where LATAM is marketing 5 flights, when in fact it only has approval to market 4 flights. This situation is repeated systematically”.
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Finally, it alleged that LATAM also marketed flights to operate in unauthorized hours.
After studying this complaint, the SIC concluded “preliminarily that LATAM has violated the rules governing the planning and allocation of slots, a situation that allows it to have greater presence in the air transport market in an irregular manner which could lead to a violation of the ‘guiding principles of the allocation of slots for air operations'”.
In addition, the competition authority states that “the volume of sales of flights and tickets by LATAM has increased in an irregular manner or, in any way, has consolidated a competitive advantage arising from a procedure contrary to market rules”.
Based on this, the SIC will decree precautionary measures to order LATAM to cease these anticompetitive conducts, once Avianca submits a bond for 180 million pesos, a figure to cover the eventual damages that the measures may cause to LATAM.
After the SIC responded to Avianca’s request, LATAM made a statement.
“It is surprising that, through the exercise of this type of biased legal actions, Avianca intends to continue increasing its competitive advantage by generating restrictions to other airlines, to the detriment of the consumer,” said Santiago Alvarez, CEO of LATAM Airlines Colombia.
LATAM reiterated that it has all the necessary slots for its operations to and from Bogota and also “complies with all the rules that regulate the planning and allocation of slots at El Dorado Airport with the approval of the Civil Aeronautics. In this sense, the company has offered and marketed all its flights in compliance with the law and in accordance with the principles and provisions of the aeronautical regulations.
With information from WRadio
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