Avianca and United Airlines have formalized their requests with Colombia’s civil aviation authority to operate new strategic routes to Venezuela and the United States.
Avianca Seeks to Connect Medellin with Caracas
The Colombian flag carrier has submitted the required documentation to the Civil Aviation Authority of Colombia (Aerocivil) aiming to expand its international network from the Department of Antioquia to the Venezuelan capital.
Medellin–Caracas Route Operational Details:
- Frequency: Seven weekly flights (one daily flight).
- Proposed Fleet: Airbus A320 family aircraft, specifically Airbus A319 and Airbus A320 models.
If approved by the regulatory authority, this route would add to the connections the company already operates to Venezuela, which include the Bogota–Caracas and Bogota–Maracaibo routes—the latter scheduled to launch on August 28. With this addition, the carrier would enter into direct competition on this segment with Avior Airlines and Wingo.
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United Airlines Projects Growth in Colombia
Meanwhile, the U.S. carrier has focused its growth strategy on the Colombian Caribbean, requesting Aerocivil authorization to link the city of Cartagena with two major hubs in the United States.
United’s Application Operational Details:
- Requested Routes: Houston–Cartagena and Washington, D.C.–Cartagena.
- Frequencies: Seven weekly flights for each of the routes.
- Proposed Fleet: Boeing 737 aircraft.
- Regulatory Framework: The request is filed under fourth-freedom traffic rights.
For the North American airline, approval of this service would consolidate Cartagena as its third destination in Colombian territory, adding to its existing operations into Bogota and Medellin.
The launch of these new services remains subject to government evaluation and subsequent approval by Aerocivil. Should both applications succeed, the regional aviation sector will see a significant increase in seat capacity and direct connectivity options for both business and leisure passengers.
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Un apasionado por la aviación, Fundador y CEO de Aviación al Día.