The Colombian airline Avianca has requested authorization to launch 11 new international routes from Bogota (BOG), Cartagena (CTG), Medellin (MDE), and Cali (CLO) to different destinations in the Americas and Europe. These new routes would have up to seven flights per week and heavily increase Avianca’s capacity.
New routes
On September 26, Avianca requested Colombia’s Civil Aviation Authority (Aerocivil) to launch 11 new international routes from Colombia to the United States (one route), Brazil (two routes), Peru (one route), Bolivia (one route, in a fifth freedom flight), Ecuador (three routes), the Dominican Republic (one route), Puerto Rico (one route), and Spain (two routes).
Avianca would operate its long-haul Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet for the Spain services, while the other routes would be operated with Avianca’s short-haul Airbus A320 family fleet. The routes requested by the Colombian airline are:
- Bogota-Boston (BOS)
- Bogota-Belo Horizonte (CNF)
- Bogota-Cuzco (CUZ)-La Paz (LPB). This route could be authorized only as Bogota-Cuzco, leaving La Paz away.
- Bogota-Manaus (MAO)
- Cali-Barcelona (BCN)
- Cartagena-Guayaquil (GYE)
- Medellin-Guayaquil
- Medellin-Santo Domingo (SDQ)
- Medellin-Quito (UIO)
- Medellin-San Juan (SJU)
- Medellin-Barcelona
These routes show that Avianca is looking to heavily increase its connectivity at Medellín, its second-largest hub in Colombia. Moreover, Medellín is mainly known for being Viva’s base of operations. Viva and Avianca are looking to create a holding joining forces in Colombia.
How contested are these routes?
Let’s take a look at these routes. Are they contested, or will Avianca be the only player operating them?
First, Avianca’s new routes from Bogota are completely uncontested, according to data by Cirium. There’s no airline flying currently from Bogota to Boston, Belo Horizonte, or Cuzco. Additionally, there’s no one flying the Cuzco-La Paz segment requested by Avianca using a fifth freedom.
The same happens with the routes from Cali and Cartagena. No one is flying the long-haul services between Cali and Barcelona. Instead, the available long-haul routes are Bogota-Barcelona (Avianca), Bogota-Madrid (Avianca, Iberia, and Air Europa), Cali-Madrid (Avianca), Medellín-Madrid (Avianca and Air Europa), and Cartagena-Madrid (Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas). The route Cartagena-Guayaquil is also uncontested.
Now, looking at the requested routes from Medellín, there’s only one that is already contested. We are talking about the service between Medellín and Santo Domingo, already operated twice a week by Wingo, Copa Holdings subsidiary in Colombia.
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Boston & Madrid: Avianca Requests 11 New International Routes
Boston & Madrid: Avianca Requests 11 New International Routes
By
Daniel Martínez Garbuno
Published 2 hours ago
Avianca is looking to increase its capacity at Medellín International Airport.
An Avianca aircraft.
Photo: Avianca.
Avianca Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner N792AV (2)
Avianca
IATA/ICAO Code:
AV/AVA
Airline Type:
Full Service Carrier
Hub(s):
El Dorado International Airport, El Salvador International Airport
Year Founded:
1919
Alliance:
Star Alliance
Airline Group:
Avianca Group
CEO:
Adrian Neuhauser
Country:
Colombia
The Colombian airline Avianca has requested authorization to launch 11 new international routes from Bogota (BOG), Cartagena (CTG), Medellin (MDE), and Cali (CLO) to different destinations in the Americas and Europe. These new routes would have up to seven flights per week and heavily increase Avianca’s capacity.
New routes
On September 26, Avianca requested Colombia’s Civil Aviation Authority (Aerocivil) to launch 11 new international routes from Colombia to the United States (one route), Brazil (two routes), Peru (one route), Bolivia (one route, in a fifth freedom flight), Ecuador (three routes), the Dominican Republic (one route), Puerto Rico (one route), and Spain (two routes).
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Avianca would operate its long-haul Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet for the Spain services, while the other routes would be operated with Avianca’s short-haul Airbus A320 family fleet. The routes requested by the Colombian airline are:
Bogota-Boston (BOS)
Bogota-Belo Horizonte (CNF)
Bogota-Cuzco (CUZ)-La Paz (LPB). This route could be authorized only as Bogota-Cuzco, leaving La Paz away.
Bogota-Manaus (MAO)
Cali-Barcelona (BCN)
Cartagena-Guayaquil (GYE)
Medellin-Guayaquil
Medellin-Santo Domingo (SDQ)
Medellin-Quito (UIO)
Medellin-San Juan (SJU)
Medellin-Barcelona
These routes show that Avianca is looking to heavily increase its connectivity at Medellín, its second-largest hub in Colombia. Moreover, Medellín is mainly known for being Viva’s base of operations. Viva and Avianca are looking to create a holding joining forces in Colombia.
An Avianca aircraft.
Avianca requested authorization to launch 11 new international routes. Photo: Daniel Martínez Garbuno | Simple Flying.
How contested are these routes?
Let’s take a look at these routes. Are they contested, or will Avianca be the only player operating them?
First, Avianca’s new routes from Bogota are completely uncontested, according to data by Cirium. There’s no airline flying currently from Bogota to Boston, Belo Horizonte, or Cuzco. Additionally, there’s no one flying the Cuzco-La Paz segment requested by Avianca using a fifth freedom.
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The same happens with the routes from Cali and Cartagena. No one is flying the long-haul services between Cali and Barcelona. Instead, the available long-haul routes are Bogota-Barcelona (Avianca), Bogota-Madrid (Avianca, Iberia, and Air Europa), Cali-Madrid (Avianca), Medellín-Madrid (Avianca and Air Europa), and Cartagena-Madrid (Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas). The route Cartagena-Guayaquil is also uncontested.
Now, looking at the requested routes from Medellín, there’s only one that is already contested. We are talking about the service between Medellín and Santo Domingo, already operated twice a week by Wingo, Copa Holdings subsidiary in Colombia.
An Avianca aircraft.
What’s the latest on the Avianca-Viva partnership
Avianca, Viva Colombia, Viva Peru, and GOL Linhas Aéreas are looking to launch a new holding called Abra Group Limited. This holding would encompass these four airlines creating the largest airline group in South America.
Nonetheless, the holding is facing setbacks and controversy in Colombia. Other airlines in the country do not want Avianca and Viva under the same ownership. They believe the consolidation would create a monopoly impacting the Colombian aviation industry, increasing ticket prices.
This week it was reported that Avianca and Viva are facing a demand in Colombia. The plaintiffs argue that Avianca and Viva are already working together, despite not having authorization from the Colombian civil aviation authorities.
Source: Simple Flying.
