The suspension of national and international flights was announced by the low-cost Colombian airline Viva Air Colombia, noting that the civil aviation regulator refuses to act quickly on an urgent request to merge with the national airline Avianca, reports La Prensa Latina in February. 28
The airline said in a statement that it took this step after Aeronáutica Civil (Aerocivil) decided to involve third parties in the acquisition proposal review process.
These third parties include JetSmart, a low-cost South American airline controlled by the US investment fund Indigo Partners, as well as other Colombian and foreign companies.
“This unprecedented decision will result in further delays and will force Viva Air to announce a suspension of operations with immediate effect.” the airline said.
The airline said it provided Aerocivil with a large amount of evidence that it is facing a critical financial situation and can only continue to fly if it is allowed to become a “part of a stronger and more capitalized airline group.”
Viva stated that although its flights are suspended, “will continue to negotiate with creditors… and will work to maintain the ability to resume operations in the future if Aerocivil immediately approves the next alliance.”
The low-cost airline based at the José María Córdoba International Airport, which serves the northwestern city of Medellín, had already announced earlier this month the cancellation of some domestic flights.
Viva’s actions sparked protests at the Bogotá and Barranquilla airports, where stranded passengers demanded that their rights be respected.
Upon learning of Viva’s decision, Aerocivil issued a statement assuring passengers that it would work to ensure “respect for the rights of affected passengers”.
In November, Avianca and Viva Air Colombia filed an appeal after Aerocivil rejected their merger proposal on the grounds that it would hinder competition.
Source: Rossa Primavera
I am Michael Melvin, an experienced news writer with a passion for uncovering stories and bringing them to the public. I have been working in the news industry for over five years now, and my work has been published on multiple websites. As an author at 24 News Reporters, I cover world section of current events stories that are both informative and captivating to read.