Colombia’s Avianca to fly direct from Cali to New York and to Uruguay in December

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Avianca Holdings continues to rebuild its pre-pandemic network while also adding new routes. The company will resume flights from Bogota to Montevideo, Uruguay, and will offer flights from Cali to New York.

The holding company is seeking to promote tourism in Colombia and its regions, and economic reactivation by inaugurating new direct international routes to and from alternative cities, while trying to maintain its competitive position as the main airline in Bogotá.

FROM CALI TO NEW YORK

The Big Apple will be Avianca’s fourth international destination from Cali, after Miami, Orlando (seasonal), and Madrid, still awaiting a return flight.

The service will be operated three times a week starting December 3, 2021 on Airbus A320 aircraft with capacity for 150 passengers, supplying 900 seats per week.

The company will be competing with American Airlines’ recently inaugurated flight to New York (JFK), operated daily on an Airbus A319.

This new international connection will soon be added to the Colombian airline’s traditional destinations from Cali to Cancun, Mexico City, Quito and San Jose, Costa Rica.

Currently, seat supply at Alfonso Bonilla Aragon International Airport is up 1.6% over September 2019, according to Cirium. Although the international market maintains negative numbers, having recovered 85% mainly due to the drop in LATAM flights to Lima (LIM), Avior to Caracas (CCS) and the end of operations of TAME. Avianca formerly operated flights to Lima (LIM) and Guayaquil (GYE).

RETURN OF FLIGHTS TO URUGUAY

The Colombian company will resume flights to Montevideo (MVD) from Bogotá (BOG) as of December 2, 2021 with three weekly departures, after having suspended them in February 2021. These flights will be operated on A319s, offering 720 seats per week.

The suspension at the time was due to low occupancy levels as a result of restrictions in Uruguay. From November onwards, limitations on vaccinated travelers will be lifted, thereby allowing foreign tourists to return to the country.

Before the pandemic, the company had an average occupancy rate of 84%, according to Aerocivil data.

With this announcement, Avianca will be the third company to announce its return to Uruguay in recent weeks, after Brazil’s GOL Linhas Aéreas (to fly from November 3) and Aerolíneas Argentinas to resume flights on September 14 to Montevideo and Punta del Este. On the other hand, Iberia and Copa Airlines have increased their flights to Montevideo.