:quality(85)//cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/GA7TPO7SBBFYNH7OKQSCIQEL2Y.png "Aerocivil responded to Viva Air which justified the suspension of its operations by not integrating with Avianca 1")
On the night of Monday February 27 Protests were reported by passengers of the airline Viva Air, at the airports of Rionegro and Bogotá, after the company announced that it would suspend its operations in the country after the announcement by the Civil Aeronautics of Colombia (Aerocivil) that there are third parties interested in having this low-cost airline integrate with a company that allows it to overcome the financial crisis it is going through.
Problems at the José María Córdova airport in Rionegro due to the protest of Viva Air employees
Employees demand a quick fix to save the low-cost airline and their jobs
“This decision, unprecedented for the entity, will cause further delays in decision-making, therefore Viva is unfortunately forced to announce the suspension of its operations with immediate effect.” underline.
They also recalled that They presented the Colombian government with ample evidence that they were in dire financial straits and would continue negotiations with their creditors. to resume operations.
Francisco Lalinde will replace Félix Antelo as interim president of Viva Air
Given the economic difficulties of the low-cost company, it and Avianca have expressed to Civil Aeronautics their intention to integrate so that it does not disappear from the air market.
“The only way to keep flying is for Civil Aeronautics to allow it to be part of a stronger and better capitalized group of airlines.. On the other hand, its decision (…) calls into question the future of low-cost air service in Colombia and endangers the jobs of 5,000 Colombians”, they assured.
And they added at the end of the statement that they worked tirelessly to achieve an alliance with Avianca, which was frustrated, because among other reasons Aerocivil did not follow the proper procedures to assess the transaction.
Viva air canceled flights to Buenos Aires and Lima, passengers protest at El Dorado airport
The situation became known thanks to social networks, users ask the airline to relocate them so as not to miss the flight
“In a period of seven months, the government received more than five financial updates to demonstrate that Viva was qualified to process its request under the number “exception of business in crisis” which realized the urgent need for a definition”, they concluded.
Given these indications, the Aerocivil issued another statement in which they responded to the aeronautical company, assuring that the aforementioned process It was made as planned, after telling what happened with the integration that Viva Air was looking for with Avianca.
“The operation presented by the companies for authorization from the Civil Aeronautics was objected by the Air Transport Directorate on November 4, 2022, identifying that it tended to produce an undue restriction on competition”, they remembered.
They explained that thus the aeronautical authority ordered to redo the procedure governed by competition law and that the parties concerned had the possibility of expressing their views and proposing solutions so that when these two airlines were integrated free competition will not be affected.
“The conditions offered by stakeholders to mitigate the impact on free competition will be transferred in due course and transparent for recognized third parties interested in the action, who can express their opinions in this regard. detailed.
They assured that the aforementioned procedure is carried out according to the principles of speed and efficiency in the administrative function, whose schedules were respected.
Finally, they announced that They will work to ensure the well-being of travelers who suffer the consequences of the suspension of service.
“In view of the statements made by Viva regarding its decision to cancel the flights of thousands of passengers who tickets purchased while waiting to fly, the entity, in the exercise of its functions and in collaboration with the Superintendence of Transport, will pay particular attention to the respect of the rights of the users concerned. They finished the statement.
Monday night and early Tuesday there has been a report of users of this airline stranded at the José María Córdova airport in Rionegro, and that of El Dorado in Bogotá, who posted videos expressing their dissatisfaction with this aviation company and its suspension of operations in the country.