:quality(85)//cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/U3JZYJQ4IFHFXHLTGOPG3ZAIGE.jpg "JetSmart would operate 27 routes in Colombia and cover 20% of the low-cost market 1")
After the announcement of the opening of operations in Colombia by the Ministry of Transport to the Chilean airline JetSmart, we learned what would be the main routes of the company in the country, as well as its percentage of participation in the market of so-called low cost in Colombian territory.
Within three months, the company must provide evidence demonstrating compliance with the requirements of the Civil aeronautics, in addition to providing all the documents requested by the Colombian authorities. Once its operations have been approved, the airline can fly in the country.
JetSmart would operate in four south american countries if it manages to participate in the Colombian market, since it already has air fleets in Chile, Argentina and Peru, countries in which it offers trips at an affordable price, it would also do so with a new fleet made up of planes Airbus A320neo.
The routes it would have in Colombia would pass through the airports of Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena, Cali, Barranquilla, Santa Marta, Bucaramanga, San Andrés, Pereira, Montería, Cúcuta, Pasto and Pereira, covering the market previously held by Viva Air company .
About the latter, his operations covered 18%It also had 45 routes, 34 of which were national. JetSmart would enter this space, in order to meet the needs of customers accustomed to traveling with the Colombian company which would be liquidated or sold.
In this way, the Chilean airline would have coverage that would reach 20% taking into account that it already has international connections from Colombia and with this capitalization it could expand its coverage.
The Chilean airline has been operating in Colombia for months, but its flights they are not nationals. For now, it has routes, mainly to Chile. These are the current prices in Colombian pesos for flights departing from the three main cities of Colombia to the Chilean capital and other cities in this country.
Medellin to Santiago: $1,402,339
Cali to Antofagasta: $1,071,991
Cali to Santiago: $1,392,580
Bogota to Santiago: $1,392,580
Concerning the prices of the connections between the Colombian capitals, the commercial figures are not yet known; however, they would have values similar to those of Viva Air, which could sometimes be obtained from 160,000 pesos in low season or by purchasing promotions with medium-term flights.
President of JetSmart, Stuart Ortizsaid the intentions of this company to offer these services in Colombia, “Our business model is focused on providing air transport services to all Colombians through a timely, reliable operation and for a few pesos”, he said. he declares.
In addition, he spoke of the recognitions that the Chilean company holds, which give a guarantee of what its operations in the country of coffee would be, “we have been chosen the best low cost in South America and we want to bring this service to Colombia, where geography and the lack of an adequate road network make air transport essential for the mobilization of people,” he said.
Regarding the decision of transport superintendence to take control of Viva Air due to the suspension of the flights of hundreds of users, both nationally and internationally, the Minister of Transport, Guillaume Reyesensured that the priority—whatever the final decision—must be the response to users and their protection.
“The takeover carried out by the Superintendency aims to protect the passenger and the travel agencies that manage the reservations. We have a very complex situation because there are no offices where Viva ships or performs administrative operations and users have nowhere to complain,” said Reyes.