The resumption of direct flights between Colombia and Venezuela is imminent. As announced by the governments of both countries, these routes will operate again starting next Monday 26.
The civil aviation authorities of both nations said they have worked out the details of these air connections, suspended for just over three years.
But information on prices, frequencies and other key details for passengers has only been revealed in dribs and drabs, and many questions remain unanswered.
The voice of america details what is known so far:
ON SEPTEMBER 26, OPEN SKIES BUT NO FLIGHTS
Next Monday, September 26, is marked in the diplomacy calendars of both countries as the day of resumption of direct flights and cargo transport between Colombia and Venezuela, processes interrupted since 2019 after the disregard of Nicolás Maduro as president by of the Colombian government.
The new president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, announced that he would go to the border to lead a reopening act.
The 26th will mark the beginning of an “open skies” policy, as Petro’s ambassador in Caracas, Armando Benedetti, described it after a working meeting on the subject.
One of the airlines involved in the upcoming routes, Avianca, hinted to that they expect the authorizations to fly to those destinations “in the next two or three months”, that is, for the last quarter of the year.
AUTHORIZED AIRLINES
A minimum of six airlines would be authorized by the aeronautical authorities of both countries to operate direct routes and one is under review.
For Colombia, they are:
For Venezuela:
- Conviasa
- Avior
- Laser is under review
PRICES
Information on the availability of direct flights between the capitals of both nations is opaque, even six days before the start of those routes.
In Avianca’s websitethe connection between Caracas and Bogotá is not yet available.
Conviasa, a state airline in Venezuela, also did not include Bogotá as a destination in its offers on your website. Avior, for its part, currently includes its offer of a single international flight, to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The lack of data on the routes, prices and frequency from Caracas and Valencia to Bogotá and Medellín, the only routes mentioned by the authorities, was a constant in the travel agencies, at least until Tuesday morning.
A customer service agent from one of the main tourist companies in Maracaibo, in western Venezuela, told the voice of america that “nothing is known yet. That’s where Conviasa began to publish the ‘skeleton’ of the offer, but still, nothing”.
The Colombian Wingo is the only one that offers on your website the Caracas-Bogotá route as of October 4.
The cost of that destination, one way, is 117 dollars, traveling only with a backpack or handbag, without a suitcase in the hold. Traveling with a 23 kilo luggage costs 194.86 dollars.
At Wingo, the Bogota-Caracas route, with luggage included, costs $159.94, while traveling to that destination but without luggage reduces the price to $82.
The amount of a round trip ticket on the Caracas-Bogotá and Bogotá-Caracas routes for an adult between October 4 and 18 amounts to a total of 413 dollars. Wingo is offering an upgrade to its deal for almost $20 extra, which includes the ability to change the date of one of the flights, bring a carry-on bag, and a seat with more space.
Wingo’s weekly frequency varies. It will fly Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday on those routes, but there are weeks where they also include some Wednesdays and even some Fridays, always according to their current offers on their website.
THE DISTANCES
The airports that will be available on the Caracas and Bogotá routes, at least initially, are El Dorado, in the Colombian capital, and Simón Bolívar, in Venezuela.
The air terminals are located 1,550 kilometers away. The average flight time for that route is about two hours.
In the case of the route to and from Valencia, Venezuela, the extension is shortened to 1,365 kilometers. Another direct route that could be added in the near future is the Maracaibo-Bogotá route, which the Venezuelan airline Avior offered before the COVID-19 pandemic.
POSSIBLE NEW ROUTES
Although Caracas and Valencia are involved as destinations and places of origin for flights to and from Colombia, in the first instance, there is the possibility of resuming air routes that existed before the pandemic, such as Maracaibo, operated by Avior.
Other cities potentially of tourist and business interest in Venezuela are Barcelona and Porlamar, in the east of the country. This last location is the air destination for those who want to enjoy the beaches and the tourist offers of Isla de Margarita.
THE ALTERNATIVE ROUTE
Venezuelan passengers who wish to travel to Bogotá before September 26 have had two options: by air, with at least one connection in Panama, and by land, crossing the border through states such as Zulia and Táchira.
The cost and duration of these trips are greater than the direct route. If you travel from Maracaibo, in the west of Venezuela, for example, it is necessary to take a bus or car for just over two hours to the border with Colombia, cross on foot, and board another vehicle in Maicao to go to the Riohacha airport. . There, you fly to Bogotá.
Another way, the air, always involves taking two flights. From the capital of Zulia, only Copa Airlines operates international routes, first to Panama and then to Bogotá. The first flight takes one hour and 20 minutes; the second, just over an hour and a half.
The most restrictive rate of this Maracaibo-Panama-Bogotá connection is 436 dollars. It does not include the possibility of changing flights and you have to pay for hold baggage. The next price, which allows for those options, is just over $500, while an executive seat ranges from $1,600 to $2,000 for both flights.
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