Overview of the Colombian-Venezuelan air market prior to the pandemic

Colombia is one of Venezuela’s most important international air markets prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic: between the two nations had a supply of 34,904 seats per month in 251 air operations, according to data compiled by Aviacionline through Cirium. The last regular passenger operation between Venezuela and Colombia was completed on March 31, 2020.

Recently both neighboring countries reopened their borders and in the last months multiple Colombian operators requested new routes to Venezuela to Aerocivil, with the intention of reactivating the air commercial sector in the Colombian-Venezuelan market.

In the last month of operations between Colombia and Venezuela the schedule was:

Avior Airlines

• Bogotá (BOG): Caracas (CCS), Valencia (VLN), Cali (CLO) and Barcelona (BLA).
• Medellin (MDE): Caracas (CCS).
• Cali (CLO): Caracas (CCS).

Wingo

• Bogotá (BOG): Caracas (CCS).

LASER Airlines

• Bogotá (BOG): Caracas (CCS).

Albatros Airlines

• Barranquilla (BAQ): Caracas (CCS).

The largest operator in the Colombian-Venezuelan market was Avior, with a 57.75% share in this sector. During 2019 the Barcelona-based operator, VE carried out several operations between Porlamar (PMV) to three Colombian cities: Bogota (BOG), Cali (CLO) and Medellin (MDE). Venezuela was Colombia’s sixth largest South American market prior to the COVID-19 crisis.

Return of airlines

In recent months Avianca and Latam announced their return to Venezuela by requesting both Aerocivil to operate seven weekly frequencies on the Bogota (BOG) – Caracas (CCS) route and operated by Airbus A319/A320 aircraft.

Wingo also added a request to connect the Colombian capital with Valencia (VLN) with 7 weekly frequencies in Boeing 737-800 NG, last year the low-cost operator had requested to operate between Medellin (MDE) and Caracas (CCS) but this service did not materialize due to sanitary restrictions in Venezuela.

Avianca ceased operations in Venezuela on August 6, 2017, the company at that time offered two daily flights between Bogota (BOG) – Caracas (CCS) on Airbus A321ceo, previously its subsidiaries in Peru and Costa Rica came to offer non-stop services between the Venezuelan capital with Lima (LIM) and San Jose (SJO) respectively.

LATAM Colombia returns after more than a decade, previously when it was Aerovías de Integración Regional S.A. – AIRES it offered flights from Bogotá (BOG) and Cartagena (CTG) to Maracaibo operated in Bombardier DHC-8-200 aircraft with a capacity of 37 passengers, then in 2011 AIRES was acquired by LAN Chile and suspended operations in Valencia.

LATAM Group once connected Venezuela with Santiago (SCL), Sao Paulo (GRU), Miami (MIA) and Lima (LIM). The group’s last operation in the South American country was completed on May 28, 2016, with nonstop service between Caracas (CCS) and Guarulhos Airport (GRU).

Wingo also plans a broad expansion by adding new services from Colombian secondary cities to Venezuela in the coming years, thus expanding the international low-cost offering between the two nations.

Avior and Laser plan to start operations to Colombia as soon as possible, then other airline operators such as Conviasa, Estelar, among others, are expected to enter the market. The government authorities of both nations continue working hard to reestablish the Colombian-Venezuelan air commercial market.

TOP 10 of the main routes between Venezuela and Colombia in 2019

Source of statistical data: Aerocivil Colombia.

Cover Photo Credits: Roxana Rada.

See also: Flights between Colombia and Venezuela to resume after a two-year hiatus