At 12:50 this Tuesday, August 1, the reinaugural LATAM Airlines flight took off from Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, heading for Caracas. This represents a significant event for regional air connectivity since the company had exited the Venezuelan market in 2016 due to difficulties in repatriating funds, an issue that led several other airlines to take a similar step.
This first LATAM flight to Caracas in over seven years is being operated by the Airbus A320, registration CC-BHD. The arrival at Maiquetía airport is scheduled for 17:40 local time.
As we reported in June, LATAM Airlines will offer a weekly capacity of 2,436 seats and will compete in this segment with Conviasa, which currently provides a non-stop service every 15 days between Lima and Caracas.
According to data obtained by Aviacionline from the Peruvian Civil Aviation Authority, 6,019 passengers and 3,086 kilograms of cargo were transported in 2022 between Caracas and Lima.
Flight schedule of LATAM to Caracas
- Lima – Caracas Flight LA 2448 LIM 12:30 – CCS 17:40 daily flights.
- Caracas – Lima Flight LA 2449 CCS 19:10 – LIM 22:05 daily flights.
LATAM Airlines is also awaiting to initiate flights between Colombia and Venezuela, having received the necessary authorization at the end of June from the National Institute of Civil Aviation of Venezuela. However, so far the Colombian subsidiary has not informed when it will return to Caracas.
Recently, the presidents of Venezuela and Brazil met to discuss their diplomatic relations, which could pave the way for the resumption of LATAM Brazil flights between Caracas and São Paulo, also halted in 2016.
Flights in Caracas
With the return of the LATAM Group, after seven years, the South American network of the Maiquetía Airport (CCS) will include non-stop flights to:
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- Bogotá (BOG), Colombia; LASER Airlines, SATENA, Turpial Airlines and soon, LATAM Airlines Colombia and Wingo.
- Santiago (SCL), Chile; Estelar (via Lima, technical stop).
- Manaus (MAO), Brazil; ConViasa (via Puerto Ordaz).
- Santa Cruz de la Sierra (VVI), Bolivia; ConViasa.
In addition, Avianca Ecuador has applied to operate the Quito (UIO) and/or Guayaquil (GYE) – Caracas (CCS) route and vice versa, with up to seven flights per week and third and fourth freedom rights. If this service materializes, it would be the Ecuadorian subsidiary’s first service to Venezuela.
