Avianca said it will restart international flying from Colombia on Sept. 28 and gradually increase destinations while enforcing strict protocols for passengers to guard against the spread of COVID-19.
Its initial set of routes will link Bogota (BOG) and Medellin (MDE) with a total of 16 cities in Brazil, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, and the U.S., starting with flights between MDE and both Miami (MIA) and New York (JFK) on Sept. 28.
Flights from BOG to six cities will follow on Oct. 1, with 10 more routes slated to begin on October 15. Some of the routes are subject to securing available slots, the airline said.
Passengers will be required to report their health status in an app before and for 14 days following their trips, the airline said. Travelers entering Colombia will be required to present a negative COVID-19 test taken within 96 hrs. prior to boarding.
"We are very happy with the reopening of the international operation from Colombia, this will allow us to connect families and businesses and in turn reactivate the supply chain of this sector that drives thousands of Colombians,” Avianca president and CEO Anko van der Werff said.
"This start of operation implies keeping up the guard, since self-care is still key. On our side, you can be sure that the biosecurity protocols are the strictest and that the priority is to take care of our clients and our crews. This new start will be gradual, we hope to give you more good news about our network soon.”
The airline will deploy 34 aircraft—a mix of Airbus A320-family models and Boeing 787s—on the international flights.
Expansion of its network comes as the carrier moves closer to a reorganization plan under U.S. bankruptcy protection.
Photo credit: Joe Pries
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