After 7 months with international flights suspended due to the pandemic, Peru once again has resumed international connectivity with 11 destinations and 5 airlines will be in charge of passenger transport.
As we previously informed, 11 destinations from 7 countries are authorized by the Minister of Transport and Communications of Peru to fly from Lima: Ecuador (Guayaquil and Quito), Bolivia (La Paz and Santa Cruz), Colombia ( Bogotá, Cali and Medellín), Panama (Panama City), Paraguay (Asunción), Uruguay (Montevideo) and Chile (Santiago).
The general manager of the Association of International Air Transport Companies (AETAI), Carlos Gutiérrez, reported that LATAM, Viva Air, SKY, JetSmart and Copa Airlines are the airlines that will operate international flights.
Viva Air will resume flights to Bogotá from October 16 and after this date it will offer flights to the city of Medellín.
“Travelers can now purchase tickets for both destinations. From US $ 176.5 for the Lima – Bogotá – Lima route; and from US $ 152.9 for Lima – Medellín – Lima ”, indicated Viva Air.
Sky Airline and JetSmart already offer flights from Lima to Santiago de Chile on their dates available from today, October 5.
LATAM Peru offers flights to four destinations: Santiago (starting today October 5), Bogotá (starting October 10), Cali and Medellín (starting October 12).
Copa Airlines offers a daily flight to Panama City from Monday, October 19, as Aviacionline could see on the airline’s website.
Avianca reported that it is still planning its route network in America.
“… The airline informs that to date it still analyzes the offer of itineraries from Lima to Bogotá and / or San Salvador, as well as the connection options to other destinations, via the hubs of Colombia and El Salvador, the same ones that are planned for start in 2021, so once the operational plan is defined, it will communicate it through its official channels ”, said Avianca.
The general manager of the AETAI assured that the companies will operate under the biosecurity protocols required by the authorities to avoid contagion by COVID-19.
He also commented that the aircraft will have HEPA filter systems to purify the aircraft’s air every 3 minutes in order to eliminate pathogens.
Passengers who are going to make international trips must present a COVID-19 PCR test with a negative result and with a maximum validity of 72 hours (3 days). Carlos Gutiérrez asked the authorities to evaluate a «flexibility» to extend the term during the first days of the restart of international flights.
Gutiérrez said that to avoid queues at the airport, those who travel abroad must present themselves four hours in advance at the air terminal.
“If people go five or more hours in advance, they won’t let them in. That must be clear. Four hours are enough to carry out the procedures and flows”, he pointed out.
With the resumption of international flights, it is expected that companies in the sector will move up to 9 million domestic and foreign passengers by the end of 2020, a figure that if met will be 65.6% lower compared to the number of passengers transported during 2019.
