The Civil Aviation Authority of Colombia has green-lighted Emirates Airlines’ request to become a foreign operator in the international air transport sector for passengers to and from Colombia.
The airline plans to commence operations on the Dubai-Miami-Bogota route starting from June 2024, offering seven weekly flights in both directions.
After an extraordinary session of the Committee for the Evaluation of Aerocommercial Projects (CEPA), the Civil Aviation Authority has authorized Emirates to operate regular public transport services between Dubai and Bogota, with a stopover in Miami, United States.
The flights will be conducted using Boeing 777-200LR and 777-300ER aircraft, with a maximum capacity of 354 passengers across three classes, in addition to a cargo capacity of up to 14 tons per flight.
Emirates bases its decision on the analysis presented to Aerocivil, which indicates a growing demand for air travel between Colombia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as with the Arab world in general.
«The arrival of Emirates to Colombia marks a historic milestone in our air connectivity and strengthens commercial and cultural ties with the Arab world. This alliance will boost tourism, commerce, and investment, driving the country’s economic development and consolidating our position as a global destination. We are committed to continuing to promote initiatives that drive growth and international integration of Colombia,» said the Minister of Transport, William Camargo Triana.
For his part, the General Director of the Civil Aviation Authority, Sergio París, said, «in the realm of international relations, Colombia opens paths towards new scenarios of collaboration and understanding. Today, we are pleased with the establishment of an air connection with the vibrant city of Dubai, which marks not just a link between destinations but also symbolizes our nation’s firm commitment to global integration. The Arab nations witness a prosperous and diverse Colombia, prepared to cultivate ties of friendship, tourism, and commerce that transcend geographical borders, contributing to the construction of a more connected world.»
The approval of the request, notes Aerocivil, includes fifth freedom of the air traffic rights through the United States, allowing Emirates to embark and disembark passengers, mail, and cargo destined for or coming from third States.
Bogota will be the fourth destination of Emirates in South America, following Buenos Aires/Ezeiza (EZE) in Argentina, São Paulo/Guarulhos (GRU), and Rio de Janeiro/Galeao (GIG) in Brazil.
On the route between Bogota and Miami, Emirates would compete with American Airlines, Avianca, and LATAM, which operate up to nine daily flights.
Emirates seeks to connect the Middle East with Central America and the northern part of South America once again
Once more, Emirates aims to establish itself in the heart of the Latin American region, currently dominated by Turkish Airlines with its flights to Bogota, Caracas (CCS), Panama City (PTY), and Havana (HAV).
In February 2019, the airline announced plans for a non-stop route connecting Dubai and Panama City, promoting the operation as one of the ten longest flights in the world, covering a distance of 13,821 kilometers with a duration of 17 hours and 35 minutes.
Despite initially cooperating with Copa Airlines through a code-share agreement, the low pre-bookings and intense competition, particularly from Turkish Airlines, led Emirates to abandon the Dubai-Panama City route, removing it from its website in August 2019.
