VIVA applies for more than 30 international routes

Colombia-based Grupo VIVA filed an application on October 1 to be authorized to operate Airbus A320ceo aircraft and neo, to more than 30 international connections.

The application includes routes to the United States (16), Mexico (4), the Dominican Republic (3), Peru (3), El Salvador (2), Panama (2), Brazil (1), Guatemala (1), and Aruba (1); marking the start-up of VIVA Group’s major international expansion. The order joins those already approved in mid-2021: Argentina (3), Brazil (3), Chile (2), and Costa Rica (1).

The requested routes are:

From Bogota to: Aruba (AUA), Guatemala (GUA), Panama/Tocumen (PTY), San Salvador (SAL) in El Salvador; Santo Domingo (SDQ) in the Dominican Republic; Rio de Janeiro (GIG) in Brazil; Cuzco (CUZ) in Peru; Cancun (CUN) in Mexico; Tampa (TPA), Baltimore (BWI), Washington/Dulles (IAD), Boston (BOS), Chicago/O’hare (ORD), New York (JFK/EWR), Houston (IAH) and Miami (MIA) in the United States; San Juan (SJU) in Puerto Rico.

From Medellin to: Panama/Tocumen (PTY), San Salvador (SAL) in El Salvador; Punta Cana (PUJ) and Santo Domingo (SDQ) in the Dominican Republic; San Juan (SJU) in Puerto Rico; New York (JFK/EWR) and Houston (IAH) in the United States.
From Cali (CLO) to: Lima (LIM) in Peru; Cancun (CUN) and Mexico City (MEX) in Mexico; Miami (MIA) and Orlando (MCO) in the United States.
From Cartagena (CTG) to: Lima (LIM) in Peru; Mexico City (MEX); Miami (MIA) in the United States.

From Cucuta (CUC) to: Miami (MIA) in the United States.

This order is in addition to the routes already approved by the Colombian aviation authority (Medellin and Bogota to Cordoba (COR) and Buenos Aires in Argentina; Santiago de Chile (SCL) and Sao Paulo (GRU) and Rio de Janeiro (GIG) in Brazil).

Both are seeking to operate up to 7 weekly flights and with the right to 3rd and 4th freedom of the air. This request could position it as the largest offer of destinations and routes abroad of a low-cost in Colombia: currently, it is surpassed by Wingo, which is raving about the offer of seats and international flights.

The ultra-low-cost airline is sustaining strong growth in Colombia and has recovered 100% of its network, surpassing its operational capacity for 2019. The milestone was visualized when it broke during this first half of 2021 the mark of two million passengers transported in Colombia.

At the same time, the company continues its continental expansion plan by consolidating Medellín’s José María Córdova airport as a new regional hub, which already connects with Cancun, Lima, Orlando, Miami, and Mexico City. From Bogotá, it also flies to Lima and the Mexican capital.

This request suggests that it will continue to position Medellín as a regional hub, but also without neglecting Bogotá, adding Cali, Cartagena, and Cúcuta to its service network.

Regarding its fleet, Viva received another Airbus A320neo of its pending order of 35, which is added to the other twelve Airbus A320ceo that the company has.
Within the application submitted, it also requests 32 domestic connections from various Colombian cities, decentralizing numerous routes and introducing some new ones.