In the run-up to FIDAE 2022, being held in Santiago de Chile, the Venezuelan National Institute of Civil Aeronautics (INAC) and the National Civil Aviation Administration of Argentina (ANAC) have signed an agreement to strengthen and facilitate commercial exchange between the two countries.
According to both aeronautical entities, it was agreed to increase the frequencies in the bilateral agreements and the possibility of agreeing to codeshare between the airlines of both countries.
So far it is not known which airlines will be authorized to cover the routes and the authorized flight frequencies.
It is important to highlight Venezuela’s progress in expanding its frequencies to other countries, at a time when months ago only flights to countries such as Bolivia, Cuba, Spain, Mexico, Panama, Portugal, Dominican Republic, Russia, and Turkey were allowed.
Venezuela’s bilateral agreements are way too outdated for today’s times, making it impossible for both local and foreign airlines to expand their frequencies or fly regularly.
In 2021, flights between Mexico and the South American country were involved in a political problem, after discovering overexploitation of routes beyond bilateral agreements. In other words, regular operations disguised as charter services were detected.
At that time, six Venezuelan airlines offered several flights between Cancun and several Venezuelan cities, but the bilateral agreement signed allowed a maximum of 7 weekly flights in each direction.
A brief history of connections between Argentina and Venezuela
In the last 20 years, more than 1,500,000 passengers have flown direct flights between Argentina and Venezuela. The peak of operations between both countries was in 2012, when Andes, Conviasa, and Aerolíneas Argentinas offered two daily flights each way and mobilized 210,000 travelers in that year, according to data obtained through ANAC Argentina.
Prior to the pandemic, only Estelar offered a weekly flight between both capitals in Airbus A340-300 aircraft.
Conviasa returned briefly between December and January, carrying 686 passengers. The Venezuelan state-owned airline plans to return in May with a bi-weekly flight.
There are 179,203 Venezuelans living in Argentina, according to Argentina’s 2020 National Migrant Survey (ENMA). Most travel to Venezuela to visit friends and family (VFR) via Colombia or Panama.
News on flights to Venezuela
The Venezuelan government plans to reopen its South American markets in the coming weeks to the current list of 9 countries, adding Ecuador, Peru, Chile, and Argentina
Currently, the destinations and airlines operating in Venezuela are:
- Air Europa: from Madrid (MAD) to Caracas (CCS).
- Avior Airlines: from Caracas (CCS) to Panama/Tocumen (PTY) and Santo Domingo/Las Americas (SDQ), the latter also from Barcelona (BLA).
- Conviasa: from Caracas (CCS) to Santa Cruz de la Sierra (VVI), Bolivia; Santiago (SCL), Chile; Havana (HAV), Cuba; Guayaquil (GYE) and Quito (UIO), Ecuador; Cancun (CUN) and Mexico/Santa Lucia (NLU), Mexico; Panama/Tocumen (PTY); Lima (LIM), Peru; Moscow/Vnukovo, Russia; St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVD). From Maracaibo (MAR) to Panama/Tocumen (PTY). From Porlamar (PMV) to Guayaquil (GYE) and Moscow/Vnukovo (VNK).
- Copa Airlines: from Panama/Tocumen (PTY) to Caracas (CCS), Maracaibo (MAR), Valencia (VLN), and soon, Barcelona (BLA).
- Estelar: from Caracas (CCS) to Panama/Tocumen (PTY).
- LASER: from Caracas (CCS) to Panama/Tocumen (PTY) and Santo Domingo/Las Americas (SDQ).
- Plus Ultra Airlines: from Madrid (MAD) to Caracas (CCS).
- RUTACA: from Maracaibo (MAR) to Punta Cana (PUJ).
- TAP Air Portugal: from Lisbon (LIS) to Caracas (CCS).
- Turpial Airlines: from Valencia (VLN) to Cancun (CUN), Mexico; Santo Domingo/Las Americas (SDQ), Dominican Republic; and Panama/Tocumen (PTY).
- Turkish Airlines: from Istanbul (IST), Turkey, to Caracas (CCS).
- Venezolana: from Panama/Tocumen (PTY) to Barquisimeto, Caracas (CCS), Las Piedras and Maracaibo (MAR); and from Santo Domingo/Las Americas (SDQ) to Barquisimeto.
