JetSMART recently announced the completion of the third phase of five in the Colombian Aeronautical Regulation (RAC) certification process to obtain the Air Operator Certificate (COA) in Colombia.
With this phase concluded, the airline will move to the fourth phase, involving test flights. Subsequently, the authority will proceed to the fifth and final stage, notifying all relevant stakeholders.
Estuardo Ortiz, CEO of JetSMART, expressed the company’s commitment to Colombia, emphasizing their determination to complete the certification process and earn accreditation as a Colombian air operator.
At the Colombian Chamber of Infrastructure (CCI) Congress in Cartagena, Sergio París, the director of Civil Aeronautics, mentioned that the low-cost airline’s operational launch, initially scheduled for December 2023, is now postponed to March 2024.
“We are in a process with JetSMART; that’s the plan. The initial goal was for them to enter earlier, but now the expectation is that they will be flying over Colombia in March or April,” stated París.
See Also: Colombia postpones the slot allocation at El Dorado Airport
Another hurdle relates to the allocation of time slots at El Dorado Airport, which has been unpredictable and ambiguous in the current commercial market. This is in contrast to the beginning of the year, when VIVA and Ultra Air, now defunct, held a 25% presence at the airport.
Ortiz highlighted the importance of finalizing the slot allocation process with Aerocivil, referring to ongoing progress in a technical meeting with the Aeronautical Authority. He expressed hope for positive responses from Aerocivil in the coming week.
JetSMART’s certification process in Colombia
At the end of 2022, Aerocivil received JetSMART’s application to operate regular passenger, cargo, and mail flights in Colombia, initially proposing 111 routes.
Following the formal start of the air operator certification process in Colombia, JetSMART launched a recruitment campaign for its new subsidiary. The ultra-low-cost airline is selecting cabin crew for its Bogotá base, preferring A320 licenses and availability for rotating shifts.
On July 3, 2023, the Civil Aeronautics approved 27 routes as part of the process to obtain permission for national public passenger, cargo, and mail transport services in Colombia.
According to the expansion plan, JetSMART will commence domestic operations in the country with 27 routes:
- Bogotá: Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, Cali, Cartagena, Cúcuta, Medellín/Rionegro, Montería, Pasto, Pereira, San Andrés, and Santa Marta.
- Medellín: Barranquilla, Cali, Cartagena, Cúcuta, Montería, Pasto, Pereira, San Andrés, and Santa Marta.
- Cali: Cartagena.
- Cartagena: Cúcuta, Pereira, and San Andrés.
- Pereira: Bucaramanga and Cúcuta.
- Barranquilla: Cúcuta.
Additionally, JetSMART plans to introduce seven Airbus A320neo aircraft starting in March 2024, with the potential to accelerate the schedule depending on demand.
See Also: JetSMART receives the first US-assembled Airbus A320neo for South America
JetSMART’s Entry into a complicated market
JetSMART’s application came at a time when the local VIVA faced financial problems and ceased its operations after Aerocivil rejected its integration request with Avianca.
In 2022, Ultra Air joined the Colombian domestic market. It currently operates with six Airbus A320ceo on fifteen domestic routes and plans to launch its first international routes next year.
The departure of VIVA and Ultra Air led to a 15% month-over-month decline in the market, which has not yet been filled by any airline. Despite efforts by Avianca, Easyfly (now Clic), LATAM, and Wingo to expand their offerings and introduce new routes, the demand left by the low-cost airlines remains a challenge.
Currently, JetSMART operates international flights from Chile and Peru to Colombia on the following routes:
- From Santiago (SCL):
- Bogotá (BOG); 7 flights per week
- Cali (CLO); 7 flights per week
- Medellín/Rionegro (MDE); 4 flights per week
- From Antofagasta (ANF):
- Cali (CLO); 4 flights per week.
- From Lima (LIM):
- Bogotá (BOG); 5 flights per week.
- Cartagena (CTG); 3 flights per week.
- Cúcuta (CUC); 3 flights per week.
Furthermore, these links allow connections to other destinations in JetSMART’s network, including Argentina, Brazil, and other domestic destinations in Peru and Chile.
