Satena to operate flights between Bogota and Caracas
According to statements made by the Colombian Minister of Transportation, Guillermo Francisco Reyes, the State-owned airline Satena “is ready” to operate the route between the capitals of Colombia and Venezuela, after the complications suffered by the process of approval of the operation for other air operators of both countries.
Satena (Servicio Aéreo a Territorios Nacionales) is a commercial passenger airline, owned by the Colombian State and founded on April 12, 1962.
→ Colombia: Between January and August 31,646,000 passengers were mobilized.
The company operates domestic routes and has a fleet of 11 aircraft, including ATR 42/72 and Embraer 145, according to Planespotters.
The minister indicated that there is a possibility that an Air Force Boeing 737-700 – a former Delta airliner, with registration number N302DQ – will cover flights on the route.
For his part, Armando Benedetti, Colombia’s ambassador in Venezuela, assured that the plan of Gustavo Petro’s government is for Satena airline to become the main company connecting Caracas and Bogota.
“We already gave permission to Turpial Airlines, but here in Venezuela they want technicians to come and review. There has already been a lot of talk about that. Among the things that President Petro wants to strengthen, they want Satena to be the main airline,” he told W Radio.
→ Avianca announces 7 new routes and strengthens connectivity with U.S., Brazil and Chile.
Benedetti added that Petro’s administration intends Satena to become one of the most competitive airlines, so it could expand its fleet.
“We need some permits in Caracas so that our airlines can go there,” he said.
Flights between Colombia and Venezuela have not started yet
After the Venezuelan Conviasa started selling tickets for the Caracas-Bogota route, it was announced that it could not land in Colombia because it is sanctioned by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury Department.
On the other hand, Wingo, the low cost subsidiary of Copa Airlines, revealed in a statement that the Venezuelan government requested it to suspend the start of its air operations to the country, scheduled for October 4.
Photo: Pablo Andrés Ortega Chávez/Wikimedia
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