Colombian leader Gustavo Petro ordered the use of the presidential plane and the rest of the country’s air force fleet to transport passengers from two bankrupt airlines stuck at airports. It is reported by TASS.
“Due to the emergency situation caused by the shutdown of Viva Air and Ultra, I have ordered that all aircraft of the Air Force, including the presidential aircraft, from now on be involved in the transport of affected passengers,” Petro wrote on the social network.
Petro said he would “cancel all travel so that the presidential plane can be used in times of crisis.” “Together with the Ministry of Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority, we will study what measures need to be taken to deal with the emergency situation in the aviation industry,” the head of state added.
At the end of February, Viva Air, which accounted for 15% of the air travel market in Colombia, abruptly announced the cessation of work due to economic problems. On Wednesday, without warning about the suspension of flights, Ultra Air (8% of the market) reported. The sudden exit from the market of two carriers has led to chaos in airports.
As the newspaper La Repubblica notes, with the bankruptcy of Viva Air and Ultra Air in Colombia, there is only one low-cost carrier Wingo, which accounted for about 3% of the market. In addition, domestic air transportation in the country is carried out by major players in the aviation industry Avianca and Latam.
Source: Rosbalt
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
