Bogotá (EFE).- The Colombian Transport Superintendency opened an administrative investigation and filed charges against the low-cost airline Viva Air for suddenly suspending its operations last Monday, affecting users, the entity reported on Wednesday.
The measure was taken through a resolution for “the alleged breach” of the law “due to the sudden suspension of its operations” on February 27 “affecting users who already had issued and confirmed reservations.”
Additionally, the entity imposed an “administrative measure” in which it orders Viva “to develop a user service plan in order to deal with the situation presented with this decision.”
Order customer service
In addition, it orders the periodic submission of the Petitions, Complaints, Claims and Suggestions System (PQRS) filed by users, the issuance of an official statement stating the service channels and, that “compensatory and related measures be implemented of reimbursements to that there is place ”.
The Superintendent of Transportation, Lucy Ospina Arias, said that the entity exercises its functions of inspection, surveillance and control of air transport and seeks to protect 466,604 users who had confirmed reservations as of February 27, the date of the suspension of Viva operations.
The entity was able to verify through the airline’s website that tickets continued to be sold, and that for the same date, 5,750 reservations had already been sold.
It broke down that the administrative investigation is based on the alleged damage caused to air transport users “by not being able to move to their destinations, having already purchased their tickets and confirmed their reservations.”
In addition, the airline stated through its channels that users would not be individually informed about the decision to suspend operations, nor would they be compensated nor would the transportation contract be complied with, arguing a material impossibility of the airline.
The information compiled by the Superintendence of Transportation showed that more than 80 flights were not operated on Tuesday.
Government warning to Viva Air
For his part, the Minister of Transportation, Guillermo Reyes, warned that if necessary, he could intervene in the air market in order to guarantee that the players in the aviation market commit to continue operating in conditions that benefit users.
“These are the necessary actions that could even lead to market intervention, if necessary, to protect users and guarantee balanced and efficient air transport market conditions,” Reyes pointed out.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro met this Wednesday with the Ministers of Transportation and Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Germán Umaña, and other officials to analyze the situation of Viva.
After that meeting, Reyes said that Civil Aeronautics (Aerocivil) will continue with the review process of the integration requested by Avianca and Viva, within the “due administrative process and with a clear proposal for the protection of air transport users and the more than 1,700 workers of the airline Viva”.
Last November, Avianca and Viva Air appealed a decision by Aerocivil to reject the integration of both companies, considering that this could generate an undue restriction of competition.
Reyes explained that today the work focused on addressing critical concentration points, where Aerocivil is already adopting immediate measures, particularly in Santa Marta, Riohacha and San Andrés, cities that are tourist destinations par excellence.