Earlier this month Viva had grounded 5 of its planes and suspended dozens of flights.
Viva mentioned it has given the Colombian authorities loads of proof of its dire monetary state of affairs and that it could possibly proceed provided that it merges with the bigger airline. “However the Colombian authorities’s resolution jeopardizes the way forward for low-cost airways in Colombia and threatens the roles of 5,000 folks,” the assertion mentioned.
Viva and Avianca final yr requested a allow from Colombia’s aviation authority to merge their firms, however deal has confronted obstacles from authorities regulators who worry it may limit competitors within the airline market.
Final month, Viva had a 20% share of Colombia’s air passenger market, whereas Avianca managed about 40%.
Viva was based in 2009, and ran flights to Colombia’s largest cities, as properly flights to Peru, Mexico, Argentina and Florida. In Peru, Viva’s subsidiary, Viva Air Peru, additionally ran home flights to cities like Cuzco.
On Tuesday dozens of indignant passengers protested exterior Viva’s counters on the airports in Bogota and Medellin, the place they briefly blocked entry to the worldwide departures terminal. A small quantity had been moved to flights on different airways.
“Viva is a shameless airline,” mentioned Guillermo Noboa, a Peruvian college pupil who had booked a flight from Bogota to Lima on Monday evening.
Noboa mentioned his flight was canceled with out warning and that he needed to sleep within the airport. He mentioned airline representatives gave him a kind to register for a refund however advised him it could take at the least eight days to get his a reimbursement.
Along with his funds depleted, Noboa waited to be transferred to a different airline, and mentioned Viva supplied no help with meals or lodging.
“I’ve to return to Peru to register for the following semester and register for an internship” he mentioned. “However now I’ve no clue after I’ll have the ability to return residence.”