Panama to negotiate Venezuela flight schedules

Panama and Venezuela have to negotiate how many air frequencies will operate between the two countries, now that the Institute of Civil Aeronautics lifted the ban it established since December 13 on commercial flights.

Carlos Von Seidlitz, director of air traffic for the Civil Aviation Authority (AAC) , told La Prensa    that before the suspension, the seven Venezuelan airlines had authorization to operate 9 flights a week to Panama, while Copa Airlines    the flag company of Panama, could only make three flights to the Venezuelan capital, Caracas

A week ago, the director of the AAC, Gustavo Pérez, sent a letter to his Venezuelan counterpart, reiterating the country’s position to receive reciprocal treatment regarding the number of assigned frequencies.

The Venezuelan authorities had indicated that the suspension of flights with Panama and the Dominican Republic was due to the increase in the number of positive cases of coronavirus that were entering through commercial flights. At the time they indicated that in a single flight they detected 57 positive passengers with the coronavirus, but they did not specify the origin of the flight.

Von said that the current reality prevents resuming the 63 weekly connections between the two countries before the pandemic, but said that the number of flights that are resumed should be equal for the airlines of the two countries.

“If they ask us for frequencies from other Venezuelan cities, they must also authorize Copa Airlines to operate on that route,” he said.

In 2020, the National Migration Service reported a movement (entry and exit) of 94,892 Venezuelan citizens, a drop of 74% compared to the 369,821 registered in 2019.