The government sent a strong message to the airlines and other air transport actors of the country by stating that he would be willing to carry out an intervention in order to, in this way, guarantee that the rights of millions of users are respected and protected.
The harsh warning made her Guillermo Reyes, Minister of Transportationafter a meeting scheduled this Wednesday in which the solutions to the crisis generated by the company were analyzed live airthat left thousands of passengers stranded at different airports in the country.
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The official said the Superintendency of Industry and Commerce (SIC), as well as the Superintendency of Transportation are already advancing the respective administrative investigations against the Viva company so that they comply with the obligations of the transport contract and protection of users and gave them a peremptory period of three days to do so, while they adjust to the evaluation other measures.
However, Minister Reyes announced that the airline will have to relocate all affected passengers to other companies in the market to reach their destinations, as well as return the money for the tickets purchased. But in addition, those passengers who have not been relocated will still have to be provided with food and lodging while they can be transported via other airlines.
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He also said that officials of the superindustry They are currently in 19 airports in the country attending to the complaints and requirements of the affected passengers and that in the next few hours the first sentences will be given to these requests.
As announced by the Government, at the end of said meeting, the measures adopted this Wednesday seek to protect the rights of the 460,000 Viva Air passengers who have already acquired tickets and reservations for this year. In March alone, more than 230,000 tickets for this airline were already in the hands of passengers, Reyes said.
There was also that of the more than 17,000 passengers who were affected by Viva’s decision to leave their aircraft on the ground on Monday, some 10,000 had already been relocated and, together with the work of the unified command, will continue in the task of being able to provide a solution to the passengers of that airline who are still in the different air terminals of the country.
Referring to the decision of the Civil Aviation about a possible integration of live and flyMinister Reyes commented that said authority continues to review the process seeking the protection of market users and Viva’s 1,700 workers.
The minister was emphatic in pointing out that all the necessary measures are being analyzed so that the market players commit to continue operating in conditions that benefit the users of this means of transport and that if necessary reach market intervention that guaranteed the conditions and rights of users.