The strategy of commercial airlines focuses on keeping them in the air and not falling. Yet, by 2021 carriers have been opening new routes and increasing their flights to/from South America.
For example, the Colombian flagship airline Avianca announced it would open 23 new routes throughout the last term of 2021 and early 2022 (Eltiempo.com).
Ecuador is going to get a great benefit from these new routes. Why? Because Avianca is adding direct flights between the US and Ecuador. Until now, Avianca connects Ecuador with the US through Bogota and El Salvador. However, this addition will offer a considerable advantage in air connectivity for American travelers willing to travel to Ecuador and for Ecuadorians to have convenient flights with the US.
The new direct routes Avianca is adding to their flight schedule are:
- Quito – Miami
- Quito – New York
- Guayaquil – Miami
- Guayaquil – New York
Additionally, Avianca is also adding the route to/from Medellín to Quito and Guayaquil in 2022. Moreover, Avianca is opening the domestic flight Quito-Cuenca in early October with a frequency of six flights per week (Elcomercio.com).
With Avianca’s direct flights between the US and Ecuador, American travelers could use their Star Alliance/Lifemiles points on international and domestic flights to Ecuador.
Let’s remember that Avianca is one of the three airlines that connect Ecuador’s mainland with the Galapagos Islands. So, soon travelers could plan and manage their journey throughout Ecuador with one carrier for discovering Galapagos, Cuenca, Guayaquil, and Manta. It’s going to be easy peasy!
Aside from Avianca news, Aeroregional is increasing the Galapagos Islands air connectivity with mainland Ecuador. From July 27th, this Ecuadorian airline is offering the flight Quito-Guayaquil-Galápagos twice a week.
Moreover, United, Delta, and American Airlines reactivated their flights to Ecuador from Houston, Atlanta, and Miami.
According to IATA, it is essential to point out that Ecuador has quickly recovered international connectivity to pre-pandemic periods, yet its domestic flights are having a slow rebound (nlarenas.com).
Additionally, Ecuador recently announced the elimination of the tax that applied to flight tickets and airline carriers. As Ecuadorian President Lasso says, this strategy looks forward to reactivating the tourism industry and the international connectivity of Ecuador by promoting an open sky policy (Elcomercio.com).
On the other hand, LATAM Airlines group estimates to increase its flights within the South America region in August up to 49% of seats per kilometer available compared to 2019. It will represent a consistent increment of almost 4% with July (45,6%) and close to 13% to June´s numbers (36,2%).
Based on these facts, we can see the conservative strategy of commercial carriers. They are focusing on strengthening their operations while adding new international and domestic flight routes step by step. Meanwhile, Ecuador’s global connectivity recovered quickly from the post-pandemic period. South American commercial carriers also want to increase the connectivity with the US market, considering American travelers are willing to start traveling internationally, and Latin America requires short-medium haul flights.