DATA SPOTLIGHT: Colombia

30 September, 2020

This year the Corporate Travel Community (CTC) will feature some of the leading airlines, airports and country markets for air travel. Here, using the extensive profile insights available to CAPA - Centre for Aviation members to deliver a data snapshot at where they sit today in the Covid-19 impacted world, we look at Colombia, where air connectivity has for a long period remained below 10% of the levels seen last year, but is now beginning its slow rise.

The decision by Colombia's government to resume some commercial aviation operations is being welcomed by the industry. But with the country's Covid-19 case counts continuing to rise, the Colombian government will be monitoring the resumption of commercial flights carefully. Just how fast demand will rebound in Colombia is tough to determine, given that the country's commercial aviation sector has been shut down for nearly six months.

Before the pandemic Colombia was the third largest aviation market in Latin America, behind Brazil and Mexico. And the country's airlines no doubt hope to ensure Colombia maintains its status in Latin American aviation.

Passenger levels in Colombia were growing at a steady rate before the pandemic. Data from Colombia's government show that the country posted passenger growth of approximately +7% in 2019, to 45 million passengers. However, for the first six months of 2020 just 10 million passengers travelled by air.

It will take some time for demand in Colombia to rebound. Reuters has recently reported that the credit ratings agency Fitch expects Colombia's economy to contract by 7% during 2020, and the country could possible lose its investment grade.

One of the factors in Colombia's solid passenger growth during the past few years is an expanding middle class that has benefitted from more discretionary income for air travel. It could take some time for the country's middle class to build back its respective coffers. Additionally, as is the case with other regions of the world, the aviation industry in Colombia needs to communicate the measures it is taking strongly, to reassure passengers and to ease any anxiety customers could have about air travel.

AIRPORTS IN THE COUNTRY

SCHEDULE MOVEMENT SUMMARY (w/c 28-Sep-2020)

ANNUAL CAPACITY (2012 - 2021*)NOTE:*the values for this year are at least partly predictive up to six months and may be subject to change.

WEEKLY DOMESTIC CAPACITY (2017 - 2020*)NOTE:*the values for this year are at least partly predictive up to six months and may be subject to change.

WEEKLY INTERNATIONAL CAPACITY (2017-2020*)NOTE:*the values for this year are at least partly predictive up to six months and may be subject to change.

CAPACITY SPLIT BETWEEN DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS (w/c 28-Sep-2020)

LARGEST AIRLINES BY CAPACITY (w/c 28-Sep-2020)

CAPACITY SPLIT BETWEEN LOCAL AND FOREIGN OPERATORS (w/c 28-Sep-2020)

AIRLINE BUSINESS MODEL CAPACITY SPLIT (w/c 28-Sep-2020)

DEVELOPMENT OF LCC ACTIVITY IN COUNTRY (2009 - 2019)

ALLIANCE CAPACITY SPLIT (w/c 28-Sep-2020)

INTERNATIONAL CAPACITY BREAKDOWN BY COUNTRY (w/c 28-Sep-2020)

DEPARTING SYSTEM SEATS BY CLASS (w/c 28-Sep-2020)

BUSIEST DOMESTIC MARKETS BY CAPACITY (w/c 28-Sep-2020)

BUSIEST INTERNATIONAL MARKETS BY CAPACITY (w/c 28-Sep-2020)

LOCAL AIRLINES' AIRCRAFT FLEET (as at 28-Sep-2020)

MORE INSIGHTS:

Colombian courts throw a major wrench into Avianca's restructuring

Colombia reopens. Will air travel demand materialise?

COVID 19. Will Colombia heed calls to reactivate its airspace?

COVID-19: major uncertainty clouds Latin America's potential

COVID 19: Latin airline bankruptcies reflect lack of government aid