Colombia
Félix de Bedout, a journalist for La W, revealed this Monday, August 22, the name of the protagonist former president of the column titled ‘Anonymous abuse’published by Héctor Abad Faciolince in the newspaper El Espectador last Sunday.
In the text, Abad explains that a former president, whose identity he does not reveal, they did not allow him to board an Avianca plane. According to the columnist, the incident occurred when the former president and his wife were regarding to board a international flight of more than six hours.
According to De Bedout, sources confirmed that was the former president Juan Manuel Santos, who was with his wife, María Clemencia Rodríguez, who was not allowed to board. The event occurred at the end of Maywhen they were preparing to travel from Canada to Colombia.
Although Santos was unable to board an Avianca plane, it was learned that Air Canada took responsibility of the fact by a delay in a connection.
What happened?
The reason why Juan Manuel Santos failed to board an Avianca plane
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As Felix de Bedout learned, the former president was in South Africa, on one of his international tours, and from there, with Bank of Canada, he traveled as a guest to Sonora Island. Later, he intended to travel to Colombia to vote in the first electoral round, which took place on May 29.
On a first trip Santos connected with Air Canada from Vancouver to Toronto. It is there that he had the connection with Avianca and, with a boarding pass in hand, when he and his wife were ready to board the plane, they were told that they might not board, apparently due to a delay caused by the first trip.
De Bedout also confirmed that the people present asked him to get out of there because “he was getting in the way”, reiterating that they would not let him up and he had to leave the place with his wife. However, Saints at no time did he invoke his status as former president.
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Regarding the version that suggests that María Clemencia Rodríguez was told that it might happen, De Bedout confirmed that it is not true, since both were asked to leave.
After they mightn’t board the plane and were left at the airport at midnight, tried to travel to Colombia from Miami. However, they were unable to do so due to COVID-19 protocols requiring testing.
Subsequently, Bank of Canada learned of the situation of the former president and had a private plane for him and his wife to come to the country. Finally, former President Santos and his wife landed in Colombia at dawn on May 29.
One fact that draws attention to this incident is regarding the luggage, since, if a passenger does not travel on a flight, their luggage is taken off the plane. However, this was not the case: some suitcases of the former president did travel and others did not.
Avianca responds
Faced with the situation experienced by the former President of the Republic, Avianca assured The W that it is not true that boarding was denied to Juan Manuel Santos and his wife at some point. He also denied that any request was made by any passenger or crew member not to travel with the former president.
According to the airline, what happened is that, at the time, the former president had scheduled a flight with Air Canada, which was delayed and impacted the connection that flight had with Avianca.
That’s the way it is, Air Canada reaccommodated passengers on a flight the next day, but when the former president arrived with his wife at the Avianca counter, the airline might not make the rearrangement because the entire reservation for the operation was held by Air Canada and the affectation came from that airline.
Finally, Air Canada sent a communication to the former president apologizing and providing compensation Therefore, according to Avianca, it was shown that the responsibility for the flight was that airline and not theirs.
The story of Héctor Abad Faciolince
In its publication in the newspaper El EspectadorHéctor Abad Faciolince said that, despite the fact that Santos and his wife had already advanced the immigration procedures, they had their boarding pass with assigned seats in order and had delivered the luggage, at the time of boarding they were informed that they might not enter the plane.
“When the citizen and his wife they try to ask for explanations, they are not given any. They simply repeat that they cannot board. What’s more, they ask them to leave, because they get in the way. Needless to say, the citizen is not drunk, nor has he been aggressive, nor has he broken any rules, ”Abad Faciolince wrote in his column.
What was the incident? Abad Faciolince recounted that the plane took off, taking both of their luggage, but both Santos and Rodríguez stayed: “It is already midnight, the VIP lounges are closed and the spouses wake up in two airport chairs. In the morning they manage to buy a new ticket in another company and return to Colombia making several stops”.
Subsequently, Santos contacted the airline to make the claim, request luggage delivery and reimbursement of the value of the tickets.
Adds Abad Faciolince: “The Avianca manager promises to find out and give you an answer within 24 hours.
