- The measure was known a day after Chilean President Gabriel Boric described the Venezuelan government as a “dictatorship.”
A source from the Ministry of Transportation informed the EFE news agency about the suspension of the commercial air operations with Chile for three months starting September 25.
According to a NOTAM (bulletin) issued by the National Institute of Civil Aeronautics (INAC), which circulated on social networks on September 25, it was specified that passenger transport flights to and from Chile were suspended without explaining the reason.
The Venezuelan authorities took this measure a day after the president of Chile, Gabriel Boric, in his speech before the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN), called the Venezuelan government a “dictatorship.”
After learning the information, which until now has not been made official by the corresponding entities, the Chilean government regretted the decision to suspend direct flights between the two countries.
“This is a unilateral decision that once again puts nearly 800,000 Venezuelans residing in our country in a vulnerable situation. It is an unjustified action and one that we regret,” said a spokesperson for the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a brief message.
The suspension of flights with Chile adds to the “temporary” cessation of air operations with Panama, Dominican Republic and Peru, in force since July 31 by order of the Venezuelan Executive, in rejection “of the interference of right-wing governments” with respect to the presidential elections of July 28, whose results by table are still unknown.
Social and political impact of the suspension of flights between Venezuela and Chile
Political analyst Carlos Raúl Hernández pointed out in an interview for The Diary that the Venezuelan government has a tendency to “get carried away by emotions” when handling a political situation.
“The government should economize its reaction and do it in a cold manner, because at the end of the day all these measures affect Venezuelan society. Furthermore, one of the largest concentrations of Venezuelans in Latin America is in Chile. Breaking aeronautical relations with that country or any other economic relationship harms those who are there and those who are still here with relatives there,” explained the also doctor in Sociology.
Hernández added that Chile is one of the countries with the highest degree of development in the Hispanic American subcontinent, first in terms of economic growth and even close to the club of developed countries.
“Boric threatened to make a socialist revolution in Chile although it has been adapting to the democratic system, but at the end of the day it is still a country with accelerated growth that produces elements that are necessary for the consumption of Venezuelans,” said the analyst.
The university professor also highlighted that the country needs greater openness or at least to continue the trend towards it that was registered before the July 28 elections.
“In order for there to be economic growth that benefits workers and society in Venezuela, greater openness with the world is necessary and not the opposite,” said Hernández.
Closure of connectivity
For his part, aeronautical lawyer Rodolfo Ruiz explained that the NOTAM that circulated on social networks so far has not been confirmed by the Minister of Transportation, nor by the INAC, so the issue must be treated with “prudence.”
“We have to wait for the official statement from the authorities to know for sure what the scope of the measure is,” said the aeronautical lawyer.
However, the expert added that if the suspension of flights to Chile is assumed, Venezuela’s air connectivity with the rest of the world would be further reduced. This would affect Venezuelans who need to travel to that nation or return to the country.
“It is striking that after the news circulated yesterday, I checked if the NOTAM appeared on international portals or in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and it is not available. Furthermore, this bulletin specifies that it is class C and not class A, which means that it is only for national distribution,” Ruiz said in an interview for the radio station Onda.
Impact on travelers
The reduction in connectivity would mainly impact passengers who already had tickets to travel to or from Chile.
However, travel agencies and airlines will have to wait for the measure to become official to analyze the possible solutions they can offer travelers, such as flights with a stopover in other countries where passengers would have to board another plane to their destination, since be it from Chile to Venezuela or vice versa.
Another impact that has already been seen with the suspension of flights with other countries has an impact on the price of tickets that passengers pay.
Currently, anyone traveling to or from Venezuela from countries with suspended commercial air operations, in addition to incurring connections and sometimes the use of several airlines, must pay high amounts for tickets.
Although there are still air routes that connect with 18 destinations, experts consider that this situation brings some of the following difficulties for passengers:
-Change airline
-Less convenient times for travel
-Require additional visas
-Unexpected overnight stay at airports
-Increased risk of mishaps on a flight that could affect the trip
Flight alternatives
These reductions in the offer of flights to other countries leave Colombia as the main connection point with Venezuela.
This means that those who wish to travel to Chile would have to fly to Colombia or another authorized country and from there take the air route to the South American country. The same would happen for those who want to travel to Venezuela from nations with suspended connections.
Only Aerolíneas Estelar offers direct flights between Venezuela and Chile with a weekly flight and capacity for 148 passengers because no Chilean company has flights to the country.
So far, the airline’s website does not show the impossibility of travel to and from this destination, probably pending the officialization of the suspension.
Previously Conviasa also had flights to Chile, but in 2022 they were suspended due to the sanctions imposed by the United States on the operation of Iranian Mahan Air aircraft.
Related news
#impact #suspension #flights #Venezuela #Chile
2024-09-27 01:47:13
