Latin American airlines Copa Airlines and Avianca have changed their ticket sales system following an incident in Nicaragua. Details below.
According to the Nicaraguan newspaper La Prensa, in response to the blocking of ticket issuance in Nicaragua following the freezing of the bank accounts of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) by the Ortega government, the Panamanian airline Copa Airlines decided to suspend its points of sale in that country.
From now on, both travel agencies and individual customers must purchase their airline tickets through the airline’s website, copa.com.
This measure follows the strategy implemented since August 22 by the Colombian airline Avianca, which has also opted for online sales to circumvent the imposed blockade. Copa Airlines’ announcement was communicated to Nicaraguan travel agencies on August 23.
“Those interested in purchasing new tickets can do so through our website,” Copa said in a statement to travel agencies.
Copa and Avianca on ticket sales
The dispute arose after an alleged error by Nicaraguan authorities in confiscating IATA accounts, in compliance with an order that affected IATA’s Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP), a crucial global program for ticket sales.
This action is in line with Nicaragua’s decision in December 2023 to restrict the purchase of tickets through travel agencies, requiring that all transactions be carried out online with prior presidential authorization.
Nicaragua’s tourism sector has expressed concern, saying the measure has excluded it from a lucrative market for ticket sales to state institutions, a business that generated millions of córdobas annually.
Vice-governor and First Lady Rosario Murillo justified the measure as a way to save resources, limiting the purchase of tickets to what is strictly necessary and with presidential authorization.
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