In order to improve air connectivity and unite more people from the regions, the Transport Infrastructure Planning Unit (UPIT), prioritized, after an exhaustive analysis, 126 routes to bring some of the most remote areas of the country from point to pointwhich, in many cases, only have this service to move around the country.
You may be interested in: Latam Airlines returns to the New York Stock Exchange
Since 2015, the possibility of granting subsidies by the National Government to the airline Satena was raised, through the budget of the Ministry of Defense on social routes in which Satena is the only operator, determining the stated subsidy. Subsequently, with Resolution 3175 of 2018, Aerocivil approved the feasibility study of Single Social Routeswith which the first Social Route Bank for SAE Operation was formed, with 141 national routes.
In 2019, through article 301 (Satena Social Routes Subsidies, of Law 1955, article 240 of Law 1753 of 2015 was modified) Aerocivil and the National Government were given the responsibility of determining the routes and conditions of the subsidy.
In 2022, the National Development Plan 2022-2026 “Colombia, World Power of Life” established as one of its goals to reach 79 SAE routes in operation in 2026, taking as a baseline the 31 that were in operation in 2022.
In this way, in a joint effort between UPIT, Aerocivil and the Ministry of Transport, a SAE transport network design methodology was developed that resulted in the identification of 126 possible SAE routes (Essential Air Services). However, it is worth clarifying that this methodology identifies the country’s transport infrastructure, including road, river and air modes.
You may be interested in: Complaints against airlines for denying boarding increased by 53% in just five months
Airport
Private file
“This information was cross-referenced with the results of the City System Mission and the Modern Cities Index of the National Planning Department (DNP), to prioritize critical routes that connect remote regions of the country, seeking transportation connections, territorial development and access to basic goods and services for the population of remote areas of the country,” the entity points out.
Thus, the joint work materialized in Resolution 1668 of 2023 of the Aerocivil, which determined the new Bank of Social Routes for SAE Operation, which has 186 routes, including the 126 identified jointly by the UPIT, Aerocivil and the Ministry of Transportation.
Which routes did Satena incorporate?
Currently, according to information from Satena, of the priority routes, 34 SAE routes are in operationwhich will increase in the following years as a result of the airline’s expansion plan, which includes the incorporation of new 19-passenger aircraft and the opening of new routes in a time horizon that goes until 2026.
“They are all important, however, the priority for opening depends on which ones need to be connected first from an operational and demand perspective. In two years, connectivity is expected to be generated on most of these routes, considering that the investment plans in aeronautical infrastructure materialize in the estimated timeframes,” said Major General Oscar Zuluaga Castaño, president of Satena.
Of the 126 routes, Satena prioritized 103 routes under the criteria: routes between airports with less restrictive infrastructure conditions for air operations; social routes that have stopped being operated in recent decades by other operators and that are a necessity for the community; routes that improve access and connectivity of the regions due to their deficient or lacking ground infrastructure; routes with significant demand potential, which have a relevant market attraction with regional economic centers and routes that connect the largest population and surrounding municipalities.
Also read: Airfrance’s Paris flight occupancy is at 87%, but will grow this year
Rafael Nunez International Airport
SACSA
“Essential Air Services (SAE) mainly benefit the population in areas with connectivity difficulties in the country. In 2022, according to data from Aerocivil, nearly 1 million passengers were transported under this scheme. As this program focuses mainly on air operations, it is financed through the General Budget of the Nation,” added the UPIT.
This is the list of routes that Satena has recently put into operation and that are included in Resolution 1668 of 2023 (Bank of routes for Essential Air Services):
• Medellin – Caucasia
• Medellin – The Catfish
• Medellin – Montelibano
• Medellin – Mompox
• Arauca – Bucaramanga
For the month of June, SATENA put the following SAE routes into operation:
• Medellin – Acandi
• Medellin – Condoto
• Villavicencio – Arauca
• Villavicencio – San Jose del Guaviare
• Quibdó – Solano Bay
Despite the progress, there are challenges to face, since according to the president of the airline, there is still There are runways without proper enclosure, which leaves aerial operations at the mercy of local fauna. Also short runways that sometimes limit the maximum load capacity of aircraft and this causes costs to have to be covered in a smaller number of seats.
See also: Satena expands its operations to Cartago, Paipa, Arauca, Cúcuta and Yopal
He adds that there are also runways that are considered unprepared, generating additional maintenance costs due to damage to components such as lights, propellers and tires, much faster than would happen on a runway in perfect condition. Finally, he considers that there is a challenge in the availability of fuel and an increase in its cost, which forces it to be transported from the airport of origin, often reducing the weight of passengers that could be transported.
“Our goal is to connect regions to promote national integration, facilitating access to employment opportunities, education and essential services. In turn, promoting tourism encourages the growth of the local economy. This activity generates income, creates jobs and supports businesses in these destinations, thus strengthening the economic structure of the regions and providing new opportunities for their inhabitants,” closes the Major General.
Paula Galeano Balaguera
Portfolio Journalist
