Three U.S. airlines eye new service to Colombia

As part of a Transportation Department proceeding to award new route authority to Colombia, Delta Air Lines, Continental, and low-cost Spirit Airlines said last week that they want to add flights to the country. Spirit said it has already received approval from DOT to start flying A319s between Ft. Lauderdale and Cartagena, adding that it is “currently working through the Colombian regulatory process” for the route. In addition, “Spirit is looking to initiate operations to other Colombian cities subject to the necessary government authorizations, and will service the market with fares lower than current competitive fares,” an airline spokesman said. Delta said it has applied for rights to begin new daily non-stops from New York JFK to Bogota, and to fly four times a week between Atlanta-Medellin and three times a week between Atlanta-Cali. Delta has been flying the Atlanta-Bogota route since 2000. Continental said it wants to add a daily overnight service between Houston Intercontinental and Bogota, supplementing its existing daytime flight from IAH to Bogota. Continental also serves the Houston-Cali route.