After six months of closing the borders to commercial flights, air transport has been reactivated from September 18 with the arrival of four aircraft from the United States.
At the beginning of September, the Presidential Commission for Emergency Attention Covid-19 (COPRECOVID) had anticipated that the reactivation of operations at La Aurora and Mundo Maya International Airports would be carried out under the health protocols endorsed by health authorities and recommendations from International Civil Aviation.
After the Constitutional Court halted the government's decision to request a negative PCR test to covid-19 from travelers arriving in the country, the Executive assures that they will demand this requirement from the airlines.
Arguing that the right to enter the territory is restricted, on September 15 the Supreme Court of Justice suspended the decision of the Executive Autonomous Port Commission (CEPA) to demand proof of covid-19 from Salvadorans and foreigners with definitive residence in the country, who want to enter El Salvador when the international airport resumes operations for commercial flights as of September 19.
Starting October 17th, JetBlue will gradually restart operations with the flight between San Jose and Fort Lauderdale in Florida, and from October 25th it will start operating the route between the Costa Rican capital and New York.
From October 28th the airline plans to reactivate the flight between Orlando and San Jose.
As of September 1, the authorities will allow the entry of U.S. residents from the states of Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, and as of September 15, tourists from Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Colorado will also be able to arrive.
Based on public health reasons, the Civil Aeronautical Authority decided to suspend until September 21st the international flights of Commercial Passengers Aviation and General Passengers Aviation.
After authorities submitted the biosecurity protocols, the Oscar Romero International Airport is scheduled to resume operations on September 4.
The plan of the Autonomous Executive Port Commission (CEPA) is that as of Friday September 4, the skies of El Salvador will be open for connecting flights and as of September 19 for commercial passenger flights.
The constant resurgence of covid-19, the closure of international markets and the loss of consumer confidence, postpone the beginning of the recovery of the air industry, a process that is predicted to be long in the context of the new business reality.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), in this context of business and economic crisis in a large number of countries at the global level, there is no evidence of strong growth in global demand for cargo and its progress continues to be an extraordinary challenge for airlines.
The executive decree was modified to allow tourists arriving in Costa Rica to present a policy taken out abroad as part of the requirements for reopening international tourism.
The Costa Rican government decided to reform Executive Decree 42513-MGP-S and now foreign visitors will no longer be required to take out National Insurance Institute (INS) policies, the price of which exceeds $275 for a two-week stay.
Originally it was announced that in the first days of August the airlines operating in the country could resume activities, but due to the requirements, most plan to reactivate their flights in September and in the case of American Airlines, the resumption would be in October.
Due to the covid-19 outbreak, commercial flights to and from Nicaragua were suspended since the beginning of April. At the end of June, the U.S. Embassy informed its citizens that Aeromexico was scheduled to return on August 1, United Airlines on August 3, American Airlines on August 5, Avianca and Spirit on August 6, and Copa Airlines on August 7.
The government announced that the country's airports are scheduled to reopen from 10 August for domestic flights and from 17 August for international flights.
Due to the spread of covid-19, the authorities decided to close the air terminals in March to contain the disease in entry.
Local authorities confirm that sanitary measures for the entry and exit of passengers have already been approved, and so far the plan is to reopen the Juan Santamaría and Daniel Oduber international airports as of August 1.
Civil aviation officials confirm that the first flights that would be authorized to arrive at the air terminal in the Costa Rican capital would come from the U.S., Canada and Europe.
Commercial flights entering the country will be required to obtain a fumigation certificate for the aircraft and passengers attempting to enter will be required to take a negative covid-19 test, carried out within a period of no more than 72 hours.
Because of the spread of covid-19, commercial flights in the country continue to be suspended; however, airlines anticipate that they may resume operations in early August.
As part of the reopening of borders and the revival of commercial flights, the European Union did not include any country in the region in its initial list of markets authorized to resume commercial flights.
Because of the covid-19 outbreak, commercial flights continue to be suspended in all Central American countries; however, it is expected that in the coming weeks restrictions will be lifted and airports in the region will begin to normalize their operations.
The installation of anti-bacterial gel stations, cameras and arches for temperature control are some of the works that are pending at La Aurora Airport, so that it can operate commercial flights when the borders open.
Due to the propagation of covid-19, the Guatemalan government prohibited the arrival and departure of commercial flights in the country. So far, the General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics (DGAC) foresees that La Aurora Airport could restart its activity next August 15, however, the air terminal still has to adapt several areas to comply with sanitary requirements.
Restructuring of airlines, preference for direct flights, modifications in the routes operated and the use of smaller aircraft are some of the changes expected in the regional air market in the context of the new business normality.
Air traffic has virtually disappeared in the last three months, as governments in Central America have decided to close borders and suspend commercial flights to and from the region's airports as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
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