U.S. and Colombia Agree to Expand Flights

The United States and the Republic of Colombia have concluded an agreement to expand and liberalize our civil aviation relationship. Beginning on October 1, this agreement will expand opportunities for trade and people-to-people contacts between our two nations.

After roughly two years of consultations between officials of Colombia's civil aviation agency, Aerocivil, and a U.S. interagency team chaired by State's Bureau of Economic, Energy and Business Affairs that included officials from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Commerce, the countries agreed on the first increase of flights between the two countries since 2003.

Airlines may now provide unlimited scheduled passenger service to the Colombian cities of Cartagena and Barranquilla. In addition, this agreement will boost the number of scheduled weekly frequencies (round-trip flights) to other destinations, from 70 to 91, over the next year and expand charter opportunities between the two nations.

Questions concerning this agreement may be directed to Mr. Joel Reifman, Deputy Director, Office of Aviation Negotiations, U.S. Department of State, phone: 202-647-9797.

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