the airínea LATAM Ecuador suspendá temporarily its flights between the airports of Quito and Store (Catamayo).
After a little whileás of añor operations, LATAM Ecuador leaveá to operate its flights between Quito and Loja, who formally started the 4 from January toñor past.
Faced with a situationón unexpected low demand and operational complexity, at airport sás difíeasy to operate from Ecuador, the airíno decision has been made to suspend, temporarily, its flights between both destinations since March próximo.
LATAM Ecuador suspends flights to Loja
It was in January of 2022 when in this blog I addressáwe were on LATAM's inaugural flight to Catamayo from Quito and we carry out all the coverage of the case. Una surgeryówhat a startó with three weekly frequencies and to finishá su operationón, for now, with two weekly flights úonly.
Against this background, we request the airlineímake a statementón official about this suspensionón, where we were toldó exclusively the following informationón:
Within the LATAM Airlines Connectivity Plan for Ecuador, the Quito-Loja route was incorporated, which enteredó in force on 04 of January of 2022.
The study of this route has been extensive and much work has been required to designñar processes of the form más safe possible, given the environmental and geographical conditionsáCatamayo airport information.
Nevertheless, despite intensive operational and commercial efforts, We have decided to temporarily suspend the route for the two reasons that coexist: it is operationally complex and has low demand. We will cease publicationón of this route from the 28 January and leaveá to operate from 26 march 2023.On the other hand, in our commitment to the connectivity needs of the countryís, also presentedén by the authorities, We will respond to the demand of the Guayaquile marketñor with the new Guayaquil route – Bogotaá, which will be publishedá the 28 January and operateá from 26 of March 2023.
As we can see, although this route is suspended, the airínot availableá the aircraft assigned to the route to one with greater demand, such as the new route between Guayaquil and Bogotá what to startá el próxth month with a daily flight.
To end, it should be noted that Store do not stayá disconnected, given that Aeroregional currently maintains 12 weekly frequencies, operating two daily flights from Monday to Friday, sábado and sundays one flight every dayía.
LATAM pilots did not have much expertise to land in Catamayo, and they used to return to Quito, even though AEROREGIONAL was able to land on the same itinerary. On one occasion he tried three times, and almost from the track it went up again.
Safety will always come first.
Another airline will operate on the Quito-Loja route?
There are two more with intentions, but they must finish their certification processes: Ecuadorian and Ecuadorian.
I am very sorry that they have decided to close this route, As for prices, it was cheap for me compared to other cities in Ecuador., you could get a round trip ticket for $77 which in aeroregional yes or yes I have to pay $160. I hope the temporary thing is true and they return again with new, more convenient hours for the users and for themselves..
Thanks for your contribution Joshua., Let's see what happens in the future, But for now, we won't see them back.
What I do think is that LATAM should have had frequencies on Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays and Fridays, which are the busiest days, And if it would be good if they continue offering us their services but just changing the frequencies
I agree, should have had frequencies other days.
I am delighted to travel in LATAM what a pity that they retire …. the last trip that was last week pay only 110 x round trip Quito Loja ….instead with aeroregional I had the bad experience that they canceled the trip and I had to come by bus … horrible ..and the planes are more battered and small… nothing like latam ….. what a pity … I travel very often to Loja
Thank you for telling us about your experience, dear Jannys..
Unfortunately other factors to those already added in the previous comments, is that they do not have a physical agency to give attention to users, online ticket purchase was confusing and unfriendly.
Hello Ana, Thanks for your comment. About the sale on the airline's website, it seems strange to me, since they fly to many other destinations and have not indicated this problem, It is the same website for all destinations. About the physical agency, Few are the airlines that maintain points of sale, Regrettably.
LATAM was a utopia for the Lojanos, At first they started with flights on Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursday with a single frequency, then it was Tuesday and Thursday, days that are not very busy and that citizens do not travel like on weekends.
In this case Aeroegional during these 3 years of service has maintained daily frequencies, two a day, the value has been fixed $80 dollars each ticket (160 round trip ) having the option of carrying a carry-on suitcase and a 23kg piece of luggage, something that LATAM did not do and its prices were higher due to the same conditions that Aeroegional offers us.
Finally, LATAM never saw us as a good market, on holidays that were Monday or Friday, he never dared to fly to Loja or open a route, The one that did it was Aeroegional and at its two normal frequencies per day it increased one or two depending on the demand, that is, on a holiday they had up to 4 frequencies and provided connectivity. How not to prefer Aeroegional ?
I concur, I never saw a good logic in frequencies from LATAM to Loja, The good thing is that Loja is not disconnected and Aeroregional maintains its 12 weekly flights.
The problem of low demand is influenced by the issue of ticket costs and also by frequency schedules., By closing these operations, what they will generate is monopolizing the aregional airline on the route to Loja
Hello Gabriel, I never really found much logic in the LATAM operation on the route to Loja, 3 weekly flights in a row, then two weekly flights, unfortunately not attractive to users. If they put more flights with a distance of one day between flights, they would have had to lower prices, but they would be more in demand.