The global trend towards low-cost air fares has now reached Colombia, with domestic flights dropping significantly in price.
A price war in air fares has caused prices to decrease, but most low-cost carriers charge for services such as food and drink, the right to choose a seat, and in some cases passengers need to pay for every bag checked in, El Tiempo reports.
The airline Aires, for example, from this month will charge COP10,000 for every bag checked in, and this charge doubles if paid at the airport rather than at the time of booking.
“The target audience of low-cost airlines is willing to accept restrictions in order to travel cheaper by air,” says Daniel Devis, director of economic studies of the Association of Air Transportation in Colombia (ATAC).
According to ATAC, the main beneficiary of these low-cost air fares is the passenger. The minimum tariff for national flights in September was 14% cheaper than in 2009.
The data collected by Civil Aeronautics reveals that between January and August 2010, 8.62 million people traveled by air within Colombia, representing a growth of 37% from 2009.