Can you quote a source on that? I'd love to dig into it. The Columbian government historically doesn't give two hoots about competition and is begging for all the US Carrier access it can get. With AA's successful history of being the go-between for cash laundering (unknowingly of course) it would be hard to figure out why the Columbian government would do such a thing. (Provided of course, the Columbian government is in on the cash haul)Especially since AA is still flying both routes.
The Colombian government doesn't give a hoot about compieition? Haha.
You mean the same Colombian government that sets minimum fare levels that airlines cannot go under? The same Colombian government that has twice in the past five years refused to enter into an Open Skies agreement with the United States? The same Colombian govenrment that refused American Airlines requests to fly to Medellin three times between 1992 and 2002, until finally agreeing on the condition they end service to Barranquilla? The same Colombian government that, following the collapse of ACES, who flew FLL-BOG, refused to allow American Airlines to use seven of their U.S.-Colombia frequencies on FLL-BOG so that Avianca could have it to themselves?
The Colombian government is extremely protective of air service, always has been, always will be.
Also, the issue of why the frequencies were taken away from American has nothing to do with dormancy. What happened was that AA had seven frequencies that were mandated to be used between Miami and Barranquilla only. They could not be used any other way. In the meantime, flights to Barranquilla became Open Skies, and it became impossible to use the frequencies between Miami and Barranquilla, so AA decided to use them elsewhere. Since these slots - which were route-specific to MIA-BAQ - could not be switched to another route, they were put back into the open pool.
Average annual load factor on AA's MIA-BOG flight in 2007 was 78.7%. So you are wrong, and I am right, as usual.
