The director general of the airline TICV (ex-Binter-CV), Luís Quinta believes that for December the number of passengers will increase. In this sense, the company is strengthening the flight team so that, at that time, it will be able to offer a schedule at the end of 2019. Meanwhile, the offer has already been reinforced by 17% since the resumption of inter-island flights in July.
“If we reach 25,000 passengers in December 2020, it would be a very positive sign, not only for us TICV, but also for the country, as it would be a sign of recovery”, says Luís Quinta, in a statement sent.
After almost four months of suspension of air links between the islands, by decision of the national authorities to contain the transmission of COVID-19, TICV resumed domestic flights on 15 July, initially with 34 weekly flights and a transport capacity of 2,380 passengers.
“Taking into account the gradual increase in demand, we have moved from September 7th to 40 weekly flights, with the capacity to carry 2,800 passengers weekly”, emphasizes the airline’s director general.
According to him, these reinforcements were made on the Praia – São Vicente route, which now has six weekly flights, compared to the previous four. Connections to the São Vicente – Sal route were also added on Thursdays.
“Until the end of this month we will continue to analyze the behavior of demand on the part of passengers and we will also analyze whether other international flights will enter the archipelago, in order to find out if we have to make any increase in supply”, indicates Luís Quinta .
Inter-island air connections in Cape Verde were suspended at the end of March, with the declaration of a state of emergency to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, having been resumed on July 15, with the obligation, defined by the authorities, for passengers to submit rapid negative tests for the new coronavirus carried out at least 72 hours in advance.
Luís Quinta says that in August, in the first full month after the resumption of flights, TICV transported 6,800 passengers, a number that the company’s management stresses is still “much lower than the normal 40,000 passengers of the same period in similar years”.
During the period of suspension of flights in the archipelago, thanks to a “precautionary management” and using the lay-off tool provided by the Government, it was possible to “keep almost the same number of employees until now”, says Luís Quinta.
TICV guarantees that passengers are complying with all security measures adopted for inter-island travel, reinforcing the appeal to the need for those who already have the completed health form before arriving at the airport, to avoid delays.
As I said, the use of a mask in all areas of airports, sanitary control at the entrance to airports, social distance as well as hygiene and respiratory etiquette have been fully complied with by all staff involved in ICT operations, as well as by all passengers and, so far, there has been no contagion that has occurred following procedures related to the company’s flights.
Before the suspension of flights, recalls the note, passenger air connections to seven islands in the archipelago were guaranteed by TICV with nine different routes operated by three ATR-72 500, with capacity for 72 passengers.
TICV quer aumentar número de passageiros até Dezembro – Expresso das Ilhas
