Thousands stranded as Colombia’s Viva Air grounds flights

MANUEL RUEDA
Associated Press

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Struggling low-cost airline Viva Air has suspended its operations in Colombia and Peru. That has left thousands of passengers stranded in airports with little support. The airline, owned by the same group that owns Ryanair, said in a statement late Monday that it grounded its flights after the latest delay by Colombian authorities in approving the airline’s requested merger with Avianca, Colombia’s main carrier. Earlier this month Viva had grounded five of its planes and suspended dozens of flights.