Spirit Airlines inaugurated its route between Barranquilla and Fort Lauderdale

Spirit Airlines inaugurated its new route between Barranquilla's Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport (BAQ) and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL).

The addition of these new routes, Bucaramanga and Barranquilla positions Spirit as the airline with the largest number of direct flights connecting the United States with Colombia.  

"We are very excited to celebrate the opening of our inaugural flight between Fort Lauderdale and Barranquilla," said Camilo Martelo, Director of International Airports for Spirit Airlines. "The opening of these new routes is a sign of our commitment to continue offering convenient and flexible flight options to our Passengers, providing greater connectivity to the destinations we fly."

"This route that we are inaugurating today with the help of a company of the stature of Spirit Airlines is a sign that Barranquilla continues to gain trust as an attractive and prosperous city, with doors open to its visitors," said Jaime Pumarejo, Mayor from Barranquilla. “We are close to a key season to continue reactivating and recovering jobs in tourism and its value chain, including commerce, gastronomy, entertainment and accommodation services, among other sectors most affected by this crisis, and we are preparing to receive own and tourists with all the self-care measures that this new reality implies. We highlight that in terms of the arrival of visitors since September, after the reopening of the airport, the city has registered a total of 3,480 international visitors and 64. 389 international visitors. We say to all of them: here we are! "

Spirit began its service to Colombia in May 2008, connecting Fort Lauderdale (FLL) with Cartagena (CTG). The airline's expansion continued over the next decade with flights to Bogotá (BOG), Medellín (MDE), Armenia (AXM) and Cali (CLO). Additionally, the airline inaugurated its direct service from Orlando (MCO) to Cartagena, Bogotá and Medellín in 2018. In the last 12 years, Spirit has flown more than 3.1 million Passengers between Colombia and the different cities in the States. United. 

"The resumption of international flights is key for the reactivation of the tourism industry and the economy of the regions," said Flavia Santoro, president of ProColombia. "Spirit's two new flights to Bucaramanga and Barranquilla are excellent news for us and we will continue to support the airline's operations in Colombia."

As part of Spirit's commitment to the communities in which it operates, the airline continues its efforts to support the Fútbol con Corazón foundation, which is headquartered in Barranquilla. As part of the celebration of its new route, Spirit invited the foundation to receive a donation of soccer balls, which will benefit 100 children who are part of this program. Soccer with a Heart seeks to educate girls, boys and young people socio-emotionally through soccer, so that together they can build a world of good decisions. The donated balls were manufactured in the Municipality of Monguí, in the department of Boyacá, which is characterized by being home to multiple ball factories and among which there are still a few heirs of the hand-sewing technique.

“We are very pleased with the arrival of this route at the Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport,” said Marcel Di Muzio, Commercial Director of Grupo Aeroportuario del Caribe, the airport's concessionaire. "Resuming the operation to Fort Lauderdale again is another achievement in our commitment to connect Barranquilla and the Caribbean region with the world."

On September 19, Spirit was the first airline to enter Colombia, landing in Cartagena after six months since the border closures. The airline also led humanitarian efforts, operating more than 170 flights between Colombia and the United States, helping more than 30,000 people to reunite with their families and loved ones.

Spirit Airlines Security Protocols Taking   
care of our Passengers and Team Members is Spirit's top priority. The airline has a security approach comprised of several protocols including a regulation requiring all Passengers and Team Members to wear cloth face covers. Spirit's fleet is equipped with state-of-the-art, high-efficiency particulate matter (HEPA) filters that capture 99.97% of particulates and filter the air of contaminants every 3 minutes.   
The airline has also expanded aircraft cleaning protocols between flights, which includes an additional focus on frequent contact points such as handles, seat belt buckles, folding trays and armrests. Spirit also uses two EPA-registered mist treatments. The first applies a safe, high-grade disinfectant that is effective against coronaviruses. The second uses an antimicrobial product that forms an invisible barrier on all surfaces that kills bacteria and viruses on contact for 30 days.