Avianca has renewed its call to Colombian authorities to strengthen penalties against disruptive passengers following an assault at Cali's airport. The airline reports a significant rise in inadequate behavior cases in 2025. It urges progress on Bill 153 of 2025 to safeguard its staff.
The Colombian airline Avianca has emphasized the need to impose stricter penalties on passengers displaying disruptive behavior, addressing Congress and relevant authorities. This stance follows an incident on January 13 at Cali's Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport, where a passenger physically assaulted ground staff during operations.
In response, Avianca promptly activated its safety and care protocols. The affected employee received medical support, the aggressor's transport contract was canceled, and authorities were notified. The company stresses that such events threaten not only personnel well-being but also overall operational safety.
In 2025, Avianca recorded 572 incidents of passenger misconduct, a 27.1% increase from the 450 cases the previous year. "For Avianca, the safety and respect for employees and customers are non-negotiable. This type of behavior not only affects people's integrity but also endangers air operations," the airline stated in a release.
Avianca upholds a zero-tolerance policy and pledges to pursue legal actions, including civil lawsuits and criminal complaints, on the ground or in-flight. "From the company, all available legal actions will continue to be exercised against those who engage in violent or disruptive conduct, and the call to strengthen the legal framework that allows effective prevention and sanctioning of these incidents is reiterated," it added.
The bill in focus, Project 153 of 2025, aims to enhance protections for the aviation sector, and Avianca is pushing for its swift passage to address these escalating risks.
