The latest news on flights to Managua seems to indicate that the passenger demand is there to support more flights to Managua either by Avianca (currently Nicaragua’s sole scheduled carrier) or the prompt return of the other airlines that were flying in and out of MGA pre Covid (March, 2020).
Copa, who had announced their return for next week confirmed that both flights for this month have been sold out, as have the four flights for February. As it turns out, the Copa flights are in fact charter flights and not their regular scheduled commercial flights. COPA confirmed in a memo from their head office in Panama that they did not have a confirmed date for a resumption of scheduled services to Managua. (See MGA Arrivals and Departures)
Adding to the runway hurdles of running an airline during a pandemic is the recent announcement that the US Government has adopted the recommendation (as of January 26th 2021) from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) that requires passengers to show a negative Covid-19 test to enter the USA. This test would have to be obtained here in Nicaragua. Currently there is only one facility in Managua authorized to conduct this type (PCR) of testing.
United Airlines are expected to return on February 11th and American Airlines, recently also scheduled to return to Managua this month (January) have put that off until at least February. Meanwhile, Aeromexico is not scheduled to offer flights to Managua until this March 4th. Spirit Airlines have not given a date when they will continue and with their popular low cost flights from Fort Lauderdale to Managua. Delta have also maintained that they have no date for a return to Managua, however, its long since been understood that Delta will not return.
Also, and as an aside, the Venezuelan owned airline called Conviasa who were flying from Caracas to Havana via Managua announced in early January 2021 that they would be cancelling that route due to the pandemic and the danger of imported cases.
