On March 25, 2020, the Civil Aeronautical Board (Junta de Aeronáutica Civil or “JAC”) issued the resolution Resolución Exenta Nº280 (“RE280”), requesting all air operators which flights land in Chile under a non-regular flight authorization regime, to obtain a special permit issued by the Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, either through diplomatic or consular authorities, or through other means determined by such Ministry (the “Permit”). Such regime would initially apply for a 15-day period since the date in which the RE280 was issued.
Subsequently, on April 16, 2020, the JAC issued the resolution Resolución Exenta Nº335 (“RE335”) to complement the RE280, as follows:
- It declares that the Permit requirement imposed by the RE280 will be in full force and effect for an indefinite term, as long as the exceptional sanitary circumstances remain in place; and
- It also imposes the Permit requirement set forth under RE280 to the companies operating under a regular flight authorization regime, prior to the approval of any change of a regular itinerary. Therefore, if a regular itinerary needs to be modified, the modification request shall be filed together with the Permit.
Finally, it is worth noticing the RE335 does not state a date upon which these measures should start to be applied. Hence, it should be understood that such requirements should be complied with starting as of its publication date in the Official Gazette (i.e. April 23rd, 2020).
