Airline changes ahead; Don’t call it ‘biennial’!; Renewing passport visa stamps; Dog murder tales

Nov 22, 2016 | 0 comments

Coming changes in the airline industry could have a big impact on Ecuadorian flyers, including expats and tourists. The changes are all about money, don’t you know.

A memorandum circulated by Latam (formerly Lan) to employees says that the airline will soon begin making “upgrades” to “reposition Latam as an economy carrier.”

Among the changes will be the elimination of free checked bags and in-flight meals on international flights. The biggest change could be the end of Quito-to-Miami non-stop services and possibly to New York. Earlier this year, Latam ended the Cuenca-to-Miami-via-Quito service, which allowed ticketing and bag checks through to the U.S. According to the Latam memorandum, the changes will go into effect next February “after a final review.”

chl-airplane-cartoon No word of changes to Latam’s in-country flights between Quito, Guayaquil, and Cuenca, but we can assume these are being reviewed too.

Also in airlines news …

The Cuenca chamber of commerce and airport officials say talks are continuing with Colombian carrier Avianca to bring flights to the city.

Tame’s fate is still up in the air and under discussion. The airline, originally established as a wing of the Air Force, has never made money but its losses have reached as much as $50 million in recent years. Officials at the finance ministry are recommending that the airline be shut down.

A source at the airline says it is unlikely that all flights would be suspended but says service to all destinations except for Quito, Guayaquil, and Cuenca, is on the cutting block.

Pleeeeeze … It’s “Bienal” not “Biennial“

Every two years about this time, a few hoity-toity gringos feel compelled to correct the name of Cuenca’s big international art show that kicks off Friday. Officially, it’s the Bienal de Cuenca. It is not the Biennial or the Biennale, or 藝術雙年展 or بينالي الفن, for that matter. We’re in a Spanish-speaking country, folks. Get with it!

Dead dog tales

There is no truth to the social media rumor that the city is rounding up street dogs, shooting them and burying them in mass graves. This according to dog rescuer Juan Maldonado. He says a photo circulated on gringo and cuencano social media showing decomposed animal remains, is of hog and cattle offal taken near the city slaughter house, not of dead dogs.

To transfer or not to transfer your residency visa to your new passport

A reader who recently renewed his U.S. passport, sent us this.

When you renew your passport, is it really necessary to transfer the visa to the new passport? In other words, is the transfer required? Believe it or not, the answer is actually, “it depends.” The department of Immigration does not require the transfer. For example, you may show both passports when you leave or enter the country. Many North American residents have been doing just that for years.

The Registro Civil, however, will not accept a visa in an expired passport, so if you ever need to show your passport and visa at that office, the visa must be in the current passport. An example of when you might run into that is when you renew your cédula. Among other documents, you are required to show your current passport with the visa in it.

That’s the simple answer to the original question. It depends where you show the passport and visa.

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Please send tips, rumors and alt news concerning expats and Ecuadorians, no matter how outrageous, to Alice at editor@cuencahighlife.com, “attn: Alice.” She will look into them are report items with useful and/or entertainment value.