ROUTE UPDATE: SOL Lineas Aereas Adds/Drops Routes to adapt to Competitive Market Changes

SOL Saab 340A, LV-BMD, (c/n 123) at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 01Oct10.  (Phil Perry Photo)   

SOL Lineas Aereas has made adjustments to its route structure to adapt to changes in the competitive marketplace, mostly by Aerolineas Argentinas and sister company Austral.

SOL dropped its "Oil Route", Cordoba (COR) - Mendoza (MDZ) - Neuquen (NQN) on 01Jul14 and with Austral adding the Rosario (ROS) - Cordoba (COR) sector, which was SOL's "bread and butter" route, SOL decided to drop Cordoba (COR) altogether, shifting equipment to reinforce Rosario (ROS) - Santa Fe (SFN).

The carrier also discontinued flights to Bariloche (BRC) and Esquel (EQS) in Patagonia and Ushuaia (USH) in southern Argentina on 20May14.

SOL's route system looked like this as of late July:

* Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Rosario (ROS), 15x/week

* Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Santa Fe (SFN), 11x/week

* Rosario (ROS) - Santa Fe (SFN)

* Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) multiple-stop route southward along the eastern seaboard of Argentina to Mar del Plata (MDQ), Bahia Blanca (BHI), Trelew (REL), Comodoro Rivadavia (CRD), Rio Gallegos (RGL), and Rio Grande (RGA) operated 5x/week.  

* Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Villa Gesell (VLG) seasonal service (summer)

All flights are operated with SOL's fleet of five Saab 340's.

Sources:

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn140626/avn-140626.html  
http://www.sol.com.ar/site/new/
http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Sol%20Lineas%20Aereas.htm