Tuesday, September 6, 2016

ROUTE UPDATE & PHOTO: Austral started Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Rio Cuarto (RCU) - Cordoba (COR) Service on 05Sep16

Austral E190, LV-CPJ (c/n 463), gets ready to depart Rio Cuarto (RCU) to Cordoba (COR) after its inaugural flight from Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 05Sep16. (Phil Perry Photo)  

Austral Lineas Aereas started new service to Rio Cuarto (RCU), the second largest city in Argentina's Cordoba province with 150,000 people, this Monday, 05Sep16 on a Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Rio Cuarto (RCU) - Cordoba (COR) 1x/daily roundtrip routing operated with Embraer 190's.  

The timing of the flights is ideal for residents of Rio Cuarto with the daily departure to Buenos Aires leaving at 08:00 and returning from Buenos Aires at 20:25 hours, making possible a same-day roundtrip to the Argentine capital. 

The first flight, AU2598, was scheduled to depart Aeroparque at 20:25 and arrive at Rio Cuarto (RCU) at 21:50 but the actual takeoff was at 20:41 and landing in Rio Cuarto (RCU) being at 21:43 on runway 5, the longer of the airport's two runways.  The aircraft used for the inaugural flight, LV-CPJ (c/n 463), carried nearly a full load of passengers to Rio Cuarto with 90 travelers disembarking from the 96-seat plane.  On board was the Argentine Minister of Transport Guillermo Dietrich. 
   
After much fanfare with local media coverage and curiosity seekers, including a press conference featuring Mr. Dietrich, Province of Cordoba Governor Juan Schiaretti and Rio Cuarto Mayor Juan Manuel Llamosas, LV-CPJ loaded some passengers for the leg to Cordoba (COR) and departed the hard stand at 22:40, taking off once again on RCU's runway 5 at 22:43. 

The only profitable routes operated by the Aerolineas Argentinas / Austral group are its domestic services with its regional South American and intercontinental US and European routes being money losers.  

Argentine President Mauricio Macri has let it be known that he would like to see Aerolineas double its domestic service during his 4-year presidency, which started on 10Dec15, with the twin goals of having a large successful national airline and dramatically increasing air connectivity in Argentina, which has lagged behind many of its Latin American neighbors in growth of air service, especially Brazil and Mexico.  

Source:  (regarding Aerolineas Argentinas growth)

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2016/avn160901/avn-160901.html

Friday, September 2, 2016

ROUTE UPDATES: Gol added new service from Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) to several Brazilian beach destinations


Gol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes of Brazil added new service from Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) to several Brazilian beach destinations earlier this year.  

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Maceio (MCZ) - eff March 2016

This new service is actually an extension of Gol's existing Ezeiza to Salvador de Bahia (SSA) flights operating 1x/weekly on Saturdays using 737-800's.  

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Recife (REC) - eff 27Mar16

Operating 1x/weekly on Saturdays using 737-800's. 

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Porto Seguro (BPS) - eff March 2016

Operating 1x/weekly on Sundays using 737-800's. 

As of March 2016, Gol operated 76 weekly flights connecting the following airports in Argentina and Brazil: 

Argentina

Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE)
Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP)
Cordoba (COR)
Mendoza (MDZ) 
Rosario (ROS)

Brazil

Fortaleza (FOR)
Maceio (MCZ)
Natal (NAT)
Porto Seguro (BPS)
Recife (REC)
Rio de Janeiro Galeao (GIG)
Salvador de Bahia (SSA)
Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU)

Sources: