Saturday, November 30, 2024

ROUTE UPDATES: October 2024 - Part 1 - Aerolineas Argentinas, American, Arajet, Avianca

Route Updates - October 2024 - Part 1

The following airlines / flights are confirmed to have started or re-started service on the indicated routes on the listed dates.  Many of the services are the resumption of flights that existed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Increases / decreases in flight frequency are verified by your editor only where indicated.

Airline - Route Eff Date - Aircraft Type - Flight Frequency - Remarks  

* Aerolineas Argentinas - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Curitiba (CWB) - 27Oct24 - aircraft type ? - 6x/weekly - Remarks: Increase in frequency from 4x/weekly in southern hemisphere summer 2023/24 to 6x/weekly in southern hemisphere summer 2024/25  

* Aerolineas Argentinas - Cordoba (COR) - Trelew (REL) - 30Oct24 - Remarks: Route "suspended" (cancelled?), apparently as a cost-saving measure 

* Aerolineas Argentinas - Santiago (SCL) - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Rio de Janeiro Galeao (GIG) - 01Oct24 - 737 MAX 8 - 1x/daily - Remarks: Throughflight with passengers not required to deplane or go through immigration / customs in AEP made possible by new Argentine regulations and international "Sixth Freedom of the Air" allowing an airline from one country to carry revenue passengers between two other countries as long as it stops in its country of origin en route between the other two nations.  

* Aerolineas Argentinas - Santiago (SCL) - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) - 01Oct24 - 737 MAX 8 - 1x/daily - Remarks: Throughflight with passengers not required to deplane or go through immigration / customs in AEP made possible by new Argentine regulations and international "Sixth Freedom of the Air" allowing an airline from one country to carry revenue passengers between two other countries as long as it stops in its country of origin en route between the other two nations.  

* American Airlines - Dallas Ft. Worth (DFW) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - 26Oct24 - 777-200ER - 1x/daily - Remarks: Seasonal Summer Service until 29Mar25.  Using 777-200ER this year instead of 787-9 used last year.  American flew this route year-round prior to the pandemic, but has operated only seasonal service since then, partly due to delivery delays of new 787-9's. 

* American Airlines - Miami (MIA) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - 26Oct24 - 777-200ER, 777-300ER, 787-8 - 3x/daily - Remarks: Seasonal Southern Hemisphere Spring / Summer / Fall Service increase from 2x/daily.  Normal 777-200 2x/daily increasing to 777-200ER, 777-300ER, 787-8, 1x/daily each.  787-8 flight operating until 04May25 when will be suspended.  All three flights to depart EZE in the evening compared to past years when one of the flights departed in the morning. 

* American Airlines - New York Kennedy (JFK) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - 27Oct24 - 777-300ER - 1x/daily - Remarks: Upgrade in equipment from 777-200ER for southern hemisphere summer until 06Mar25.  Plans for increase in frequency to 2x/daily were previously announced, but cancelled in late April due to 787 aircraft delivery delays from Boeing, so JFK-EZE to remain 1x/daily. 

* Arajet - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Punta Cana (PUJ) - 27Oct24 - 737 MAX 8 - 1x/daily - Remarks: Replacing Arajet flights out of Santo Domingo (SDQ)

* Arajet - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Santo Domingo (SDQ) - 26Oct24 - 737 MAX 8 - 7x/weekly - Remarks: Service out of SDQ to be suspended and shifted to Punta Cana (PUJ) starting on 27Oct24.  SDQ service to be reinstated when Arajet receives more 737 MAX 8's

* Avianca - San Jose (SJO) - Guayaquil (GYE) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - 27Oct24 - A320neo - 4x/weekly - Remarks: Service to complement 4x/weekly SJO-UIO-EZE flights for a total of 8x/weekly flights from SJO through Ecuador to Argentina

* Avianca - San Jose (SJO) - Quito (UIO) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - 31Oct24 - aircraft type ? - 4x/weekly - Remarks: Service reverting to 4x/weekly from 1x/daily because Avianca will start SJO-GYE-EZE 4x/weekly, eff 27Oct24 for a total of 8x/weekly flights from SJO through Ecuador to Argentina

ROUTE UPDATES: October 2024 - Part 2 - British, Delta, Emirates, Flybondi

Route Updates - October 2024 - Part 2

The following airlines / flights are confirmed to have started or re-started service on the indicated routes on the listed dates.  Many of the services are the resumption of flights that existed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Increases / decreases in flight frequency are verified by your editor only where indicated.

Airline - Route Eff Date - Aircraft Type - Flight Frequency - Remarks  

* British Airways - London Heathrow (LHR) - Rio de Janeiro Galeao (GIG) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - 27Oct24 - A350-1000 - 1x/daily - Remarks: Change of type from 777-200ER to A350-1000 scheduled through 2025

* Delta Air Lines - Atlanta (ATL) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - 26Oct24 - A330-900neo - 1x/daily - Remarks: A330-900neo replacing 767-400ER 

* Delta Air Lines - New York Kennedy (JFK) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - 26Oct24 - A330-900neo - 1x/daily - Remarks: Seasonal Summer Service until March 2025

* Emirates - Dubai (DXB) - Rio de Janeiro Galeao (GIG) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - 27Oct24 - 777-300ER - 1x/weekly - Remarks: 1x/weekly of 5x/weekly flights to be operated with 777-300ER until 04Dec24

* Flybondi - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Rio de Janeiro Galeao (GIG) - 01Oct24 - 737-800 - 1x/daily - Remarks: One of two EZE-GIG flights being transferred to AEP

* Flybondi - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) - 02Oct24 - 737-800 - 1x/daily - Remarks: Flights being transferred from EZE

* Flybondi - Ushuaia (USH) - El Calafate (FTE) - xxOct24 - 737-800 - 4x/weekly - Remarks: Increasing frequency from 3x/weekly 

ROUTE UPDATES: October 2024 - Part 3 - Gol, Iberia, LATAM Brasil, LATAM Chile, LATAM Peru, Level, Paranair, Sky

Route Updates - October 2024 - Part 3

The following airlines / flights are confirmed to have started or re-started service on the indicated routes on the listed dates.  Many of the services are the resumption of flights that existed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Increases / decreases in flight frequency are verified by your editor only where indicated.

Airline - Route Eff Date - Aircraft Type - Flight Frequency - Remarks  

* Gol Linhas Aereas - Montevideo (MVD) - Rio de Janeiro Galeao (GIG) - 28Oct24 - 737 Series - 4x/weekly - Remarks: Increasing frequency from 3x/weekly

* Iberia - Madrid (MAD) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - 26Oct24 - A350-900, A330-200 - 3x/daily - Remarks: Increasing frequency from 17x/weekly.  A350-900 17x/weekly plus A330-200 on the additional 4x/weekly  

* LATAM Brasil - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) - 27Oct24 - A320 Series - 34x/weekly - Remarks: Increasing frequency from 23x/weekly. Collective increase in frequency from Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) by LATAM Brasil, Chile and Peru of 27% compared to April - October 2024.

* LATAM Chile - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Santiago (SCL) - 27Oct24 - A320 Series - 28x/weekly - Remarks: Increasing frequency out of AEP from 26x/weekly. Collective increase in frequency from Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) by LATAM Brasil, Chile and Peru of 27% compared to April - October 2024.

* LATAM Peru - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Lima (LIM) - 27Oct24 - A320 Series - 14x/weekly - Remarks: Increasing frequency out of AEP from 9x/weekly. Collective increase in frequency from Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) by LATAM Brasil, Chile and Peru of 27% compared to April - October 2024.

* Level - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Barcelona (BCN) - 25Oct24 - A330 Series - 7x/weekly - Remarks: Increasing frequency from 6x/weekly

* Paranair - Asuncion (ASU) - Montevideo (MVD) - Salto (STY) - Montevideo (MVD) - Asuncion (ASU) - 08Oct24 - CRJ-200 - 2x/weekly - Remarks: Uruguayan government authorized Paranair of Paraguay to operate Uruguayan domestic flights between Montevideo (MVD) and Salto (STY) under "8th Freedom Rights".

* Sky Airline - Lima (LIM) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - 15Oct24 - A320neo, A321neo - 7x/weekly - Remarks: Increasing frequency from 4x/weekly

* Sky Airline - Santiago (SCL) - Buenos Aires Aeropaeque (AEP) - 15Oct24 - A320neo - 2x/daily - Remarks: Increasing frequency 

* Sky Airline - Santiago (SCL) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - 15Oct24 - A320neo, A321neo - 2x/daily - Remarks: Increasing frequency 

ROUTE UPDATES: October 2024 - Part 4 - United Airlines

Route Updates - October 2024 - Part 4

The following airlines / flights are confirmed to have started or re-started service on the indicated routes on the listed dates.  Many of the services are the resumption of flights that existed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Increases / decreases in flight frequency are verified by your editor only where indicated.

Airline - Route Eff Date - Aircraft Type - Flight Frequency - Remarks  

* United Airlines - Houston Bush Intercontinental (IAH) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - 27Oct24 - 777-200ER - 10x/weekly - Remarks: Seasonal Summer Service with 10x/weekly, 27Oct24-30Nov24, increasing to 2x/daily, 01Dec24-12Feb25, reducing back to 10x/weekly, 13Feb25-05Mar25.  Mainly for Antarctica cruise business.

ROUTE UPDATES: October 2024 - Part 5 - Jetsmart Argentina growing to 280 weekly flights on 22 domestic and international routes by January 2025

Route Updates - October 2024 - Part 5

The following airlines / flights are confirmed to have started or re-started service on the indicated routes on the listed dates.  Many of the services are the resumption of flights that existed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Increases / decreases in flight frequency are verified by your editor only where indicated.

JetSmart Argentina growing to approx. 280 weekly flights on 22 domestic and international routes by January 2025

Listing below includes all of the anticipated growth on the Jetsmart Argentina route network due to the addition of the 9th, 10th and possibly 11th A320ceo's to its fleet between October 2024 and January 2025. 

Domestic Flights

Airline - Route Eff Date - Aircraft Type - Flight Frequency - Remarks  

* Jetsmart Argentina - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP)/Ezeiza (EZE) - Bariloche (BRC) - A320-200 - Remarks: Increasing frequency from 22x/weekly to 25x/weekly on xxOct24 and to 33x/weekly on xxJan25 

* Jetsmart Argentina - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP)/Ezeiza (EZE) - Comodoro Rivadavia (CRD) - 08Jan25 - A320-200 - 5x/weekly - Remarks: Restart of service (prior to pandemic?)  

* Jetsmart Argentina - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP)/Ezeiza (EZE) - Cordoba (COR) - xxOct24 - A320-200 - 27x/weekly - Remarks: Increasing frequency from 22x/weekly

* Jetsmart Argentina - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP)/Ezeiza (EZE) - El Calafate (FTE) - A320-200 - Remarks: Increasing frequency from 4x/weekly to 5x/weekly on xxOct24 and to 6x/weekly on xxJan25 

* Jetsmart Argentina - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP)/Ezeiza (EZE) - Mendoza (MDZ) - date ? - A320-200 - 31x/weekly - Remarks: Increasing frequency from 29x/weekly

* Jetsmart Argentina - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP)/Ezeiza (EZE) - Neuquen (NQN) - xxOct24 - A320-200 - 18x/weekly - Remarks: Increasing frequency from 16x/weekly

* Jetsmart Argentina - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP)/Ezeiza (EZE) - Puerto Iguazu (IGR) - xxOct24 - A320-200 - 33x/weekly - Remarks: Increasing frequency from 24x/weekly

* Jetsmart Argentina - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP)/Ezeiza (EZE) - Salta (SLA) - xxOct24 - A320-200 - 15x/weekly - Remarks: Increasing frequency from 13x/weekly

* Jetsmart Argentina - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP)/Ezeiza (EZE) - San Martin de los Andes (CPC) - A320-200 - Remarks: Increasing frequency from 6x/weekly to 7x/weekly on xxOct24 and to 10x/weekly on xxJan25 

* Jetsmart Argentina - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP)/Ezeiza (EZE) - Tucuman (TUC) - xxOct24 - A320-200 - 11x/weekly - Remarks: Increasing frequency from 9x/weekly

* Jetsmart Argentina - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP)/Ezeiza (EZE) - Ushuaia (USH) - A320-200 - Remarks: Increasing frequency from 3x/weekly to 4x/weekly on xxNov24 and to 5x/weekly on xxDec24

* Jetsmart Argentina - Mendoza (MDZ) - Bariloche (BRC) - 05Nov24 - A320-200 - 5x/weekly -Remarks: Restart of Seasonal Summer Service

* Jetsmart Argentina - Mendoza (MDZ) - Salta (SLA) - 05Nov24 - A320-200 - 4x/weekly -Remarks: 

* Jetsmart Argentina - Salta (SLA) - Neuquen (NQN) - A320-200 - Remarks: Increasing frequency from 3x/weekly to 4x/weekly on xxNov24 and to 5x/weekly on xxJan25

International Flights

* Jetsmart Argentina - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Asuncion (ASU) - A320-200 - 4x/weekly - Remarks: Frequency unchanged

* Jetsmart Argentina - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Curitiba (CWB) - 01Oct24 - A320-200 - Remarks: Route cancelled after only two months of service due to low profitability. 

* Jetsmart Argentina - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Florianopolis (FLN) - 13Dec24 - A320-200 - 4x/weekly - Remarks: Seasonal Summer ServiceIncreasing frequency to 11x/weekly on xxJan25.

* Jetsmart Argentina - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Lima (LIM) - 27Oct24 - A320-200 - 7x/weekly - Remarks: Moving all EZE-LIM flights to AEP 

* Jetsmart Argentina - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Montevideo (MVD) - 01Oct24 - A320-200 - Remarks: Route cancelled after six months of service (started in March 2024) due to low profitability.  Service was initially 2x/daily, scheduled to allow for same-day return trips between Buenos Aires and Montevideo, reduced to 10x/weekly, and finally 6x/weekly.  Load factor for the four month period between May and June was only 32%.  

* Jetsmart Argentina - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Rio de Janeiro Galeao (GIG) - 27Oct24 - A320-200 - 7x/weekly - Remarks: Moving most EZE-GIG flights to AEP with 4x/weekly flights remaining at EZE.

* Jetsmart Argentina - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Santiago (SCL) - A320-200 - 23x/weekly - Remarks: Frequency unchanged

* Jetsmart Argentina - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Rio de Janeiro Galeao (GIG) - A320-200 - Remarks: Seasonal Summer Service increase in frequency from 4x/weekly to 7x/weekly on xxDec24 and again to 11x/weekly on xxJan25

* Jetsmart Argentina - Mendoza (MDZ) - Santiago (SCL) - A320-200 - 4x/weekly - Remarks:  Frequency unchanged

Sources:

Thursday, November 28, 2024

FLEET UPDATE: Aerolineas Argentinas E-190, LV-CIF, repainted in Aerolineas livery

Former Austral E-190, LV-CIF (c/n 421) was recently repainted with Aerolineas Argentinas colors and titles like those on sistership LV-CMA, pictured above at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 26Jul24. (Phil Perry Photo)

Aerolineas Argentinas E-190, LV-CIF (c/n 421) had its Austral colors and titles removed and replaced with the complete Aerolineas scheme at the Fabrica Argentina de Aviones (FAdeA) airfield in Cordoba (not the Cordoba (COR) airport where airline flights operate) on 09Nov24.  It is the third former Austral E-190 to be repainted in Aerolineas colors, joining LV-CMA (c/n 445) and LV-CDZ (c/n 377), which were repainted on 03Mar21 and 05Jun23, respectively.  The Aerolineas and Austral schemes are very similar, with the main differences being the titles and the red stripe on the Austral fuselage.

Austral was a privately-owned airline formed decades ago that changed hands on more than one occasion until it was finally fully-merged with state-owned Aerolineas Argentinas on 30Nov20.  

Now, some four years after the merger was completed, only three of the 24 former Austral E-190's currently in the Aerolineas fleet have been repainted in the Aerolineas Argentinas color scheme.  Maybe due to nostalgia among former Austral employees, especially the pilots, who reportedly remember the carrier fondly.  

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

FLEET UPDATE: Second of two AlbaStar 737-800's, EC-NLK, wetleased by Flybondi arrives at Ezeiza on 09Nov24

Unidentified AlbaStar 737-800 with the same scheme as EC-NLK (c/n 33104/1337), which arrived at Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) on 09Nov24, the second of two AlbaStar 737-800's on wetlease to Flybondi until March 2025. (AlbaStar Photo) 

Text repeated from posting on arrival of the first AlbaStar 737-800 in Argentina in early November with slight updates: 

Flybondi is wet-leasing two 737-800's from Spanish carrier AlbaStar, EC-MUB (c/n 32920/1293) and EC-NLK (c/n 33104/1337), from November 2024 to March 2025, the southern hemisphere summer high season, to cover for two of its 15-strong 737-800 fleet that are out of service for maintenance and apparently financial reasons.  AlbaStar has, at various times since its founding in 2009, operated scheduled and charter flights in partnership with European tour operators and on behalf of private organizations, such as sports clubs and other associations, largely to Spanish and Italian destinations.

EC-MUB and EC-NLK are being flown by AlbaStar for Flybondi on an ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) basis where AlbaStar will assume responsibility for all aspects of  aircraft operations.  The aircraft are on the Spanish register and will be flown by Spanish crews employed by AlbaStar.    

While it is a common practice in Europe and many other parts of the world for airlines to wetlease  aircraft from foreign carriers, airlines in South America usually only sign on for such leases with  carriers from their own countries, such as when Flybondi leased Andes 737-800's to cover for capacity shortfalls at various times in 2024.  Wetleases from foreign airlines have only occurred a few times in Argentina, with the last occasion being when Andes Lineas Aereas briefly leased in an A320 from Vueling Airlines of Spain in early 2012.  However, on 23Sep24, Argentine President Javier Milei, in keeping with his overall philosophy of freeing up the Argentine economy, issued Decree #844/2024 instructing the National Civil Aviation Administration (spanish initials ANAC) to loosen regulations which required Argentine airlines to employee only Argentine workers and fly only aircraft registered in Argentina, paving the way for wetleases to fill capacity gaps and transfers of aircraft from one airline subsidiary to one in another nation, such as Jetsmart did recently when it transferred two A320ceo's from its Chilean to Argentine affiliate, although in the latter case, the aircraft are said to be flown by Argentine crews.  Even with the new regulations, Argentine airlines are apparently only allowed to  employ foreign crews for the short term, not on a permanent long-term basis.

Sources:

https://albastar.es/en/

Monday, November 4, 2024

FLEET UPDATE: First of two AlbaStar 737-800's, EC-MUB, wetleased by Flybondi arrives at Ezeiza on 02Nov24

AlbaStar 737-800, EC-MUB (c/n 32920/1293), on wetlease to Flybondi until March 2025, arrived at Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) on 02Nov24 (photo taken elsewhere).  (AlbaStar Photo)   

Flybondi is wet-leasing two 737-800's from Spanish carrier AlbaStar from November 2024 to March 2025, the southern hemisphere summer high season, to cover for two of its 15-strong 737-800 fleet that are out of service for maintenance and apparently financial reasons.  AlbaStar has, at various times since its founding in 2009, operated scheduled and charter flights in partnership with European tour operators and on behalf of private organizations, such as sports clubs and other associations, largely to Spanish and Italian destinations.

EC-MUB, and its sistership to arrive in Argentina soon, will be flown by AlbaStar for Flybondi on an ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) basis where AlbaStar will assume responsibility for all aspects of  aircraft operations.  The aircraft are on the Spanish register and will be flown by Spanish crews employed by AlbaStar.    

While it is a common practice in Europe and many other parts of the world for airlines to wetlease  aircraft from foreign carriers, airlines in South America usually only sign on for such leases with  carriers from their own countries, such as when Flybondi leased Andes 737-800's to cover for capacity shortfalls at various times in 2024.  Wetleases from foreign airlines have only occurred a few times in Argentina, with the last occasion being when Andes Lineas Aereas briefly leased in an A320 from Vueling Airlines of Spain in early 2012.  However, on 23Sep24, Argentine President Javier Milei, in keeping with his overall philosophy of freeing up the Argentine economy, issued Decree #844/2024 instructing the National Civil Aviation Administration (spanish initials ANAC) to loosen regulations which required Argentine airlines to employee only Argentine workers and fly only aircraft registered in Argentina, paving the way for wetleases to fill capacity gaps and transfers of aircraft from one airline subsidiary to one in another nation, such as Jetsmart did recently when it transferred two A320ceo's from its Chilean to Argentine affiliate, although in the latter case, the aircraft are said to be flown by Argentine crews.  Even with the new regulations, Argentine airlines are apparently only allowed to  employ foreign crews for the short term, not on a permanent long-term basis.

Sources:

https://albastar.es/en/