Alas Uruguay - Suspended Operations on October 25, Attempts at Sale Failed, AOC Revoked

After many months of losses, Alas Uruguay suspended operations on Monday, October 25, 2016. The airline had exhausted its US$ 15 million line of credit from the Uruguayan government FONDES development fund, accumulated US$ 4.9 million in unpaid bills with suppliers, and owed considerable backwages to employees.  

Alas' employees generally thought that the solution was for outside investors to inject capital into the company or for it to be taken over by another carrier with the main attraction being Alas' traffic rights on the lucrative Montevideo (MVD) - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) "Air Bridge". While some employees thought that the company's best bet for a rescue was to keep operating while negotiating with prospective interested parties, at least to maintain the appearance of a viable operation, most believed that Alas should suspend operations to stem the heavy losses that were accumulating with no end in sight.

Alas took delivery of three 737-300's during its formative stages in 2015 with one, 737-33R, CX-OAB (c/n 28869/2887), being returned to the lessor Aergo Group on 25Aug16 and continuing on to the new Chilean airline, Latin American Wings.  Another aircraft 737-36N, CX-OAA (c/n 28569 / 2996) was returned to Aergo Group on 27Oct16, only two days after Alas ceased operations, and it also went on to Latin American Wings.  Its third 737-36N, CX-OAC (c/n 28563/2921) flew to Tucson (TUS) Arizona, USA on 04Nov16. 

Alas Uruguay's management negotiated with several parties in the months prior and after it ceased operating, including Amaszonas (Bolivia), Boliviana de Aviacion, Latin American Wings and Azul Linhas Aereas of Brazil, with some of them willing to take on at least some of Alas' debts and financial responsibilities but the carrier's heavy financial burdens proved too much to overcome. 

Uruguayan regulations allowed Alas Uruguay to keep its Air Operator Certificate for 60 days after it suspended operations pending a restart of flights but when this date passed in late December, the DINACIA Uruguayan aviation authority revoked Alas' AOC, rendering the carrier an entity unauthorized to operate with no discernible value to potential investors or buyers.

Sadly, Alas Uruguay appears to be permanently grounded after only nine months' flying.

Sources:

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2016/avn160721/avn-160721.html
http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/columnistas/sergio-antonio-herrera/item/23064-alas-uruguay-del-glamour-a-la-verdad
http://www.elobservador.com.uy/alas-analiza-suspender-vuelos-comerciales-y-hacer-solo-charter-n946070
http://portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/editorial/item/23546-estado-de-situacion-de-alas-uruguay
http://portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/entrevistas-y-reportajes/item/23560-se-fue-el-primer-avion-que-trajo-alas-uruguay
http://portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/editorial/item/23570-alas-cortadas-de-tal-palo-tal-astilla-y-slots-disponibles-en-el-analisis-de-alas-uruguay
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2016/avn161027/avn-161027.html
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2016/avn161103/avn-161103.html
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2016/avn161110/avn-161110.html
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2016/avn161229/avn-161229.html         

FLEET UPDATE: Alas Uruguay returns one 737-300, drops Asuncion (ASU), might return 2nd 737-300

Alas Uruguay continues to soldier on flying the Montevideo (MVD) - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) route 2x/daily on most days but recently returned 737-33R, CX-OAB (c/n 28869/2887) to lessor Aergo Group and it also stopped flying its only other route from Montevideo (MVD) to Asuncion (ASU).  

CX-OAB flew directly from Montevideo (MVD) to Santiago (SCL) on 24Aug16 where it has joined the fleet of Chilean carrier Latin American Wings. Additionally, Alas Uruguay was at one point without any operational aircraft for several days in late September while 737-36N, CX-OAA (c/n 28569/2996) was out of service pending some work and the only other plane in the carrier's fleet 737-36N, CX-OAC (c/n 28563/2921) had a defective wing part with no replacement available until a few days later when a spare arrived from the United States.

As of August, the airline had a load factor of 53%, lower than the break-even number of 67%, but still above the level projected in the carrier's business plan at this stage in its history.  65% of Alas' passengers are Uruguayan but the number of Argentines traveling on the airline is expected to go up as it becomes better known in that country.       

In addition to stiff competition from Aerolineas Argentinas / Austral on the Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Montevideo (MVD) "Air Bridge", Alas Uruguay also has a new competitor on the route, Amaszonas Uruguay, the new Uruguayan affiliate of the Bolivian carrier Amaszonas, that is operating 2x/daily CRJ-200 service between the two cities.      

The latest rumors are that CX-OAA might be returned to GECAS soon since the one remaining aircraft would be enough to operate the "Air Bridge" 2x/daily flights, although that would leave no room to spare in case of a mechanical problem with the plane, in which case passengers would have to be redirected to the other two carriers on the route.

Sources:

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2016/avn160811/avn-160811.html
http://linea-ala.blogspot.com.ar/2016/08/alas-u-devolvio-un-avion.html
http://portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/otras-noticias/item/23387-ley-de-murphy-o-gualicho-el-unico-avion-operativo-de-alas-uruguay-fuera-de-servicio
http://portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/otras-noticias/item/23388-alas-uruguay-se-acelera-despreservacion-del-cx-oaa-y-en-48-horas-volaria
http://portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/primera-plana/item/23397-alas-uruguay-sobre-el-fin-de-semana-reanudara-sus-servicios
http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/columnistas/sergio-antonio-herrera/item/23500-intensas-gestiones-por-alas-uruguay   

FLEET UPDATE: Argentine Presidential Fleet being Retired + Current Status + Historical Photos

Republica Argentina 757-23A, T-01 (c/n 25487/470), taxiing at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 01Oct10.  (Phil Perry Photo)

The Argentine government announced in January that nearly the entire fleet of presidential transport aircraft; the 757-200 (T-01) F.28-4000 (T-02) F.28-1000 (T-03) and 737-500 (T-04) would be retired from service in the following months, mainly due to the cost of maintaining the aging fleet, especially the F.28's since spare parts for these are increasingly difficult to find.  The only presidential aircraft being retained is Learjet 60, T-10 (c/n 60-140), a relatively young aircraft having been delivered in 1998.      

After the January announcement, T-01 was flown to El Palomar Air Force Base on the outskirts of the city of Buenos Aires for storage.  The aircraft was purchased by the Argentine government directly from Boeing in 1992 for $ 60 million and has only logged 11,000 hours but it is due for extensive maintenance, including a heavy C-Check on its airframe plus major work on its engines and landing gears and updating of avionics and other electronics.  Total cost of the work would come to $ 20 million, more than the value of the aircraft itself, so it is being put up for sale, probably for spare parts.

Republica Argentina F.28-4000M, T-02 (c/n 11203) taxis at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 10Jul10.  (Phil Perry Photo)

T-02 was first delivered to Argentina in 1999 and has flown faithfully until recent times when it has been largely inoperative, apparently due to budgetary reasons and sporadic spare parts availability.  For example, in 2012, T-02 was only operational for seven days the whole year.  More recently, the aircraft was returning from Cordoba (COR) on 02Aug16 with Argentine President Mauricio Macri and two cabinet members aboard, when the starboard engine experienced thrust problems forcing the crew to shut it down and operate the remaining part of the flight on one engine.

The aircraft is still operational but it is questionable for how long.

Republica Argentina F.28-1000M, T-03 (c/n 11028), takes off from Aeroparque's runway 31 on 03Oct10.  (Phil Perry Photo)

T-03 is parked at El Palomar and is no longer in service.  It was only operational for 107 days in 2012.  

Republica Argentina 737-500, T-04 (c/n 26456/2527), landing at Aeroparque on 11Oct15.  (Phil Perry Photo)

T-04 was originally delivered to Malaysian Airlines System in 1993 and flew for Air France and other operators before joining Aerolineas Argentinas on 11Oct04. 

Aerolineas was due to return the aircraft to the lessor in 2014 but the maintenance work required prior to its return was going to cost more than the value of the aircraft itself so the airline bought the plane and passed it on to the Argentine presidential fleet where it would see limited flying hours compared to airline service.  However, with the accumulation of deferred maintenance items, the plane has finally been taken out of service and also parked at El Palomar with its engines removed.    

Soft-focus shot of Republica Argentina Learjet 60, T-10 (c/n 60-140) taking off from Aeroparque on 17Mar16.  (Phil Perry Photo)

This aircraft is frequently used by Argentine President Mauricio Macri for travel within Argentina.  

Photo of T-03 (c/n 11028) during one of the times that it was operated as T-01 between 1970 and 1975 and again between 1977 and 1992. (Phil Perry Collection)


Another photo of T-03 (c/n 11028) when it had already become T-03 but with a different color scheme than the current one.  (Phil Perry Collection)

Sources:

http://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com.ar/2010/07/t-01-boeing-757-23a-cn-25487470.html
http://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com.ar/2010/06/t-02-fokker-f-28-fellowship-mk-4000m-cn_25.html
http://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com.ar/2010/06/t-04-fokker-f-28-fellowship-mk-1000m-cn.html
http://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com.ar/search?q=t-04
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1863229-adios-a-los-tango-el-gobierno-dara-de-baja-a-toda-la-flota-presidencial
http://noticias.perfil.com/2016/02/19/el-ultimo-vuelo-del-tango-01/
http://www.clarin.com/politica/Ponen-Tango-comprar-nuevo-avion_0_1607239466.html
http://www.ambito.com/845740-gobierno-vende-tango-01-y-04-y-comprara-nuevo-avion-presidencial
https://aerospotter.blogspot.com.ar/2016/08/el-t-02-se-mantiene-vigente.html
http://www.clarin.com/politica/susto-Gobierno-acelera-compra-avion_0_1631236956.html
https://aerospotter.blogspot.com.ar/2016/08/de-vuelta-al-pago.html

Alas Uruguay - Financial Results, Talks with Azul and Boliviana & Returning One 737-300

Alas Uruguay continues to establish itself on the Montevideo (MVD) to Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) and Asuncion (ASU) routes (also Aeroparque to Punta del Este (PDP) in the summertime) but has fallen well short of revenue projections made in it business plan. 

Passengers Flown

The carrier had flown 27,000 passengers between its 22Jan16 inaugural flight and mid-May, broken down into 800 in January, 2,000 in February, 7,500 in March, and 8,500 in April with a forecast of 8,800 travelers in May.  

Market Share

Alas' market share on the all-important Montevideo (MVD) - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) route was approx. 20% with 13 weekly flights vs. Aerolineas Argentinas' 80% with 32 weekly services as of mid-May but it is gaining ground by about 4-5 percentage points per month, which is not surprising because even being a relatively unknown carrier, the passengers flying this route overwhelmingly originate in the Argentine and Uruguayan capitals with many of them being frequent flyers so it is natural for them to learn about Alas Uruguay without the carrier investing a lot in advertising.  Both carriers charge an average of US$ 195 round-trip on the route.  

Alas flies its other route, Montevideo (MVD) - Asuncion (ASU), 3x/weekly in competition with Amaszonas Paraguay's 10x/weekly flights using CRJ-200's.  

Financial Results

The carrier had US$ 1.3 million in revenue in April and a similar amount in May but this is putting it on track to reach only 25% of its business plan projection of US$ 66 million for its first year of operations.  With monthly expenses in the US$1.6 million range, the airline is losing money.  Alas had projected a 60% load factor but was averaging only about 30%-40% full as of mid-May. 

Alas' employees are reportedly collecting only 50% of their salaries, directing the other 50% to capitalizing the company.  Even so, the airline has fallen behind in paying the reduced amounts.  

By July, the airline's outlook appeared to improve a little bit as it paid back much of the backwages owed and its Aeroparque flights were reportedly completely full due to the Uruguayan and Argentine winter vacation periods.  

Talks with Azul and Boliviana

Alas is also continuing some of the talks that it has already had with other carriers in the past about possible cooperation, mergers or takeovers with one of the latest discussions reportedly being with Azul Linhas Aereas about an investment that the latter wants to make in the Uruguayan airline but only if Alas reduces the number of employees on its payroll, returns all of its 737-300's and replaces them with ATR aircraft (which Azul already operates) and allows Azul to manage the airline, with Alas' management only accepting the proposed change of aircraft so far.  

Boliviana de Aviacion, the state-owned Bolivian 737-300 operator, offered to invest US$ 5 million with co-management of Alas Uruguay at first likely passing on to Boliviana control in a few months with a deadline of 22Jul16 for Alas to make a decision but there has been no news so far.     
Returning one 737-300

Most recently, it became evident that the carrier was going to have to cut back on fixed costs and it announced that it will seek to return one of its three 737-300's, CX-OAB (c/n 28869/2887), to the lessor.   Alas is paying US$ 80,000 per month leases on the 737-300's and it apparently only needs two aircraft for the current level of scheduled service.   

Sources:

http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/columnistas/sergio-antonio-herrera/item/23019-alas-uruguay-acevedo-y-de-los-santos-contra-todos
http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/entrevistas-y-reportajes/item/22770-entre-el-cielo-y-la-tierra-las-alas-de-la-discordia
http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/columnistas/sergio-antonio-herrera/item/22729-alas-uruguay-es-preferible-el-silencio

Alas Uruguay - Summary of Developments - September 2015 - May 2016

Alas Uruguay 737-33R, CX-OAB (c/n 28869/2887) pushes back at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 17Mar16.  (Phil Perry Photo) 

The last posting on this blog regarding Alas Uruguay was in August 2015.

Since then the carrier has taken delivery of its third 737-300, completed the process of acquiring its Air Operator Certificate (AOC), and started scheduled service from Montevideo (MVD) to Asuncion (ASU) and Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP).     

Alas Uruguay was launched in recent years by former PLUNA employees and the Uruguayan government looking to find gainful employment for the workers and replace some of the air connectivity that was lost when the former national airline was abruptly shutdown by Uruguayan President Jose Mujica on 05Jul12 due to the carrier's continuing losses.

Alas, which was at one point to be organized as a worker's cooperative, was instead formed as a corporation with the former PLUNA workers owning most of the carrier.  The FONDES Uruguayan government business development fund granted Alas a US$ 15 million loan to be taken in installments to be paid back over a 10-year term to help the airline literally get off the ground. 

Alas contracted to lease three 737-300's with plans to deploy them on many of the same routes flown previously by PLUNA to Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Paraguay with the most important route by far being the highly-profitable "Air Bridge" between Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) and Montevideo (MVD).  

First 737-300

The first 737-300, put on the Uruguayan register as CX-OAA (c/n 28569/2996), was delivered to Alas on 28Jan15, though it spent several months in Porto Alegre (POA) undergoing preparations for entry into service prior to flying to Alas' Montevideo (MVD) base.  It was originally delivered to Air France in 1998 but mostly flew for Ukraine International Airlines before going on to Alas.  

Second 737-300

Alas' second 737-300, CX-OAB (c/n 28869/2887), was delivered on 06Mar15 after having flown for Western Pacific Airlines, Olympic Airways/Airlines, and Ukraine International since its original delivery in June 1997.  

Third 737-300

Alas took delivery of its third 737-300, CX-OAC (c/n 28563/2921), on 14Nov15 having previously flown for Frontier Airlines (to which it was delivered in August 1997) followed by Virgin Nigeria, SAMA (Saudi Arabia) and VivaAeroBus (Mexico).    

Certification Process

The airline went through 5 phases to gain its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the DINACIA Uruguayan aviation regulatory authority.  The fourth and fifth phases took place in late 2015 consisting, respectively, of three route-proving flights designed to test Alas' readiness to carry out real-world scheduled airline operations and the preparation of extensive formal documentation for approval by the DINACIA.  Alas finally concluded the certification process that it began on 06Jun14 when it received its AOC from the DINACIA on 30Oct15.

Start of Scheduled Service

After going online in December 2015 with its own website and the Amadeus global distribution system used by travel agencies, the carrier was ready to initiate scheduled operations with the inaugural flight taking place from Montevideo (MVD) to Asuncion (ASU) on 21Jan16.   

Buenos Aires Service

'

A big breakthrough for Alas was the change of government in Argentina on December 10, 2015 with the new president being much more open to allowing airline competition to/from and within Argentina with the result that the Argentine ANAC aviation authority granted permission to Alas to operate up to five daily flights on the Buenos Aires - Montevideo "Air Bridge", although the carrier is flying this route with only two daily flights so far.  The first Alas Uruguay scheduled flight from Montevideo (MVD) to Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) was operated on 27Jan16 by aircraft CX-OAA. 

Alas Uruguay has faced stiff competition from Austral (Aerolineas Argentinas' sister carrier) and its 100-seat E190 jets on this route with Alas' load factors reportedly being about 28%.

Financial Situation, Boliviana & Amaszonas

As of this writing, Alas has accessed nearly all of its credit line with the FONDES and has reportedly been looking for more funds from the Uruguayan government. It has also talked with the two main Bolivian airlines about possible alliances and investment; the state-owned Boliviana de Aviacion and the privately-held Amaszonas, which is starting its own Uruguayan unit called Amaszonas Uruguay with CRJ-200 regional jets. 

However, discussions with Amaszonas broke off when it indicated that it wanted Alas to keep only 30% of its 200-person workforce and return all of its 737-300's to the lessors as requirements for cooperation to take place. 

And talks with state-owned Boliviana also ended when the airline discovered that Alas was organized as a "Sociedad Anonima" (corporation) and not as a worker's cooperative, which would have meant a guarantee of ongoing Uruguayan government assistance to the carrier.    

A request by Alas for US$ 6 million in further assistance from the Uruguayan government has apparently also been not well received. 

  

In the meantime, the money received from the FONDES is supposed to run out by the end of May, leaving the carrier to fund operations from flight revenue. Alas recently postponed certification procedures for its third 737-300, CX-OAC, which might be interpreted as a cost-saving measure. 

Sources:

http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Alas%20Uruguay-active-b737.htm

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn150820/avn-150820.html

http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/otras-noticias/item/21475-alas-uruguay-en-las-gateras-espera-timbre-de-largada

http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/otras-noticias/item/21601-alas-uruguay-en-instancias-finales-de-certificacion 

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn151001/avn-151001.html

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn151015/avn-151015.html

http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/otras-noticias/item/21672-primer-vuelo-de-intsruccion-de-alas-uruguay

http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/otras-noticias/item/21678-martes-13-comienzan-vuelos-de-prueba-de-alas-uruguay

http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/otras-noticias/item/21686-exitoso-primer-vuelo-de-prueba-de-alas-uruguay

http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/otras-noticias/item/21693-este-jueves-15-se-reanudan-vuelos-de-prueba-de-alas-uruguay

http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/columnistas/alejandro-spera/item/21699-primeras-10-horas-de-vuelo-de-alas-uruguay-cumplidas-satisfactoriamente

http://aerospotter.blogspot.com.ar/2015/10/primer-paso-de-alas-urruguay.html

http://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/alas-uruguay-iniciar-vuelos-diciembre.html

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn151029/avn-151029.html

http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/otras-noticias/item/21785-alas-uruguay-la-nueva-aerolinea-certificada-del-uruguay

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn151105/avn-151105.html

http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/otras-noticias/item/21814-alas-uruguay-que-la-politica-no-afecte-la-logica

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn151112/avn-151112.html

http://aeronavescx.blogspot.com.ar/2015/11/llego-el-3er-boeing-de-alas-uruguay.html

http://aerospotter.blogspot.com.ar/2015/11/llego-el-tercer-737-de-alas-uruguay.html

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn151119/avn-151119.html

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn151210/avn-151210.html

http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/otras-noticias/item/22009-alas-uruguay-activan-canales-de-distribucion-amadeus-y-sabre

http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/editorial/item/22109-mala-memoria-y-mas-de-lo-mismo-cuando-uruguay-vuelve-a-tener-alas

http://aeronavescx.blogspot.com/2016/01/alas-uruguay-inicio-oficialmente-sus.html

http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/43297-alas-uruguay-commences-scheduled-operations

http://aeronavescx.blogspot.com/2016/01/alas-u-inicio-hoy-vuelo-montevideo.html

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn151217/avn-151217.html

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn151231/avn-151231.html

http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/otras-noticias/item/22123-hoy-formalmente-uruguay-vuelve-a-tener-alas

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2016/avn160121/avn-160121.html

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2016/avn160128/avn-160128.html

http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/otras-noticias/item/22258-alas-uruguay-aumenta-frecuencias-en-la-ruta-montevideo-asuncion

http://aerospotter.blogspot.com.ar/2016/02/roll-out-n-304-fleet-list.html

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2016/avn160211/avn-160211.html

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2016/avn160218/avn-160218.html

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2016/avn160331/avn-160331.html

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2016/avn160407/avn-160407.html

http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/columnistas/sergio-antonio-herrera/item/22507-herrera-en-tv-gobierno-precisa-asesorarse-en-aviacion-comercial

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2016/avn160414/avn-160414.html

http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/columnistas/sergio-antonio-herrera/item/22592-amaszonas-alas-uruguay-un-ano-y-algo-despues

http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/columnistas/sergio-antonio-herrera/item/22663-alas-uruguay-boa-fusion-alianza-estrategica-o-absorcion

http://www.elobservador.com.uy/alas-uruguay-firmo-un-acuerdo-aerolinea-estatal-boliviana-n906647

http://www.elobservador.com.uy/alas-uruguay-pidio-aplazar-certificacion-su-tercer-avion-n891767

http://www.elobservador.com.uy/alas-uruguay-se-queda-credito-oficial-y-bolivia-analiza-capitalizarla-n907188

http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/columnistas/sergio-antonio-herrera/item/22675-ni-bolivia-invierte-en-la-aviacion-comercial-uruguaya

Alas Uruguay Update: Certification is Delayed, 2nd 737-300 is delivered, Planned Routes Announced

Alas Uruguay continues the process of obtaining its airline operating certificate, which it began in July 2014 and was originally expected to take six months but has now surpassed a year.  One of the problems encountered by the planned start-up carrier was missing documentation for one of the engines of its first 737-300, CX-OAA (c/n 28569/2996).  This engine, in turn, was due to be replaced with another one in early August.  Certification of the airline is expected in the next month or two but certification has been imminent for several months now. 

In the meantime, the airline took delivery of its second 737-300, CX-OAB (c/n 28869/2887) on 02Jul15.  Like CX-OAA, CX-OAB is leased from Irish lessor Aergo Capital and previously flew for Air Ukraine.  Alas Uruguay's third 737-300, leased from Cara Capital of Deerfield Beach, Florida and expected to be registered CX-OAC, is currently being painted in the Uruguayan airline's colors in Tucson, Arizona with its tentative arrival in Montevideo (MVD) scheduled for mid-August. 

Alas Uruguay recently announced the routes that it plans to fly initially, without giving specific start dates, as follows:

Montevideo (MVD) - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP), 5x/daily 

Montevideo (MVD) - Asuncion (ASU), 1x/daily

Montevideo (MVD) - Santiago (SCL), 1x/daily

Montevideo (MVD) - Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU), 2xdaily

Punta del Este (PDP) - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP), 1x/daily 

While the airline hopes to start these services soon after certification, Portal de America reports that route permissions from the Paraguayan authorities should take approx. 30 days, the Chileans 45 days and Brazilians 90-120 days.  And the Argentine aviation agency has approved few new route requests at all during the last few years (although more have been approved lately, especially from Brazilian airlines). 

The best photo that the editor of this blog has seen yet of Alas Uruguay 737-300, CX-OAA is the following from World Airline News:

https://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-CSAmerica-1/Airlines-Latin-America1-AF/Alas-Uruguay/i-X7hJpDd/A

Sources:

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn150416/avn-150416.html
http://aerospotter.blogspot.com.ar/2015/06/segundo-avion-para-alas-uruguay.html
http://airlineroute.net/2015/06/19/yz-s15proposal/ via Eric Trum
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn150702/avn-150702.html
http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/columnistas/sergio-antonio-herrera/item/21260-mala-noticia-para-muchos-alas-uruguay-certificar%C3%A1-en-agosto
http://aeronavescx.blogspot.com.ar/2015/07/3er-boeing-737-300-de-alas-uruguay.html
http://aeronavescx.blogspot.com.ar/2015/07/3er-boeing-de-alas-u-en-proceso-de.html

FLEET UPDATE: Alas Uruguay about to receive 2nd 737-300, CX-OAB, entering Fourth Phase of Certification Process

Alas Uruguay's second 737-300, CX-OAB (c/n 28869) will soon fly to the airline's Montevideo (MVD) base after it has been painted in the carrier's colors in Porto Alegre (POA).  

When the aircraft arrives, it will join the first 737-300 delivered to Alas Uruguay, CX-OAA, as the new airline enters the "Demonstration" phase of its certification process by the DINACIA Uruguayan aviation authorities, which will consist of verifying flight crew training, maintenance capabilities and other necessary infrastructure to operate a safe, and regulation-compliant service.

The carrier is expected to start operations flying charters followed by scheduled service in the coming months. 

Sources:

http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/otras-noticias/item/20903-segundo-avi%C3%B3n-de-alas-uruguay-muy-pronto-en-uruguay
http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Alas%20Uruguay-active-b737.htm

FLEET UPDATE: Alas Uruguay's first 737-300, CX-OAA, arrives in Montevideo (MVD) - LINK TO PHOTO GALLERY

The first of at least three 737-300's that Alas Uruguay intends to take delivery of, CX-OAA (c/n 28569/2996), arrived in Montevideo (MVD) at 19:25 local time this evening from Porto Alegre (POA) where the aircraft had been undergoing a repaint in the new carrier's colors for several weeks.  

The 737-300 will now be involved in route-proving trials, flight crew qualifying and other procedures that are necessary to complete the fourth of five phases of the airline's certification by the Dirección Nacional de Aviación Civil (Uruguayan National Civil Aviation Directorate).   

Alas Uruguay hopes to put this and other 737-300's on routes from Montevideo (MVD) to various South American cities, including the lucrative Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) route.  The first route is expected to be to Asuncion (ASU) where negotiations are the most advanced. Montevideo (MVD) - Asuncion (ASU) is currently served by BQB Lineas Aereas with ATR72-500's and Amaszonas with CRJ-200's.

Link to El Pais Uruguay photo gallery:

http://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/aterrizo-primer-avion-alasu-carrasco.html

Skyliners Daytime Photo (via Eric Trum):

http://www.skyliner-aviation.de/viewphoto.main?LC=nav2&picid=9173 

Source:        

http://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/aterrizo-primer-avion-alasu-carrasco.html

FLEET UPDATE: Alas Uruguay's First Two 737-300's being Painted in Carrier's Colors in Porto Alegre (POA)

Alas Uruguay's first 737-36N, the former UR-GAN (c/n 28569/2996) flew from Ukraine, where it previously operated for Ukraine International Airlines, to Porto Alegre (POA) in late January to be painted in Alas Uruguay colors.

The aircraft, fitted with 136 seats, already carries the Uruguayan registration CX-OAA and will start service with Alas Uruguay flying charters in the coming months with scheduled service slated to start soon thereafter.  CX-OAA is expected to be delivered to Alas Uruguay's headquarters in Montevideo shortly.

Meanwhile, one source reports that the second 737-3RR, ex-UR-GAQ (c/n 28869/2887) is said to have arrived in Porto Alegre (POA) for painting.  It will be delivered as CX-OAB.

The airline is said to be paying a monthly lease of between US$ 80,000 - 130,000 on these two aircraft and the one (possibly more) to follow. 

Sources:

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn141225/avn-141225.html
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn150205/avn-150205.html
http://linea-ala.blogspot.com.ar/2015/01/vuelo-de-delivery-del-boeing-737-300.html
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn150212/avn-150212.html
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn150219/avn-150219.html
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn150226/avn-150226.html