Aerolineas Argentinas to make decision on replacement of A330 long-range fleet by end of 2018

Aerolineas Argentinas A330-200, LV-FVH (c/n 1605), Aerolineas' first factory-delivered and owned aircraft taxiing at a European airport.  (Phil Perry Collection)

Aerolineas Argentinas will reportedly make a decision on the replacement of its intercontinental jet fleet by the end of 2018.

Aerolineas Argentinas - Intercontinental Flights - First Decades

Aerolineas Argentinas has flown several types of long-range jet aircraft from  Argentina to Europe and North America since it first introduced the de Havilland Comet 4 into service in 1959.  Since then the Boeing 707, 747-200, 747SP, 747-400 and Airbus A310 have all flown long-range services for Aerolineas with even some smaller regional types, such as the 727-200 being pressed into service occasionally on multi-stop runs from Argentina to Miami, for example.

After the 747-400 was retired from active Aerolineas service on 01Feb12, the airline remained with an exclusive Airbus fleet for its intercontinental scheduled flights.  Aerolineas has operated a total of 13 different A340 series aircraft, including three A340-200's and ten A340-300's, two of which remain in service plus 10 A330-200's, all of which are currently flying for the carrier.

Airbus A340-300

The two remaining A340-300's, LV-FPU (c/n 170) and LV-FPV (c/n 193), the latter painted in Skyteam colors, will soldier on until 2019 or even 2020, presumably flying mostly the Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Madrid (MAD) route as they do now.

Airbus A330-200

Aerolineas Argentinas started taking delivery of the backbone of its current intercontinental fleet, the A330-200, in 2013 with three examples joining the fleet that year, one in 2014, two in 2015, three in 2016 and the final A330-200 being acquired in early 2017 for a total of 10 of the type.     

Two of these aircraft, LV-FNI (c/n 290) and LV-FNJ (c/n 300), were delivered to SABENA with both going on to also fly for VG Airlines and Malaysia Airlines before joining Aerolineas. 

Another two A330-200's, LV-FNK (c/n 358) and LV-FNL (c/n 364), were delivered to Air Afrique and proceeded to serve an identical sequence of operators; Calliope, Eurofly, Atlas Jet, Saudi Arabian, and Atlas Jet again before going on to Aerolineas.

Yet another pair of A330-200's had identical service histories before joining Aerolineas, LV-GKO (c/n 587) and LV-GKP (c/n 634), which were delivered to EVA Airways prior to going to Argentina.

Finally, Aerolineas Argentinas bought four factory-new A330-200's directly from Airbus in February 2013, with the first example, LV-FVH (c/n 1605), being delivered on 28Feb15 followed by LV-FVI (c/n 1623) on 30Apr15, LV-GHQ (c/n 1737) on 05Aug16 and LV-GIF (c/n 1748) on 02Nov16.

Aerolineas deploys its A330-200 fleet on its intercontinental network radiating out from Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) to Miami (MIA), New York Kennedy (JFK), Cancun (CUN), Punta Cana (PUJ), Rome-Fiumicino (FCO), and Madrid (MAD) 2x/weekly with the other 5 days being operated by A340-300's.  The carrier  flew to Barcelona (BCN) until recently too.   

Recent European Route Changes

Aerolineas dropped Barcelona (BCN) because it was unprofitable, especially in the face of competition from Level, an LCC belonging to the IAG Group, but it plans to restart service to the Catalan city when it has more efficient lower-cost aircraft in its fleet that will make the airline more competitive on the route.  

The Rome-Fiumicino (FCO) route was also a money-loser but it apparently became a much more attractive product when Aerolineas added frequencies to make it a daily service because the route is now profitable. 
   
A330-200 Replacement

Aerolineas will reportedly start retiring its A330-200's after it has completed replacing Austral's E190 fleet, probably in 2021 or soon thereafter.  

The leading candidate aircraft include the 777, 787, and A350 with no further indication thus far of which models of each type might be under consideration. 

Sources:

https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/135154/aerolineas-argentinas-phasing-out-boeing-747-service-from-feb-2012/
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Aerolineas-Argentinas/Boeing-747-475/2069985
https://worldairlinenews.com/2015/03/03/aerolineas-argentinas-takes-delivery-of-the-first-direct-delivery-airbus-a330-200/
https://www.lanacion.com.ar/2088845-aerolineas-licitara-la-renovacion-de-su-flota-embraer-al-inicio-de-2018
https://aerospotter.blogspot.com.ar/2017/12/adeus-embraer-adieux-airbusaures.html
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2018/avn180215/avn-180215.html
http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Aerolineas%20Argentinas.htm

ROUTE UPDATES: Air France, Air New Zealand, United

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Newark (EWR) - eff 28Oct17

The US airline will reintroduce service on this route after having dropped it in September 2013.  Flights will be operated 1x/daily using 767-300's complementing the carrier's nightly 777-200 service from EZE to Houston Bush Intercontinental (IAH).   

* Montevideo (MVD) - Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) - Discontinued eff 29Oct17

The French airline has operated this route since April 2013 as an extension of its Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) service, most recently 5x/weekly with 777-200's, but the carrier is dropping it in favor of codeshares with Gol Brazilian Airlines from Montevideo (MVD) through Rio de Janeiro Galeao (GIG) and Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) to Paris.

    

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Auckland (AKL) - Increased Frequency eff 07Nov17

Will increase frequency for the southern hemisphere summer adding a fourth weekly 787-9 flight on 07Nov17 increasing to five flights on 05Dec17 until 13Mar18.  

Sources:

http://www.aviacionline.com/2017/05/united-airlines-volvera-a-operar-entre-nueva-yorknewark-y-buenos-aires/
http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/primera-plana/item/24523-el-proximo-29-de-octubre-cambia-la-operativa-de-air-france-desde-montevideo
http://www.aviacionline.com/2017/04/air-new-zealand-aumenta-la-frecuencia-de-sus-vuelos-entre-buenos-aires-y-auckland/

ROUTE UPDATES: Conviasa, Gol and Qatar Airways Cargo

Conviasa

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Porlamar (PMV) - eff 07Jan17

Operating 2x/weekly to Porlamar on Venezuela's Margarita Island until the end of the southern hemisphere summer in late March using 747-400, EC-KXN (c/n 25703/1025) leased from the Spanish charter carrier Wamos.  

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Manaus (MAO) - eff 04Feb17

   Operated 1x/weekly using 737-800's

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Belo Horizonte (CNF) - eff 05Mar17

   Operated 1x/weekly using 737-800's

QATAR AIRWAYS CARGO

 * Doha (DOH) - Luxembourg (LUX) - Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza    (EZE) - Quito (UIO) - Miami (MIA) - Luxembourg (LUX) - Doha (DOH) - eff 02Feb17

   Operated 2x/weekly using 777-200F's

Sources:

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2017/avn170105/avn-170105.html

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2017/avn170126/avn-170126.html
http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/271271/gol-adds-new-argentina-routes-in-1q17/ via Eric Trum

http://www.qatarairways.com/qa/en/press-release.page?pr_id=pressrelease_cargodestinations

ROUTE UPDATE: Air New Zealand to start Auckland (AKL) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) nonstop service in December 2015

Air New Zealand recently announced plans to start Auckland (AKL) to Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) nonstop service in December 2015 with 777-200's on a 3x/weekly basis.  

The flights will have connections to/from Australia and southeast Asia plus Brazil on the South American end codesharing with Aerolineas Argentinas.  Aerolineas flew the Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Auckland (AKL) sector for several years but gave up the route in March 2014.  Buenos Aires also had flights to Australia operated by QANTAS until the Argentine aviation authorities denied that carrier codesharing rights with TAM to Brazil prompting the Australian airline to transfer its South American gateway to Santiago (SCL) offering connections with its Chilean Oneworld counterpart, LAN.    

Sources:

http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/flights-to-buenos-aires
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn141218/avn-141218.html

American Airlines 777-200 inbound to Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) on 14Jul14 diverts to Mendoza (MDZ)

American Airlines 777-223ER, N778AN, (c/n 29587/223) scheduled to arrive at Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) from Miami (MIA) on 14Jul14 diverted to Mendoza (MDZ) due to fog at EZE and also at the usual alternate airports of Montevideo (MVD) and Cordoba (COR).  Even Rosario (ROS), which would be a possible alternate was fogged in.   

As a result, the 777-200 diverted to Mendoza (MDZ) some 700 miles (1120km) due west of Buenos Aires along the Andes mountains near the Chilean border. The aircraft arrived at MDZ at 09:57am and did not depart until 12:31am of 15Jul14 finally arriving at EZE at 1:15am. The long delay was presumably due to flight crew rest regulations.

Photo of N778AZ at Mendoza (MDZ) (scroll down):

http://todalaaviacion.blogspot.com.ar/2014/07/galeria-fotografica-aviones-avistados.html

Sources:

http://todalaaviacion.blogspot.com.ar/2014/07/galeria-fotografica-aviones-avistados.html
http://todalaaviacion.blogspot.com.ar/2014/07/galeria-fotografica-aviones-avistados.html

ROUTE UPDATE: Air France Resuming Service to Montevideo (MVD) after 12-Year Absence

Airlineroute.net reports that Air France will resume service to Montevideo (MVD) effective 16Apr13 after having been absent from Uruguay since 2001.  

The new service will be a 5-times weekly extension of Air France's existing 777-200 flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to Buenos Aires (EZE), much as in 2000 and 2001 when the flight extended once per week to Uruguay.  Montevideo (MVD) flights will operate every day except Mondays and Saturdays southbound and Tuesdays and Sundays northbound. 

The schedule will be:

Flight   Routing  Dep   Arr      Routing   Dep      Arr       Freq.  Type

AF394  CDGEZE 2320 0805+1 EZEMVD 0945+1 1040+1  x16   777-200ER 

AF393  MVDEZE 1400 1500    EZECDG 1700     1100+1  x27   777-200ER

Additionally, with the start of the northern winter and southern summer schedule effective 30Oct13 several flights per week will be operated by 777-300ER's. 

As a side note, the editor of this blog remembers that Air France flew 707-300's to Montevideo (MVD) in the 1970's, also as an extension of their Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) flights but is not certain of this. 

Sources: http://airlineroute.net/2013/02/07/af-mvd-s13/

             http://airlineroute.net/2013/02/08/af-ezemvd-w13/

             Both via Eric Trum

ROUTE UPDATE: Aerolineas Argentinas and American Adding More EZE-MIA Flights

Aerolineas Argentinas will add a second daily flight from Buenos Aires - Ezeiza (EZE) to Miami (MIA) on 01Oct12 with a morning departure from EZE and evening return from MIA, using A340-300's.  AR's EZE-MIA-EZE schedules will then be as follows:

Flight      Routing    Dep    Arr         Equipment   Days   

AR1304   EZEMIA    0845  1655       A340-300     Daily
AR1302   EZEMIA    2315  0725+1    A340-300     Daily

AR1303   MIAEZE    0945  1945       A340-300     Daily
AR1305   MIAEZE    1900  0500+1    A340-300     Daily

American Airlines will also add additional flights between EZE and MIA, introducing a third daily flight on the route on 28Oct12, probably on a seasonal basis for the southern hemisphere summer as in the past.  As with the existing two daily flights, the additional service will also be operated with a 777-200, presumably with an aircraft shifted from USA - European routes during the low northern winter season.  The flights will be morning departures from both EZE and MIA as follows:

Flight     Routing    Dep   Arr     Equipment     Days   
  
AA934    EZEMIA   1100  1805   777-200       Daily

AA999    MIAEZE   1045  2140   777-200       Daily

While both AR and AA add flights, LAN Argentina is awaiting permission from the Argentina Civil Aviation Directorate (ANAC in Spanish) to increase its 767-300 service between EZE and MIA from seven to ten weekly frequencies.

Sources: http://airlineroute.net/2012/05/29/ar-mia-oct12/ via Eric Trum
              http://airlineroute.net/2012/05/29/aa-miaeze-nw12/ via Eric Trum
              http://www.aviacionnews.com/blog