ROUTE UPDATES: October 2021 - Part 1 - Aerolineas Argentinas, Flybondi

 Route Updates - October 2021 - Part 1

The following airlines / flights are confirmed to have started or re-started on the indicated dates.  Most, maybe all, of the services are the resumption of flights that existed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Increases / decreases in flight frequency are not always verified.

Airline                      Origin                             Destination                 Eff Date      Type            Frequency   

Flybondi                  Cordoba (COR)              Neuquen (NQN)           01Oct21      737-800       2x/weekly

Aerolineas               Buenos Aires                  Santa Cruz (VVI)          06Oct21      E-190          1x/weekly

Argentinas               Aeroparque (AEP)

Aerolineas               Buenos Aires                  Bogota (BOG)              06Oct21      A330-200    1x/weekly  

Argentinas               Ezeiza (EZE)

* Remarks:  A330-200 replaced 737-700

Flybondi                  Cordoba (COR)               Salta (SLA)                  07Oct21      737-800      1x/weekly

Sources:

www.aviacionline.com

www.sirchandler.com

www.aviacionnews.com

ROUTE UPDATES: Aerolineas Argentinas Route Changes - Pursuit of Profitability & Direct Domestic Connections - Part 1

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Caracas (CCS) - eff 28Jul17 - Route Cancelled

Aerolineas Airbus A330-200, LV-FNK (c/n 358), operated the carrier's last service to Caracas (CCS) on 28Jul17, flying the return sector on 29Jul17.  Like many other airlines, Aerolineas has suspended service indefinitely to the Venezuelan capital due to political unrest in the country and the retention by the self-proclaimed Bolivaran government of hard-currency ticket sales that collectively have cost foreign carriers several billions (thousand millions) of lost USD revenue in the last few years.     

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Bogota (BOG) - eff 09Aug17 - increase from 4x to 5x/weekly but back to 4x !

The suspension of the 1x/weekly service to Caracas freed up an A330 to be deployed on the EZE-BOG route allowing for one additional weekly flight on the sector.  However, it was announced in February that this route would go back to 4x/weekly.   

* Cordoba (COR) - Posadas (PSS) - eff 26Dec17 - 3x/weekly

Flights operated by Austral E190's.  Posadas (PSS) is the 15th destination operated year-round by the Aerolineas Argentinas / Austral group from its Cordaba (COR) hub, and the 16th when counting Mar del Plata (MDQ), which is served on a seasonal summer basis. 

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Barcelona (BCN) - eff 01Feb18 - Route Cancelled

The cancellation of this service was controversial as it was, according to Aerolineas Argentinas' president Mario Dell' Acqua, due to the weak financial performance of the route (presumably in the face of competition from new LCC Level on the route) and also the "lack of cooperation" from the carrier's labor unions that "aggravated" the situation.

* Bahia Blanca (BHI) - Neuquen (NQN) - eff 05Mar18 - 4x/weekly

Flights to be operated by Austral E190's.  This route was already operated in September and December 2017.  The airline has established a pattern where it will be operated most months of the year but will be replaced by Bahia Blanca (BHI) to Bariloche (BRC) during the summer and winter months (Bariloche is a lake and mountain resort).  

With this flight, Bahia Blanca (BHI) now has nonstop service to seven Argentine airports; Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) and Ezeiza (EZE), Comodoro Rivadavia (CRD), Mar del Plata (MDQ), Neuquen (NQN), Trelew (REL) and Ushuaia (USH) with Cordoba (COR) to be added in April.   

Neuquen (NQN) now has nonstop flights to Bahia Blanca (BHI), Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP), Comodoro Rivadavia (CRD), Cordoba (COR) and Mendoza (MDZ). 

Aerolineas Argentinas / Austral continues to implement the Argentine national government's air transportation policy of connecting "internal" cities directly with each other without having to connect through Buenos Aires.    

* Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Parana (PRA) - eff 06Mar18 - increase from 6x to 11x/weekly

All 11 flights operated by Austral E190's. 

* Jujuy (JUJ) - Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) - eff 24Mar18 - 30Jun18 - 1x/weekly

This flight was operated for a tour operator during the 2018 summer season and is now being flown again, at least until 30Jun18, with seats being sold directly to the general public.  The main purpose of the route is to promote inbound tourism to the high mountain desert region of northwest Argentina.  Flights operated by Aerolineas Argentinas 737-800's. 

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Porto Alegre (POA) - eff 03Apr18 - increase from 7x to 14x/weekly

Additional flights to be operated by Austral E190's complementing the existing 737-800 flights that depart EZE but return to Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP).

Sources:

https://aviacionline.com/2017/10/aerolineas-argentinas-suma-un-nuevo-vuelo-a-bogota-y-abandona-definitivamente-caracas/

https://aviacionline.com/2017/11/aerolineas-argentinas-confirma-a-posadas-como-nuevo-destino-del-hub-cordoba/

https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/275981/aerolineas-argentinas-ends-barcelona-service-in-jan-2018/ via Eric Trum

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2017/avn171130/avn-171130.html

https://aviacionline.com/2018/02/aerolineas-argentinas-reanuda-sus-vuelos-entre-neuquen-y-bahia-blanca/

https://aviacionline.com/2018/03/aerolineas-argentinas-ya-opera-11-vuelos-semanales-entre-parana-y-buenos-aires/

https://aviacionline.com/2018/03/aerolineas-argentinas-extiende-y-abre-la-comercializacion-de-sus-vuelos-entre-jujuy-y-san-pablo/

https://aviacionline.com/2018/03/aerolineas-argentinas-duplica-sus-vuelos-entre-buenos-aires-y-porto-alegre/

ROUTE UPDATES: LATAM Brasil & LATAM Chile - Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) - Bariloche (BRC), Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Bogota (BOG), Rosario (ROS) - Santiago (SCL)

* Rosario (ROS) - Santiago (SCL) - eff 01Jul17

Operated by LATAM Chile A320's 4x/weekly.  

* Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) - Bariloche (BRC) - eff 01Jul17 - 30Jul17

Operated by LATAM Brasil A320's 2x/weekly on Saturdays and Sundays for the Bariloche ski season.  LATAM Brasil had only flown this route on a charter basis in the past; this is the first year that it is operating it on a scheduled basis. 

* Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Bogota (BOG) - eff July 2017
    
Two additional weekly frequencies will be added to this route making it a daily service operated by LATAM Brasil 767-300ER's.  

According to Aviacion News, the reason for the EZE-BOG segment being operated by LATAM Brasil is that the air service agreement between Argentina and Brazil allows for "Fifth Freedom" rights, which enables carriers from each country to pick up passengers in the other country and transport them to a third country.  LATAM Brasil does this picking up passengers in Argentina and taking them to Colombia. 

It would normally have been easier for LATAM Argentina to operate between EZE and BOG instead of LATAM Brasil but the Argentina - Colombia bilateral air service agreement only allows for four flights per week by each nation's carriers and Aerolineas Argentinas already operates the Argentine quota. 

Sources:

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2017/avn170316/avn-170316.html
http://www.sirchandler.com.ar/2017/02/latam-brasil-volara-directo-bariloche-la-temporada/

ROUTE UPDATES: Gol, Avianca and Azul

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

Operated by 737-800's 1x/weekly southbound on Saturdays and northbound on Sundays. 

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

Operated by 737-800's 1x/weekly southbound on Sundays and northbound on Mondays. 

* Montevideo (MVD) - Bogota (BOG) - eff 15May17

Operated by by A319's 1x/daily. 

* Sao Paulo / Campinas Viracopos (VCP) - Bariloche (BRC) - eff 01Jul17 - 12Aug17

Operated by A320neo's 1x/weekly on Saturdays on a charter basis.

Sources: 

http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/271271/gol-adds-new-argentina-routes-in-1q17/  via Eric Trum
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2017/avn170223/avn-170223.html
http://www.aviacionline.com/2017/03/azul-volara-entre-bariloche-y-san-pablo-durante-la-temporada-de-invierno/

ROUTE UPDATES: LATAM Brazil, LATAM Chile & Azul

* Santiago (SCL) - San Juan (UAQ) - eff 08Sep16 - 06Dec16

LATAM Chile operated this route 10x/weekly using A320's as a replacement for its normal Santiago (SCL) - Mendoza (MDZ) service while the latter airport was closed three months for major renovations, including to its runway. To the best of this blog editor's knowledge, this is the first and only time that San Juan (UAQ) has had scheduled international service.  

* Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Bogota (BOG) - eff 15Dec16

Interestingly, LATAM Brazil operates this route and not LATAM Argentina. They fly it 5x/weekly using 767-300's. 

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Belo Horizonte (CNF) - eff 06Mar17

Azul Brazilian Airlines will start service to Argentina in March 2017 with flights from Buenos Aires to Belo Horizonte using ERJ 195's on a 1x/daily basis.

Sources:

http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/268182/latam-chile-adds-san-juan-argentina-service-from-sep-2016/ via Eric Trum
http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/268609/latam-brasil-plans-buenos-aires-bogota-service-from-dec-2016/ via Eric Trum
http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/270747/azul-schedules-buenos-aires-launch-in-march-2017/ via Eric Trum

ROUTE UPDATES: Aerolineas Argentinas Regional South American Routes

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Porto Seguro (BPS) - eff 09Jul16

   Operated 1x/weekly using 737-800's

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Belo Horizonte (CNF) - eff 12Sep16 - CANCELLED

   Aerolineas dropped this route after flying it 5x/weekly since 2013

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Caracas (CCS) - Bogota (BOG) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza          (EZE) - eff 05Nov16

   Operated 1x/weekly using A340-300's

Sources:

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2016/avn160714/avn-160714.html
http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/269527/aerolineas-argentinas-resumes-caracas-flight-in-nw16/ via Eric Trum

ROUTE UPDATES: Odds & Ends - Air Canada, American, Avianca, British, Conviasa, Emirates

* Air Canada 

Replaced the usual 767-300 aircraft on its Toronto (YYZ) - Santiago (SCL) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Toronto (YYZ) "triangle" route with the 777-300ER for the southern hemisphere "summer" period from October 2015 to March 2016, which resulted in a 65% increase in seating capacity with a total of 349 seats on each flight. 

The Canadian airline will once again operate the 777-300ER on the route from 30Oct16 to 24Mar17.

* American Airlines

Operated the 787-8 between Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) and Dallas-Ft. Worth (DFW) for only five months (June - November 2015) and then went back to the 777-200, which it is still flying on the route today. 

* Avianca 

Started operating the 787-8 on the Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Bogota (BOG) route on 01Feb15 but apparently replaced it with the A330-200, with the exception of the 787-8 again for a month from 16Aug15 to 17Sep15.  Avianca is currently operating the A330-200 between Argentina and Colombia on a daily basis.   

* British Airways 

After having reduced the frequency on its London Heathrow (LHR) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) route from daily to 5x/weekly on 31Mar15, the carrier returned to daily service operated by 777-200's in November 2015, which it is still flying to this day.   

* Conviasa

Leased a 747-446, EC-LNA (c/n 26346/897), that it started flying from Caracas (CCS) to Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) 2x/weekly on 01Nov15.  It is still flying to Argentina on the same basis.  

* Emirates 

Upgauged from the 777-200 to the 777-300ER on its daily Dubai (DXB) - Rio de Janeiro Galeao (GIG) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) service on 01Sep15, which it still maintains today.  

Sources:

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn151029/avn-151029.html
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn150924/avn-150924.html
http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/250247/avianca-adds-boeing-787-buenos-aires-sao-paulo-service-in-augsep-2015/ via Eric Trum
http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/251801/conviasa-adds-leased-boeing-747-operation-from-nov-2015/ via Eric Trum

ROUTE UPDATES: History of Aerolineas Argentinas' Cordoba (COR) - Miami (MIA) Service - 4 Previous Attempts

Aerolineas Argentinas recently discontinued its Cordoba (COR) - Miami (MIA) service for the fifth time since 1979.  The previous four attempts had mixed success, with some attempts lasting much longer than others.    

The blog Aeropuerto Internacional Cordoba outlined the history of airline service between these two cities, which is summarized below (see link below "Sources" at the bottom of this posting for full details in Spanish):
   
First Attempt - 1979 - 1983  

Aerolineas flew the 707 from Cordoba (COR) to Miami (MIA) for four years until 1983, the longest that the carrier has ever maintained service on this route. 

Departures were on Wednesdays and Sundays with the Wednesday flight stopping twice, in Jujuy (JUJ) in northern Argentina and Bogota (BOG), with the Sunday flight being nonstop.  

This routine changed a little in 1980/81 with the Wednesday flight originating at Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) and stopping in Cordoba (COR) and Bogota (BOG) before arriving in Miami (MIA).  The flight was the same on Sundays but without the stop in Bogota (BOG).  Jujuy (JUJ) still had its own flight to the US 1x/weekly via Bogota (BOG).

Second Attempt - 1985

The second try at service from Cordoba (COR) to Miami (MIA) was in 1985 as part of a marketing plan to establish Cordoba (COR) as a national hub for Aerolineas, given the city's central location in Argentina and being the city with the country's second largest population.    

"Conexion Cordoba" involved flights to approx. 17-18 Argentine cities plus a couple of foreign destinations too.

The Miami (MIA) service had an inconvenient circuitous routing and even a change of aircraft, which probably explained its limited success.  

The service operated 1x/weekly on Fridays using a 737-200 from Cordoba (COR) to Tucuman (TUC) and Jujuy (JUJ) where there was a change of plane to a 727-200, which proceeded northward to Guayaquil (GYE) and Bogota (BOG) before finally arriving in Miami (MIA).  This service only lasted a few months being discontinued in 1985.

Third Attempt - 1994 - 1995

This was the most short-lived of all the Cordoba (COR) - Miami (MIA) services, lasting only 10 1x/weekly flights between 23Dec94 and 10Mar95 in the southern hemisphere summer.      

The flights followed a Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Cordoba (COR) - Miami (MIA) routing operated with 747-200's.  Rarely did as many as 150 passengers board in Cordoba (COR) which apparently was considered not enough to justify operating the route again the following summer. 

Fourth Attempt - 1998

This service flew 4x/weekly from Cordoba (COR) to Miami (MIA) nonstop with 747-200's from 01Jul98 to December when it was discontinued.  

Source:

http://aeropuertocordoba.blogspot.com.ar/2016/04/el-deja-vu-de-los-cordoba-miami.html

ROUTE UPDATE: Avianca started 787 service between Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) and Bogota (BOG) on 01Feb15

Avianca of Colombia took delivery of its first three of an eventual fifteen 787-8's on order in rapid succession in a two-week period in late December 2014.  

The aircraft were planned to be deployed from the Colombian capital Bogota (BOG) to the following destinations:

16Jan15 - New York Kennedy (JFK)

01Feb15 - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE)

10Feb15 - Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU)

13Feb15 - Santiago (SCL)

17Feb15 - Mexico City (MEX)

Madrid (MAD), Barcelona (BCN) and London Heathrow (LHR) are due to follow in June. 

Sources:

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn141225/avn-141225.html

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn150101/avn-150101.html

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn150115/avn-150115.html

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn150205/avn-150205.html

ROUTE UPDATE: Aerolineas Argentinas increasing EZE-BOG service with A340's

Similar to its planned increase in service from Buenos Aires - Ezeiza (EZE) to Caracas (CCS) in July, Aerolineas is adding more flights from Ezeiza to Bogota (BOG), going from the present three flights to four, on 02Jul12. 

Also like the CCS service the aircraft type used will be the A340, which is a surprise to the editor of this blog because it seems like much too large an aircraft type for a route between two countries that do not have extensive commercial or social connections, nor is BOG a hub of an air carrier that is allied with AR for onward connections to the Caribbean, United States, Canada, Europe, etc.  It would seem that AR's 737-800s would be better-suited to this route plus the 800's range should be able to cover the 2,900 mile / 4,650 km stage length, even with a full payload.

The BOG flight presently operates on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays with the new flight being added on Mondays.  Departures and returns are on the same day with an early morning departure from EZE, arriving back at the Argentine airport at approx. 2000 or 2100 after a 1:15 turnaround in BOG.

Flight     Routing     Dep    Arr     Equipment     Days

AR1360   EZEBOG    0625  1055   A340-300     135
AR1360   EZEBOG    0730  1200   A340-300     7

AR1361   BOGEZE    1210  2015   A340-300     135
AR1361   BOGEZE    1315  2120   A340-300     7

Source: http://airlineroute.net via Eric Trum