ex-PLUNA Viscount CX-BJA to be restored by the Uruguayan Museum of Aeronautics

Former PLUNA Viscount 827, CX-BJA (c/n 400), on display as a "gate guard" beside the old Montevideo (MVD) terminal in the early 1980's colors that the carrier's three 737-200's, CX-BOO, BOO and BOP were delivered in. (Phil Perry Collection)      

ex-PLUNA Viscount 827, CX-BJA (c/n 400), which was on exhibit for many years at Montevideo (MVD) as a "gate guard" and then stored in the open, is due to be restored by the Uruguayan Museum of Aeronautics in the near future. 

CX-BJA was first delivered to VASP of Brazil as PP-SRF in 1958/1959 where it flew until November 1975 when PLUNA bought it to replace Viscount CX-AQO which was written off after running off the runway at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) earlier that year. CX-BJA flew on PLUNA's route system, mostly the "Air Bridge" linking Montevideo (MVD) and Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP), until it was retired in 1982.  

The aircraft's titles were removed and it was used as a fire trainer until October 1988 when it was decided to preserve the plane.  Although the aircraft was donated to the museum, it was painted in the blue/orange color scheme used by the airline at that time (pictured above) and put on display beside Montevideo's (MVD) old terminal as a "gate guard" in 1991. 

PLUNA's Viscount fleet actually never flew in these colors having instead sported a light blue cheatline scheme (pictured below) with one aircraft, CX-AQO, having its tail painted up in the same lively orange/blue scheme of PLUNA's first 737-200, CX-BHM, that was delivered in 1969.    

PLUNA Viscount 810, CX-BIZ (c/n 316), wearing the airline's standard Viscount color scheme in Montevideo (MVD) in March 1980. (Al Rodriguez Photo, Phil Perry Collection) 

When construction of Montevideo's (MVD) new terminal started in 2004, CX-BJA was moved to a remote location of the airport where it languished decaying from exposure to the elements until it was recently moved near to the museum adjacent to the new terminal.    

The aircraft will be restored, at least to the extent of having its exterior painted, hopefully in the standard PLUNA Viscount colors of the 1960's and 1970's.  Plans are to display it at the Museum of Aeronautics.    

Photos of the move:

http://www.laahs.com/threads/708-Rescatando-al-Vickers-quot-Viscount-quot-ex-PLUNA-Uruguay

Sources:

http://linea-ala.blogspot.com.ar/2015/05/viscount-uruguayo-sera-restaurado.html         
http://aeronavescx.blogspot.com.ar/2015/05/la-aama-sigue-activa-y-va-tras-el.html

PHOTO GALLERY: PLUNA CRJ-900 Fleet - All 13 Aircraft - Part 2 of 2

All photos by Blog Editor Phil Perry:


Registration:        CX-CRH
Construction #:    15233
Delivery Date:      03Sep10
Ceased Ops:        06Jul12
Stored:               July 2012 as C-GUHF by Bombardier
New Operator:     17Jun13 to Mesa Airlines as N244LR

Source: http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-crj-15233.htm


Registration:        CX-CRI
Construction #:    15234
Delivery Date:      29Sep10
Ceased Ops:        06Jul12, returned to lessor
New Operator:     08May13 to Mesa Airlines as N245LR

Source: http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-crj-15234.htm


Registration:        CX-CRK
Construction #:    15239
Delivery Date:      30Oct10
Ceased Ops:        06Jul12
New Operator:     08May13 to Mesa Airlines as N246LR

Source: http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-crj-15239.htm


Registration:        CX-CRL
Construction #:    15273
Delivery Date:      21Sep11
Ceased Ops:        06Jul12, returned to lessor
New Operator:     10Apr13 to Mesa Airlines as N247LR

Source: http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-crj-15273.htm


Registration:        CX-CRM
Construction #:    15274
Delivery Date:      29Oct11
Ceased Ops:        06Jul12, returned to lessor and stored as C-GUHY 
New Operator:     19Jul13 to Mesa Airlines as N248LR

Source: http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-crj-15274.htm

Link to Photo of CX-CRN:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Pluna/Bombardier-CRJ-900-NG/2091642/L/&sid=1972600d07948784b771fad903352e58

Registration:        CX-CRN
Construction #:    15275
Delivery Date:      19Nov11
Ceased Ops:        06Jul12, returned to lessor 
New Operator:     10Apr13 to Mesa Airlines as N249LR

Source: http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-crj-15275.htm

PHOTO GALLERY: PLUNA CRJ-900 Fleet - All 13 Aircraft - Part 1 of 2

This is the first of two postings containing photos of all 13 PLUNA CRJ-900's in the form of 12 photos and one photolink accompanied by the respective aircraft histories.  This first posting features illustrations of the seven company-owned aircraft and the second posting will feature all of the leased airframes. 

All of the photos were taken by the editor of this blog, Phil Perry.    

Registration:      CX-CRA
Construction #:  15165
Delivery Date:    13Mar08
Ceased Ops:       06Jul12
Departed MVD:   06Jul15 to Skyservice Business Aviation
Currently stored, will join GoJet Airlines

Source: http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-crj-15165.htm

Registration:       CX-CRB
Construction #:   15169
Delivery Date:     27Mar08
Ceased Ops:        06Jul12
Departed MVD:    13May15 to Skyservice Business Aviation as C-GMXJ
New Operator:     15Jul15 to GoJet Airlines

Source: http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-crj-15169.htm

Registration:       CX-CRC
Construction #:   15175
Delivery Date:     29Apr08
Ceased Ops:        06Jul12
Departed MVD:    19Feb15 to Skyservice Business Aviation as C-GMXB
New Operator:     01Jun15 to GoJet Airlines as N182GJ

Source: http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-crj-15175.htm

Registration:       CX-CRD
Construction #:   15180
Delivery Date:     03Jun08
Ceased Ops:        06Jul12
Departed MVD:    07Aug15 to Skyservice Business Aviation
Currently stored, will join GoJet Airlines

Source: http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-crj-15180.htm

Registration:       CX-CRE
Construction #:   15185
Delivery Date:     03Jul08
Ceased Ops:        06Jul12
Departed MVD:    22May15 to Skyservice Business Aviation as C-GMXQ
Currently stored, will join GoJet Airlines

Source: http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-crj-15185.htm

Registration:       CX-CRF
Construction #:   15204
Delivery Date:     18Nov08
Ceased Ops:        06Jul12
Departed MVD:    12Jan15 to Skyservice Business Aviation as C-GSKK
New Operator:     04May15 to GoJet Airlines as N181GJ

Source: http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-crj-15204.htm

Registration:       CX-CRG
Construction #:   15209
Delivery Date:     17Dec08
Leased:              05Jun09 to Aerovip of Argentina as LV-BYW.  This was an attempt by PLUNA to                          start an Argentine affiliate.    
Returned:            01Jan11 to PLUNA as CX-CRG again             
Ceased Ops:        06Jul12
Departed MVD:    18Mar15 to Skyservice Business Aviation as C-GMXH
New Operator:     25Jun15 to GoJet Airlines as N183GJ

Photo of this aircraft with Aerovip titles and Argentine registration:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aero_VIP_(Argentina)#/media/File:AVIP.jpg

Source: http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-crj-15209.htm

FLEET UPDATE: Last Three ex-PLUNA CRJ-900's depart Montevideo (MVD)

The fifth, sixth and seventh ex-company-owned PLUNA CRJ-900's departed Montevideo (MVD) in May, July, and August, respectively, leaving none of the former Uruguayan flag carrier's Canadair regional jets at the capital airport.

CX-CRE (c/n 15185) departed Montevideo (MVD), probably already re-registered as C-GMXQ, on 22May15 and joined Skyservice Business Aviation of Toronto.  It was in storage as of August 2015 but is due to go to GoJet Airlines of Bridgeton, Missouri, a regional jet operator that feeds both Delta and United with 45 CRJ-700's and 4 CRJ-900's operating 220 daily flights to 60 destinations and carrying over 4 million passengers annually. 

CX-CRA (c/n 15165) left Montevideo (MVD) on 06Jul15 registered as C-GMXY, also to Skyservice and also due to go to GoJet.  

CX-CRD (c/n 15180) was the very last ex-PLUNA CRJ-900 to leave Montevideo (MVD), more than three years after the airline ceased service, on 07Aug15 also to Skyservice and eventually GoJet.

Sources:

http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Pluna-history-crj.htm
http://www.gojetairlines.com/aboutus
http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-crj-15185.htm
http://aerospotter.blogspot.com.ar/2015/07/otro-que-busca-su-destino.html
http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-crj-15165.htm
http://aeronavescx.blogspot.com.ar/2015/08/hoy-se-fue-el-ultimo-bombardier-crj-900.html

FLEET UPDATE: Fourth ex-PLUNA CRJ-900, CX-CRB (c/n 15169) departs Montevideo (MVD) to Toronto (YYZ)

PLUNA CRJ-900 CX-CRB (c/n 15169) taxis at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 22Jan11. (Phil Perry Photo)

Portal de America reports that the fourth of seven ex-company owned PLUNA CRJ-900's departed Montevideo (MVD) to the United States (actually went to Toronto) on 13May15, nearly three years after the airline's 05Jul12 shutdown. The aircraft, which flew for PLUNA as CX-CRB (c/n 15169), was re-registered for the flight as C-GMXJ with a white patch covering the old registration.     

Portal also reports that most of the former PLUNA CRJ-900 fleets' engines have apparently been poorly maintained during the last three years and have deteriorated to the point that only one set of engines has been used to fly the CRJ-900's to North America with the powerplants being taken off after each ferry flight and shipped in containers back to Uruguay for the next ferry flight.   

CX-CRB was the second CRJ-900 delivered to PLUNA on 27Mar08.  The airline went on to operate a total of 13 CRJ-900's with seven being company-owned and the other six leased, which were the first to leave the fleet after PLUNA shut down.

Of the seven company-owned aircraft, the airframes that have already left Uruguay are, in order of their departure, CX-CRF (c/n 15204) on 12Jan15, CX-CRC (c/n 15175) on 18Feb15, CX-CRG (c/n 15209) on 17Mar15 and CX-CRB (c/n 15169) on 13May15.  The three aircraft still in Montevideo (MVD) are CX-CRA (c/n 15165), CX-CRD (c/n 15180) and CX-CRE (c/n 15185). 

The seven ex-company-owned PLUNA CRJ-900's will reportedly join the fleet of GoJet Airlines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trans States Holdings, to fly for Delta Air Lines as a regional feeder under the Delta Connection brand.  The aircraft are scheduled for delivery between June and September this year.   

GoJet has flown regional services for Delta since 2011 with a current fleet of 45 CRJ-700's, of which 22 fly for the Atlanta-based legacy carrier. The addition of the CRJ-900's will enable Delta to further reduce its reliance on uneconomical 50-seat regional jets.        

Sources:

http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/otras-noticias/item/20964-y-se-va-el-cuarto-de-los-crj-900-ng-de-pluna
http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Pluna.htm

FLEET UPDATE: Third ex-PLUNA CRJ-900, CX-CRG (c/n 15209), departs Montevideo (MVD) to Canada

Former PLUNA CRJ-900, CX-CRG (c/n 15209), at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 29Jan11. (Phil Perry Photo) 

The third of seven former company-owned PLUNA CRJ-900's, CX-CRG (c/n 15209) departed Montevideo (MVD) on March 17 wearing registration C-GMXH flying to Canada for delivery to Skyservice Business Aviation. The aircraft will reportedly go on to Go Jets / Delta Connection along with the other six former company-owned PLUNA aircraft for the operation of feeder flights to Delta's hubs from secondary cities.

CX-CRG joins CX-CRC (c/n 15175) and CX-CRF (c/n 15204) both of which already departed to Canada.  

Photo of CX-CRG wearing registration G-GMXH as it prepared to leave Montevideo (MVD):  

http://aeronavescx.blogspot.com.ar/2015/03/partio-hoy-otro-crj-900-de-la-ex-pluna.html

Source:

http://aeronavescx.blogspot.com.ar/2015/03/partio-hoy-otro-crj-900-de-la-ex-pluna.html     

FLEET UPDATE: PLUNA CRJ-900's reportedly to join Trans States / GoJet / Delta

Reader "Mark C" has advised that the seven ex-company-owned PLUNA CRJ-900's will join the fleet of GoJet Airlines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trans States Holdings, to fly for Delta Air Lines as a regional feeder under the Delta Connection brand.  The aircraft will be delivered between June and October this year.

GoJet has flown regional service for Delta since 2011 with a current fleet of 47 CRJ-700's, of which 22 fly for the Atlanta-based legacy carrier.  The addition of the CRJ-900's will enable Delta to further reduce its reliance on uneconomical 50-seat regional jets.      

Source:

http://www.avitrader.com/2015/02/10/gojet-airlines-to-add-crj900-aircraft-to-fleet/  via Mark C 

FLEET UPDATE: Second ex-company-owned PLUNA CRJ-900, CX-CRC (c/n 15175) left Montevideo (MVD) on 18Feb15

The ex-company-owned PLUNA CRJ-900, CX-CRC, (c/n 15175) left Montevideo (MVD) on 18Feb15. This was the second ex-PLUNA CRJ-900 to depart to new owner Strategic Air Finance, which had a sale price of US$ 9.7 million, US$ 1.3 million less than the U$ 11 million received for the first aircraft CX-CRF/C-GSKK (c/n 15204) due to defects found in its engines.  

In all, nine of the fourteen engines on the seven ex-company-owned aircraft were found to have problems resulting in the lowering of the previously-negotiated selling price of the aircraft by US$ 6.3 million.  

ex-PLUNA CRJ-900, CX-CRC, (c/n 15175) lands at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 10Oct10. (Phil Perry Photo) 

Sources:

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn150226/avn-150226.html

http://aerospotter.blogspot.com.ar/2015/02/el-exodo-de-los-crj.html

FLEET UPDATE: First ex-company-owned PLUNA CRJ-900 departs Montevideo (MVD)

01MAR15 CORRECTION:  This posting originally indicated that "the last three ex-PLUNA CRJ-900's reportedly departed Montevideo (MVD) on the afternoon of Monday, 12Jan15." However, according to Aviacion News it appears that only one left that day, CX-CRF/C-GSKK (c/n 15204), and it was apparently the first of the seven ex-company-owned CRJ-900's to do so, not one of the last.

13JAN15 CORRECTION:  This posting originally indicated that CX-CRN (c/n 15275) was one of three ex-PLUNA CRJ-900's to depart Montevideo (MVD) on 12Jan15 but reader "MG" has indicated that this is incorrect as the aircraft "departed Uruguay in late-2012 and has been flying for Mesa Airlines in the USA as N249LR for nearly two years."

The first of seven ex-company-owned PLUNA CRJ-900's reportedly departed Montevideo (MVD) on the afternoon of Monday, 12Jan15.  The aircraft was CX-CRF (c/n 15204) re-registered as C-GSKK to Skyservice Business Aviation of Montreal, Toronto and Calgary although it was reportedly purchased by Strategic Air Finance of Miami, Florida.  

PLUNA CRJ-900 CX-CRF at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 22Jan11.(Phil Perry Photo)

CX-CRF pictured with C-GSKK registration as it departed Montevideo on 12Jan15:

http://aeronavescx.blogspot.com/2015/01/hoy-12-de-enero-de-2015-se-retiran-los.html

Sources:

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2015/avn150115/avn-150115.html http://aeronavescx.blogspot.com/2015/01/hoy-12-de-enero-de-2015-se-retiran-los.html
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Spotting-SUMU/1416298878630453
http://www.planelogger.com/Aircraft/View?registration=C-GSKK&DeliveryDate=02.01.15
http://www.skyservice.com/

FLEET UPDATE: Seven former PLUNA CRJ-900's Sale Details finalized, Aircraft to leave Uruguay in coming months

The seven former company-owned PLUNA CRJ-900's that have been parked at Montevideo (MVD) since the July 2012 shutdown of the defunct Uruguayan national airline have reportedly been definitively sold to Strategic Air Finance of Florida who will pass them along to Nordic Aviation Capital of Denmark.

The aircraft sale was agreed to on a provisional basis between the bankruptcy liquidators and Strategic Air Finance in July for US$ 77 million for all seven airframes subject to inspection of the planes.  Reviewing the CRJ-900's, two were found to have defects requiring maintenance and / or repair but more significantly, nine of the fourteen engines on the planes will need work before they can be put back in service.  To compensate for the costs involved, the sale price of the planes has been reduced by US$ 6.3 million to US$ 70.7 million.

Each aircraft will be paid for and delivered one at a time so it appears that the aircraft sale price may still vary if any new defects are found when the maintenance staff start working on them. The CRJ-900's will likely start leaving Montevideo (MVD) sometime in the next few weeks with all of them likely gone by early 2015.

Nordic Aviation Capital will presumably lease the CRJ-900's to airlines worldwide. 

The seven aircraft are:

CX-CRA (c/n 15165)
CX-CRB (c/n 15169)
CX-CRC (c/n 15175)
CX-CRD (c/n 15180)
CX-CRE (c/n 15185)
CX-CRF (c/n 15204)
CX-CRG (c/n 15209)

Sources:

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn141106/avn-141106.html
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn141113/avn-141113.html
http://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/pluna-firma-dinamarca-llevase-aviones.html
         

FLEET UPDATE: Seven ex-PLUNA CRJ-900's to be sold to Strategic Air Finance of Miami for US$ 77 million

The seven company-owned ex-PLUNA CRJ-900's that have been parked unused in Montevideo (MVD) since July 2012 have been sold to SAF (Strategic Air Finance), an aircraft leasing company of Miami, Florida for US$ 11 million each.  

The aircraft, nearly all of which were delivered in 2008, were originally purchased for US$ 29 million each and assessed at US$ 19 million per aircraft in late 2012 when they were unsuccessfully put up for auction.  The Asociación Uruguaya de Peritos (AUPE) overseeing PLUNA's bankruptcy proceedings received offers from five parties for the aircraft with AUPE recommending SAF's offer as the one with the best price and overall terms.     

Proceeds from the sale will go to settling claims by creditors of the defunct airline.    

Two of the aircraft are due to be taken by SAF in August with the remainder gradually by the end of the year.  

The various bodies that oversaw PLUNA's liquidation spent a total of US$ 6.5 million on maintaining both the seven owned CRJ-900's and the six leased examples that were returned to their manufacturer, Bombardier, in December 2012. 

The seven aircraft being sold are:

CX-CRA (c/n 15165)
CX-CRB (c/n 15169)
CX-CRC (c/n 15175)
CX-CRD (c/n 15180)
CX-CRE (c/n 15185)
CX-CRF (c/n 15204)
CX-CRG (c/n 15209)

Sources:

http://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/venden-siete-aviones-bombardier-pluna.html
http://aerospotter.blogspot.com.ar/2014/06/se-autoriza-la-venta-de-los-aviones-de.html
http://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/aviones-pluna-gasto-milones-dolares.html
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn140703/avn-140703.html

FLEET UPDATE: Seven ex-PLUNA CRJ-900's to be Sold outside Uruguay

Former PLUNA CRJ-900, CX-CRG (c/n 15209) also flew with AeroVip and is one of the ex-PLUNA aircraft to be sold.  (Phil Perry Photo)

The seven ex-PLUNA CRJ-900's that have been out of service in Montevideo (MVD) since PLUNA's shutdown in July 2012 (the carrier had thirteen CRJ-900's in all but the other six aircraft were leased and returned) will be put up for sale soon because the airline being formed to replace PLUNA, Alas Uruguayas, is no longer interested in the aircraft and is now seeking to lease 737-300's.   

Between 30 and 40 technicians and maintenance staff have kept the CRJ-900's airworthy for the last 20 months, doing routine maintenance with the aircraft being flown occasionally to test all systems.  Keeping the planes in fly-away condition has cost US$ 420,000 per month which has been paid by the trust set up to hold and oversee the former airline's assets. 

There have been at least three parties interested in purchasing or brokering the CRJ-900's in the last year, including one that offered US$ 48 million for four of the aircraft, but the trust was different from ordinary trusts in that it was set up by a special law passed by the Uruguayan congress that separated the CRJ-900's from the assets accessible to creditors under the airline's bankruptcy proceedings. 

However, that law was declared unconstitutional by the Uruguayan supreme court in November 2013 as the court considered it to violate creditors' rights.
On 09Jan14, the bankruptcy court placed the aircraft back in the group of assets to be used to settle creditor claims.  Creditors to the former PLUNA include ANCAP, Uruguay's national oil company, for unpaid fuel bills and the hundreds, if not thousands of passengers that were left holding worthless tickets when the carrier shut down on July 6, 2012.   

The loan to purchase the CRJ-900's has not been paid off, which would in most bankruptcy cases probably mean that proceeds from the sale of the aircraft would go to pay the outstanding debt, but the debt on the aircraft was guaranteed by the Uruguayan government which has been making US$ 8.8 million installment payments every six months to ScotiaBank of Canada and apparently will continue to be responsible for the overall US$ 203 million cost of the seven aircraft.     

The CRJ-900's are expected to sell for between US$ 12 million and US$ 16 million each.

The seven aircraft are:

CX-CRA (c/n 15165)
CX-CRB (c/n 15169)
CX-CRC (c/n 15175)
CX-CRD (c/n 15180)
CX-CRE (c/n 15185)
CX-CRF (c/n 15204)
CX-CRG (c/n 15209)

Sources:

http://www.elobservador.com.uy/noticia/271870/los-siete-aviones-de-la-ex-pluna-a-punto-de-venderse-por-licitacion-/
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn140220/avn-140220.html
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn140213/avn-140213.html
http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Pluna-stored-crj.htm
http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-crj-15209.htm

PLUNA Replacement Airline "Alas Uruguay" Looking More Doubtful

ex-PLUNA CRJ-900's unlikely to fly in Alas Uruguay colors (Phil Perry Photo)

It is looking increasingly doubtful that the proposed PLUNA replacement airline, Alas Uruguay, will be a viable proposition.  

TRUST DECLARED UNCONSTITUTIONAL BY URUGUAYAN SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT

The trust that was created by a law passed by the Uruguayan congress in the months following PLUNA's July 2012 shutdown was declared unconstitutional by Uruguay's Supreme Judicial Court in November 2013.  One of the problems with the law cited by the court is that it removed the seven company-owned PLUNA CRJ-900's from the pool of assets that creditors could access through the airline's bankruptcy liquidation proceedings.  This violated creditors' property rights under Uruguayan law.

INCREASINGLY UNLIKELY THAT ALAS URUGUAY WILL FLY THE EX-PLUNA CRJ-900's

The implications of the trust being declared void is that the Uruguayan government's offer of the aircraft to the former PLUNA employees who were forming Alas Uruguay under favorable terms will no longer be valid.  These terms included a three-year grace period before Alas Uruguay would have to make any payments on the aircraft.  It is doubtful that the creditors would extend such generous terms on the aircraft.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS FOR URUGUAYAN GOVERNMENT

There are also significant financial implications for the Uruguayan government in that it is responsible to ScotiaBank for the debt on the aircraft and was counting on payments from Alas Uruguay to cover some of the costs of the loan payments.  But with the CRJ-900's to be included in the pool of assets that will be used to pay off creditors, this money will be lost.  The government has already paid US$ 26 million in three installment payments but it is liable for another US$ 100 million in guarantees for the aircraft.  

The government is an unsecured creditor behind other creditors, such as suppliers, which have absorbed costs maintaining the aircraft flight-ready and the crews current, the ANCAP national fuel company which PLUNA owed a lot of money to, and PLUNA passengers who hold tickets that they were not able to use due to the carrier's shutdown.     

US$ 15 MILLION "FONDES" FUNDS HELD UP BY URUGUAYAN GOVERNMENT

With the Supreme Judicial Court ruling being imminent the Uruguayan government held up the handover of US$ 15 million "FONDES" (business development fund) funds that were slated for Alas Uruguay.  The government wanted to see the SJC ruling and its implications before granting the money.

The funds will reportedly be given to Alas Uruguay and the latest news is that the carrier might use them to lease three 737-300's in order to start service soon rather than absorb more delays while the situation with the CRJ-900's is sorted out. 

Sources:

www.elobservador.com.uy/noticia/268694/en-una-semana-aviones-de-pluna-pasaran-formalmente-al-concurso-/

www.elobservador.com.uy/noticia/264660/moreira-con-estos-hechos-en-otra-epoca-los-ministros-renunciaban-/

www.elobservador.com.uy/noticia/264062/deudas-del-estado-se-multiplican-si-la-corte-hace-caer-ley-de-pluna/

www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2013/avn131219/avn-131219.html

www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2013/avn131212/avn-131212.html

www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2013/avn131128/avn-131128.html

www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2013/avn131107/avn-131107.html

www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2013/avn131121/avn-131121.html

www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2013/avn131114/avn-131114.html

www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2013/avn131017/avn-131017.html

      

                

PLUNA successor Alas-U to use 3 CRJ-900's per agreement between Uruguayan Government & ex-PLUNA Workers

After many negotiations during the last few months, the Uruguayan government and the ex-PLUNA workers that plan to start the PLUNA successor airline Alas-U, have agreed that the new airline will use three of the remaining seven ex-PLUNA CRJ-900's that have been parked unused for almost a year at Montevideo (MVD).  The other four aircraft will be sold.

The government, which is responsible for payments on the aircraft, will give the PIT-CNT labor union a three year grace period to pay the US$ 46 million cost of the planes.  As anticipated, the FONDES government development fund will provide US$ 15 million in seed-funding to Alas-U, which is expected to start flying before the end of the year in time for the southern hemisphere summer high season from Montevideo (MVD) to such destinations as Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP), Cordoba (COR), Rio de Janeiro Galeao (GIG), Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU), Porto Alegre (POA), Curitiba (CWB), Santiago de Chile (SCL) and Asuncion (ASU).  

One concern about the new start-up has been that the former PLUNA CRJ-900's would be subject to impoundment by legal authorities in neighboring countries formerly served by PLUNA where former workers of the airline are pursuing lawsuits against the defunct carrier.  Law firms retained by the Uruguayan government assessed the risk of the aircraft being impounded as "high".  Seeking to avoid this, the Alas-U employees will try to convince the labor unions representing former PLUNA employees in other countries, such as Argentina and Brazil, not to pursue legal action against Alas-U as that would only hurt fellow laborers.  Most recently, the idea was to return all seven CRJ-900's to Bombardier and acquire a few CRJ-700's or -900's to replace them as a means of avoiding aircraft embargoes but that plan has apparently been discarded. 

Sources:

El Observador Uruguay 28Jun13, 24Jun13:
http://www.elobservador.com.uy/noticia/254171/gobierno-dara-tres-anos-de-gracia-para-que-alasu-pague-los-aviones/
http://www.elobservador.com.uy/noticia/253740/alasu-utilizara-tres-aviones-de-pluna-y-el-estado-vendera-cuatro/

Aviacion News 16May13:
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2013/aviacion051613/aviacion051613.html

PLUNA Replacement Airline - Business Plan Viability Doubted

Doubts regarding the viability of the airline that the former PLUNA employees are proposing have come to light. 

The Uruguayan government believes that the plan's revenue projections are too optimistic and anticipated costs are "detached from reality".  One report estimates total employee compensation costs at an average of US$ 4,000 per employee per month, a small fortune in Uruguay.  

Also, one of the key provisions of the new carrier's business plan is that the Uruguayan government would assume the debt payments on the seven ex-PLUNA CRJ-900's remaining in government hands for two years, a US$ 34.4 million obligation that the government does not want to assume.   

Finally, the employees would need to get the new airline operational within 180 days according to the conditions of the government legislation but there are doubts that all of the necessary preparations, authorizations and formalities can be completed on time, which include forming a "civil non-profit society" and presenting documentation and supporting data to the Civil Aviation & Aeronautical Infrastructure Directorate (DINACIA) and the Ministry of Transport & Public Works (MTOP).  

Source:  

El Observador Uruguay 28Dec12

http://www.elobservador.com.uy/noticia/240303/dudas-sobre-viabilidad-de-pluna-/

ex-PLUNA Employees need US$ 15 million more for New Airline

El Observador of Uruguay reports that the former employees of PLUNA forming a new carrier to replace the former national airline need US$ 15 million more to get the new operation off the ground.

Their business plan calls for US$ 30 million in start-up capital.  They are already getting US$ 15 million from the Fondo del Desarollo (Fondes), the Uruguayan state entity that provides development funds to new enterprises plus the Uruguayan government is likely to assume two years of debt payments on the seven CRJ-900's that will form the new carrier's fleet, effectively subsidizing the new operation by US$ 34.4 million.  

The employees were looking to receive the additional US$ 15 million from the Venezuelan state development bank BANDES but that bank's losses this year make such financing unlikely.  They are reportedly talking with two other banks at the present time about loans for the operation.          

The new carrier was planning to start up on April 1 but the employees will need the financing in place before then to meet that date.  Also, Uruguayan government legislation tied to the use of the assets of the former PLUNA call for the replacement airline to be operational within 180 days or the assets will be freed up for possible use by the proposed carriers of other parties.

Source:  El Observador 27Dec12  

New Name Suggestions for PLUNA Replacement Airline

With the former PLUNA workers apparently proceeding to start a new airline to replace the failed  Uruguayan national carrier, there has been some discussion about the successor carrier's possible name.  Some of the suggestions have been serious with others mocking the process, including the airline's sudden shutdown stranding hundreds of passengers or leaving them with worthless tickets and the Cosmo failed auction fiasco.     

Most of the workers reportedly want to keep the PLUNA name, which is an acronym for Primeras Lineas Uruguayas de Navegacion Aerea (First Uruguayan Lines of Aerial Navigation).
    
However many other ideas have come up.  New name suggestions as posted online by readers of the El Observador Uruguay newspaper website include:

Air Uruguay

Uruguay Airways

Alas Uruguayas (Uruguayan Wings)

SkyBlue

Air Pepe ("Pepe" is Uruguayan President Jose Mujica's nickname)

SLUNA (Segunda "Second" Lineas Uruguayas de Navegacion Aerea)

LUNA (Lineas Uruguayas de Navegacion Aerea) but also means "moon", so this is a joke

PLUNAgate (in reference to the controversies surrounding the shutdown, mostly financial)   

Air Fenix (arisen from the ashes)

Titanic Airlines

Contribuyente Airlines (Taxpayer Airlines, since they always end up paying for it)

Source:  El Observador 29Nov12

Argentine Government Multiple Discriminatory Measures to Protect Aerolineas Argentinas

LAN Argentina and LAN Peru have been the airlines most damaged by the policies of  Argentina's ANAC.  Taxiing above is LAN Argentina A320, LV-BRA, at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 07Jul10.  Photo: Phil Perry

The Argentine government's National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC) recently denied LAN Argentina's request to add one more A320 to its fleet forcing the airline to cancel additional flights to Comodoro Rivadavia (CRD) and Ushuaia (USH).  The aircraft would have been the 11th A320 in LAN Argentina's fleet and a registration had even been tentatively reserved for it, LV-CZY. 

No clear reasons were given for the denial but this action is only the latest of many such denials and discriminatory measures taken by the ANAC against competing airlines, both foreign and domestic, to shield Aerolineas Argentinas, which has been losing US$ 2 million per day for the past year with no end in sight, from competition.   

Similar measures and denials during the past 2-3 years include:

* Sky Airlines of Chile applied to fly Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) to Santiago (SCL) starting in September 2010 but permission was delayed forcing the airline to postpone the start of service three months until December of that year after having sold tickets on the route.  This caused great inconvenience to passengers and the airline. 

* AeroVIP, set up by PLUNA as an Argentine subsidiary, was repeatedly denied route rights making the project unviable.

* PLUNA was denied route right requests to several points in Argentina with the only new airport that they were allowed to fly to being Cordoba (COR).

* ORSNA, the Argentine airport regulatory authority, ordered in December 2010 that the jetways at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) be reserved for the exclusive use of Aerolineas Argentinas and Austral with other carriers only allowed to use the remote stands.

* TACA flew some charters from Mendoza (MDZ) to Lima (LIM) in early 2011 and applied for permanent authority to fly on a scheduled basis on the route but was similarly never given permission.

* LAN Peru applied to fly from Iguazu (IGR) to Lima (LIM) but was denied permission only a few weeks prior to the scheduled start of service in January 2011 forcing the airline to fly to neighboring Foz de Iguacu (IGU).  The Brazilian authorities did not hesitate to grant permission to LAN Peru and welcomed them with open arms.      

* COPA sought permission to fly from Rosario (ROS) to Panama City (PTY) in late 2011 but was denied the request. 

* In early 2012, LAN Argentina was forced to move its regional flights to neighboring countries, such as Brazil and Chile, from Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) to Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) while Aerolineas Argentinas and Austral continued to fly to these points from AEP.

* Also in early 2012, LAN Argentina was denied permission to add another 767 to its fleet that would have been used to increase Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Miami (MIA) flights from 7x/weekly to 10x/weekly. 

* LAN Peru flew from Rosario (ROS) to Lima (LIM) for several months but were denied permission to continue the flights with the last one operating on 29Feb12.

The latest rumor is that Aeroparque (AEP) will be reserved for the exclusive use of Aerolineas and Austral forcing other airlines to move operations to San Fernando (FDO) or Ezeiza (EZE).  Of course, due to reciprocal international route rights, Gol and TAM of Brazil, LAN of Chile, and BQB of Uruguay could not be forced to move out of AEP as long as Aerolineas and Austral continued to fly out of there to those countries but Argentine airlines would be obligated to obey the order.  This includes LAN Argentina, which would have to move to Ezeiza (EZE) but the airline would not be able to compete from that airport (20 miles / 32 km from downtown Buenos Aires) with AR/AU flights out of convenient Aeroparque (AEP).  

LAN Argentina's parent airline, LAN, would be forced to shut down its Argentine affiliate, throwing several hundred employees out of work.  These would probably be hired on by AR/AU much as the "paper" airline Lineas Aereas Federales did with former LAPA and Southern Winds employees in 2003.  Interestingly, Aerolineas Argentinas' planned fleet expansion for 2017 shows a doubling of 737-700/800 aircraft.  Where are they going to fly all of those planes ?  Could the plan to push LAN Argentina to Ezeiza (EZE) be part of a deliberate strategy to force LAN out of Argentina to create a virtual AR/AU monopoly on domestic flights ?

Sources:  La Nacion 11Dec10
              La Nacion 12Jul11
              La Nacion 12Jan12
              Aviacion News 01Mar12
              La Nacion 20Nov12 
              Aviacion News 22Nov12

Maintenance of Former PLUNA Operation has Cost US$ 13 million

Maintaining all 13 former PLUNA CRJ-900's and flightcrew current since the airline's shutdown on 05Jul12 plus making loan payments on the seven owned aircraft has cost US$ 13.1 million to date. The trust in charge of the aircraft has paid these costs financed by public funds. 

Approx. US$ 8.8 million of the total has gone to ScotiaBank for installment payments due on the loans for the seven company-owned planes with another US$ 4.3 million going to maintaining the 13 aircraft flight-ready and flight crews current.

50 CRJ-900 flightcrew members have traveled to Madrid for simulator training.  The goal is to maintain the pilots ready to fly and avoid possibly more expensive retraining should their type ratings lapse.

In addition, 40 personnel are employed in doing the minimum maintenance required to avoid deterioration of any of the aircraft systems compared to 80 employees doing full-maintenance on the planes prior to PLUNA's shutdown.  Maintenance work includes testing altitude and flightspeed equipment plus short test flights between Montevideo (MVD) and Punta del Este (PDP). 

Source: El Observador Uruguay 29Nov12   

ROUTE UPDATES: Airlines Increase & Introduce New Service to Montevideo (MVD) Replacing PLUNA

Several airlines have increased existing service or introduced new service from Montevideo (MVD) since PLUNA shut down in early July, including:

Austral Lineas Aereas 

New Service with Embraer 190 to:

Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP), 5x/day

BQB Lineas Aereas 

New Service with ATR-72-500 to:

Asuncion (ASU), 5x/week initially, later increased to daily

Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP), 2x/day

Florianopolis (FLN) starting in December

LAN

Increased Service with A319 to:

Santiago (SCL), from 2x/day to 3x/day

TAM

Increased Service with A320 to:

Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU), from 2x to 3x/day

New Service with A320 to:

Rio de Janeiro (GIG), 1x/day

In addition, Gol is rumored to be considering increasing its MVD to GRU flights from 1x/day to 2x/day and starting daily MVD to GIG flights next year. 

Sources: Aviacion News
             El Pais Uruguay 27Oct12
             El Observador Uruguay 01Dec12
             www.flightstats.com