ROUTE UPDATES: December 2021 - Part 5 - Azul LInhas Aereas, Gol Linhas Aereas

Route Updates - December 2021 - Part 5

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 

GOL Linhas             Rio de Janeiro                Buenos Aires               19Dec22      737-800      3x/weekly

Aereas                     Galeao (GIG)                  Aeroparque (AEP)

GOL Linhas             Sao Paulo                       Buenos Aires               19Dec22      737-800      1x/daily

Aereas                     Guarulhos (GRU)            Aeroparque (AEP)

Azul Linhas             Porto Alegre (POA)         Punta del Este (PDP)   20Dec22     E-195-E2    3x/weekly  

Aereas

Remarks: Reducing to 2x/weekly on 30Jan22

Azul Linhas             Viracopos (VCP)             Punta del Este (PDP)   23Dec22     E-195-E2    2x/weekly

Aereas

Remarks: Seasonal until 30Jan22

Sources:

www.aviacionline.com

www.sirchandler.com

www.aviacionnews.com

ROUTE UPDATES: November 2021 - Part 4 - Azul LInhas Aereas, COPA, LATAM Chile, LATAM Peru

Route Updates - November 2021 - Part 4

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   

Azul Linhas             Porto Alegre (POA)         Montevideo (MVD)      10Nov21      E-195-E2    4x/weekly

Aereas

* Remarks: Increasing to daily on 20Dec21

LATAM Chile           Santiago (SCL)                Cordoba (COR)           15Nov21      A320           3x/weekly

LATAM Peru            Lima (LIM)                       Cordoba (COR)           15Nov21      A320           3x/weekly

COPA                       Panama City (PTY)         Cordoba (COR)           16Nov21      737-800      3x/weekly

Sources:

www.aviacionline.com

www.sirchandler.com

www.aviacionnews.com

ROUTE UPDATES: Flybondi - Route History - 2018 - 2020 - Part 4

* El Palomar (EPA) - Rio de Janeiro Galeao (GIG) - eff 11Oct19 - 3x/weekly - CONFIRMED

* El Palomar (EPA) - Florianopolis (FLN) - eff 19Dec19 - 4x/weekly seasonal - CONFIRMED

* El Palomar (EPA) - Punta del Este (PDP) - eff 20Dec19 - 27Jan20 -  2x/weekly seasonal 

* Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Punta del Este (PDP) - eff 20Dec19 - 27Jan20 - 2x/weekly seasonal

* El Palomar (EPA) - Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) - eff 24Jan20 - 3x/weekly - CONFIRMED

* El Palomar (EPA) - Porto Alegre (POA) - eff 03Mar20 - 3x/weekly - CONFIRMED

ROUTE UPDATES: Estelar to Caracas (CCS) + Gol to Porto Alegre (POA)

* Caracas (CCS) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - eff 14Dec17 - 3x/Weekly

This airline started service between Caracas (CCS) and Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) using a single A340-300 wet-leased from Hi-Fly Malta. The route was previously flown by Conviasa, the state-owned flag carrier of Venezuela.

Estelar is a privately-owned Venezuelan airline that was founded in 2009 and currently flies one leased A340-300 plus three 737-300's and two 737-200's (not necessarily all active) from Caracas (CCS) to several domestic points plus Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE), Lima (LIM), Panama City (PTY), Santiago (SCL) and Madrid (MAD) internationally.  

* Montevideo (MVD) - Porto Alegre (POA) - eff 16Dec17 - 1x/Weekly

Operated by 737-800's.  Resumption of a route previously operated by Gol.

Sources:

https://aerospotter.blogspot.com.ar/2017/12/llegoa-ezeiza-aerolineas-estelar.html
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2017/avn171221/avn-171221.html http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Estelar%20Latinoamerica.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estelar_Latinoamerica 
http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/otras-noticias/item/25069-gol-retomara-vuelos-directos-entre-montevideo-y-porto-alegre

ROUTE UPDATES: Azul expands Argentina & Uruguay connections with Brazil

Azul Linhas Aereas Brasileiras entered the Argentina - Brazil air travel market in March 2016 and has not stopped growing since, steadily adding new gateways in Argentina during the last two years.  Service to Uruguay has also increased.

Summer 2018 - Seasonal Service - Scheduled

Azul was reported to be planning the following routes during the southern hemisphere summer months and presumably operated them though planned service occasionally does not materialize as announced:

* Sao Paulo Viracopos (VCP) - Punta del Este (PDP) - eff 21Dec17 - 04Feb18

Flights to the popular Uruguayan summer resort.

* Porto Alegre (POA) - Punta del Este (PDP) - eff 21Dec17 - 04Jan18

Flights to the popular Uruguayan summer resort.

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Navegantes (NVT) - eff 11Dec17 - 04Mar18

1x/daily until 17Feb18 and 4x/weekly until 04Mar18 operated with E195's.

NOTE:  Above service has been extended indefinitely on a 4x/weekly basis. 

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Cabo Frio (CBF) - eff 16Dec17 - 03Mar18 -1x weekly

Operated with Embraer E195's

Year-Round Scheduled Service

* Rosario (ROS) - Recife (REC) - eff 24Mar18 - 1x weekly

Operated with A320neo's

* Cordoba (COR) - Recife (REC) - eff 25Mar18 - 1x weekly

Operated with A320neo's

* Cordoba (COR) - Porto Alegre (POA) - eff 01Jul18 - 4x weekly

Operated with Embraer E-195's

* Rosario (ROS) - Porto Alegre (POA) - eff 03Jul18 - 3x weekly

Operated with Embraer E-195's

Winter 2018 - Seasonal Service - Scheduled

Azul is planning to operate the following route during the southern hemisphere winter:  

* Sao Paulo Viracopos (VCP) - Bariloche (BRC) - eff 30Jun18 - 29Aug18 - 3x/weekly

Operated with A320's to the popular Argentine ski / lakes / mountains resort. 

Sources:

https://aviacionline.com/2017/06/mas-destinos-de-azul-hacia-buenos-aires-navegantes-y-cabo-frio/
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2017/avn171005/avn-171005.html
https://aviacionline.com/2017/11/azul-empezo-a-comercializar-sus-nuevos-vuelos-hacia-cordoba-y-recife/
http://www.sirchandler.com.ar/2018/02/azul-volara-bariloche-regular-desde-san-pablo-dos-meses/
https://aviacionline.com/2018/03/azul-extendio-sus-vuelos-entre-buenos-aires-y-navegantes/
https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/277977/azul-adds-new-argentina-routes-from-porto-alegre-in-july-2018/ via Eric Trum

ROUTE UPDATES: More Summer Seasonal Service - Aerolineas Argentinas and Andes

Aerolineas Argentinas

* Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Florianopolis (FLN)

   Increased to 14x/weekly in January

* Rosario (ROS) - Florianopolis (FLN)

   Operated 1x/weekly using 737-700's

* Rosario (ROS) - Rio de Janeiro Galeao (GIG)

   Operated 1x/weekly using 737-700's

Andes Lineas Aereas

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Cabo Frio (CFB)

    Operated 2x/weekly using MD-80's

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Florianopolis (FLN)

   Operated 2x/weekly using MD-80's

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Porto Seguro (BPS)

    Operated 2x/weekly using MD-80's

* Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Punta Cana (PUJ)

     Operated 2x/weekly using MD-80's

Sources:

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2016/avn160908/avn-160908.html
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2016/avn160929/avn-160929.html
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2016/avn161006/avn-161006.html

ROUTE UPDATES: PUNTA DEL ESTE (PDP) - Summer Seasonal Service - Aerolineas Argentinas, Austral and Azul

* Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Punta del Este (PDP) - eff 07Dec16 - 26Feb17

   Increase from normal 7x/weekly to 30x/weekly in January using Aerolineas 
   Argentinas 737-800's and Austral ERJ-190's    

* Cordoba (COR) - Punta del Este (PDP) - eff 07Dec16 - 26Feb17

   Operated 3x/weekly using Austral ERJ-190's    

* Rosario (ROS) - Punta del Este (PDP)

   Operated 2x/weekly using Austral ERJ-190's

* Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Punta del Este (PDP) - eff 07Dec16

   Operated 1x/daily using a CRJ-200

Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras

* Porto Alegre (POA) - Punta del Este (PDP) - eff 15Dec16 - 05Mar17

   Operated 2x/weekly using ATR-72's

* Sao Paulo Viracopos Campinas (VCP) - Punta del Este (PDP) - eff 15Dec16 - 05Mar17

   Operated 2x/weekly using ERJ-195's

Sources:

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2016/avn161006/avn-161006.html
http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/269528/amaszonas-plans-buenos-aires-punta-del-este-route-from-dec-2016/
http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/268833/azul-adds-seasonal-punta-del-este-service-from-dec-2016/ via Eric Trum

ROUTE UPDATES: New Montevideo (MVD) Service Announcements in 2016 - PART 2

New service announcements for Montevideo (MVD) in 2016 - Part 2:

* Azul Linhas Aereas - Montevideo (MVD) - Porto Alegre (POA) - eff 01Jul16

Azul recently started service on this route flying ATR-72-600's 2x/weekly (although the original announcement was for 4x/weekly).    

* Amaszonas Uruguay - Montevideo (MVD) - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - July 2016 ?  

Amaszonas Uruguay, recently formed from the leftover BQB Lineas Aereas entity, was authorized by the Argentine ANAC aviation agency in late April to fly the Montevideo (MVD) - Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) route with flights expected to start in July with CRJ-200's.  Amaszonas Uruguay already has one aircraft, CRJ-200LR, CX-SDU (c/n 7209), which was transferred from the parent company with two more CRJ-200's expected to arrive in July and August, respectively, and a total fleet of eight aircraft by 2018. 

For full details on this new operation:

http://argentina-airline-news.blogspot.com.ar/2016/05/amaszonas-uruguay-plans-to-start-crj.html

* Sky Airline - Montevideo (MVD) - Santiago (SCL) - eff 12Sep16 

The Chilean "Low-Cost Carrier" is due to start daily nonstop service to Uruguay in September using A320's as part of its expansion to international destinations, such as Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE), Cordoba (COR) and Lima (LIM).    

Sources:

http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/267146/azul-plans-uruguay-service-from-july-2016/ via Eric Trum
http://cabeceranorte.blogspot.com.ar/2016/04/amaszonas-volara-la-ruta-montevideo.html
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2016/avn160630/avn-160630.html

ROUTE UPDATE: Azul to add Sao Paulo Viracopos (VCP) and Porto Alegre (POA) to Punta del Este (PDP) Summer Seasonal Service

Azul Linhas Aereas ERJ-195, PR-AYK (c/n 19000374), at Rio de Janeiro - Santos Dumont (SDU) on 13Aug12.  (Phil Perry Photo)  

Azul Linhas Aereas of Brazil will fly summer seasonal service from Sao Paulo Viracopos (VCP) and Porto Alegre (POA) to Punta del Este (PDP), Uruguay, using ERJ-195's and ATR-72's, respectively. The flights will be operated on Thursdays and Sundays, effective 17Dec15 to 14Feb16, with extra sections during the Christmas and Carnival holiday periods. 

Source:

http://www.portaldeamerica.com/index.php/pda/otras-noticias/item/21279-azul-tendr%C3%A1-vuelos-a-punta-del-este-uruguay-en-alta-temporada

BQB Lays Off / Makes Redundant 55 Workers Apparently due to Argentina Route Denials

BQB Lineas Aereas laid off / made redundant 55 workers last week, apparently due to Argentina route applications that it made being denied by the Argentine government.  The personnel losing their jobs are mostly flight and cabin crew that were to be deployed on new routes, such as to Cordoba (COR).  

The carrier's service plans for August from Montevideo include 14x/weekly flights to Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP), 6x/weekly to Asuncion (ASU) and 6x/weekly to Porto Alegre (POA).  Flights to Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE), Curitiba (CWB), Rio de Janeiro Galeao (GIG), Santiago (SCL), and Sao Paulo (GRU) are being abandoned, at least for the time being. 

The Uruguayan airline is reportedly also cancelling a lease on an A319 but it is not clear if that is in reference to the sole A319 currently in its fleet or one that was due to arrive later this year. 

Editor's Note:  

The claim that the layoffs are due to Argentina route denials seems doubtful because this is the first that I have heard in at least a couple of years of BQB aspiring to fly to Argentine points beyond Buenos Aires. Also, PLUNA's failure was due in large part to its inability to gain route rights from Argentina that would have enabled the carrier to feed its six Brazilian destinations out of Montevideo (MVD).  It is hard to believe that BQB expected to be approved for the same routes that were denied to PLUNA.

It sounds more like some of BQB's routes have not been as successful as the carrier would have liked, maybe due to slow economic growth in the "Southern Cone" countries and Brazil as Aviacion News pointed out in its 31Jul14 issue, so the carrier is simply scaling back growth to meet demand.     
  
Sources:

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn140731/avn-140731.html
http://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/bqb-envio-personas-seguro-paro.html
http://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/bqb-seguro-paro-alegando-veto.html
http://aerospotter.blogspot.com.ar/2014/08/viene-mala-para-bqb.html

ROUTE UPDATE: BQB Lineas Aereas to add Service from Montevideo (MVD) to Rivera (RVY), Curitiba (CWB), & Foz de Iguacu (IGU)

BQB Lineas Aereas' recent addition of a third ATR-72-212A to its fleet has allowed the carrier to introduce service to new points, such as daily flights from Montevideo (MVD) to Porto Alegre (POA). 

New service will also be added from Montevideo (MVD) to Foz de Iguacu (IGU) on the Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls with two weekly flights effective 21Mar13, and from Montevideo (MVD) to the northern Uruguayan city of Rivera (RVY) continuing on to Curitiba (CWB), south of Sao Paulo, with three weekly flights effective 11Mar13.  This last service's start date depends largely on the completion of renovations at the Rivera (RVY) airport.          

Source: El Observador 21Feb13
           http://www.elobservador.com.uy/noticia/244160/bqb-presento-nuevos-
           vuelos-al-sur-de-brasil/

ROUTE UPDATES: Bariloche (BRC) Sharp Increase in Flights for Winter Ski Season

Bariloche Profile

Bariloche is a city of 108,000 people located on the shores of Lake Nahuel Huapi in the central western Patagonia region of Argentina near the Chilean border. It is a year-round tourist destination and the number one winter ski resort in Argentina in terms of number of skiiers taking advantage of the nearby Cerro Catedral mountain. Argentines and Brazilians are the main visitors but many Europeans and Americans visit Bariloche too.

Aerolineas Argentinas 737-700, LV-CBF, at AEP on 17Sep10

Aerolineas Argentinas / Austral  

Aerolineas Argentinas increased the number of flights it operated from Buenos Aires to Bariloche (BRC) in June to 35 weekly with 28 being from Aeroparque (AEP) and 7 from Ezeiza (EZE).  The carrier will further increase its flights between the two cities to 45 per week for the peak ski season of July and August.  Flights to Bariloche (BRC) will also be increased from Cordoba (COR), Argentina's second-largest city and Mendoza (MDZ) its fourth-largest metropolis.  Aerolineas will also operate thrice-weekly scheduled flights from Sao Paulo, Brazil (GRU) to Bariloche (BRC).    

       LAN Argentina A320, LV-BHU. landing at AEP on 03Oct10 

LAN Argentina

Starting in July, LAN Argentina will fly up to five daily flights from Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) ro Bariloche (BRC) and nine daily flights on weekends using the carrier's Airbus A320 aircraft. 

 

TAM A320, PR-MBB, preparing for takeoff at AEP on 11Feb12

GOL 737-800, PR-GGA, at AEP on 11Feb12

TAM & GOL

Reflecting the strong Brazilian interest in skiing at Bariloche, the two main Brazilian airlines, TAM and GOL have been authorized by the Argentine National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC by its Spanish initials) to operate 140 charters from Brazil to Bariloche (BRC) during July and August.  The originating airports will be Belo Horizonte (CNF), Porto Alegre (POA), Rio de Janeiro (GIG), and Sao Paulo (GRU) with the services being flown by GOL 737-700's and -800's plus TAM A320's (plus possibly TAM A330's as BRC's 2,348 meter / 7,703 ft. runway can probably handle them when they only carry enough fuel to fly to GIG, the furthest away of the aforementioned Brazilian airports). 

Sources:  Aviacion News 31May12, 07Jun12, 14Jun12
              http://www.airwaysim.com/forum/index.php?topic=6649.0
              Wikipedia

Photos: Phil Perry

ROUTE UPDATE: TAM dropping Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Porto Alegre (POA) Route

Effective 02Jul12, TAM is dropping Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Porto Alegre (POA) service after operating the route on a once-daily basis with A320's since late 2010.  On the same day, the carrier is transferring three of its five daily Buenos Aires - Rio de Janeiro flights from Ezeiza (EZE) to Aeroparque (see 10Jun12 posting).

Source:  http://airlineroute.net/2012/06/15/jj-poaaep-jul12/ via Eric Trum