Regularly scheduled airline services came to an abrupt halt in Argentina on 20Mar20 with only "special" flights operated, mostly for the repatriation of both Argentines stranded overseas and foreigners marooned in Argentina, until 22Oct20 when "regular" flights were resumed.
Many special cargo flights were also operated (and continue to be flown), such as at least sixteen Aerolineas Argentinas flights to Shanghai, China that brought back to Argentina massive numbers of masks, gowns and other equipment to be used in the fight against COVID-19.
The resumption of "regular" flights in October was exclusively out of Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) because the capital's two other airports were and still are closed.
Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) is not operational due to the airfield's sole runway being resurfaced and extended (work scheduled to be finished in March/April) and the reopening of Buenos Aires El Palomar (EPA) was deemed inefficient costwise, considering that Ezeiza is operating well below capacity, so EPA's two carriers, Flybondi and Jetsmart, have been directed to fly out of EZE, at least for now.
At first, only about a dozen "regular" flights per day flew out of EZE but this increased significantly to an average of 47 daily departures during the week of 07-13Dec with a total of 332 flights being operated by all airlines from EZE during that period.
Aerolineas Argentinas 737-700, LV-BZA (c/n 32674/1952), taxis at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 19Dec18 in special "Skyteam" colors. This aircraft is one of four 737-700's currently being flown by Aerolineas with the carrier having four more parked out of service since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Phil Perry Photo)
Aerolineas Argentinas
Aerolineas operated 192 of the flights out of EZE that week with 157 being domestic and 35 being international.
Domestic Destinations - By Most Number of Flights - Week of 07-13Dec
With Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) out of use for a few months, Argentine domestic flights are being operated out of EZE. Being the national flag carrier, Aerolineas Argentinas is naturally flying most of these:
* Cordoba (COR) - Argentina's second-largest city received the most flights from EZE with 19 departures from the airport during the week in question with most of the flights being operated by 737-800's complemented by a few E-190's and even one 737-700 (AR is operating four out eight 737-700's in its fleet, LV-BZA, LV-CAP, LV-BYY and LV-GOO with the others parked since March 2020).
* Bariloche (BRC) - 18 flights all operated with 737-800
* Mendoza (MDZ) - 15 flights with 12 operated by 737-800 and 3 with E-190
* Tucuman (TUC) - 11 flights flown by a combination of 737-700 and E-190
* Neuquen (NQN) - 10 flights with nearly all of them flown by 737-800
* Salta (SLA) - 8 flights, also with nearly all of them flown by 737-800
* Ushuaia (USH) - 8 flights, also with nearly all of them flown by 737-800
* Trelew (REL) - 6 flights, all with E-190
* Jujuy (JUJ) - 5 flights, all with E-190
* Posadas (PSS) - 5 flights, all with E-190
* Resistencia (RES) - 5 flights, all with E-190
* Corrientes (CNQ) - 4 flights, all with E-190
* Comodoro Rivadavia (CRD) - 4 flights, all with 737-800
* Mar del Plata (MDQ) - 4 flights, all with E-190
* Puerto Iguazu (IGR) - 3 flights, all with 737-800
* Rio Gallegos (RGL) - 3 flights, all with 737-800
* Bahia Blanca (BHI) - 3 flights, all with E-190
* Rosario (ROS) - 3 flights, all with E-190
* Santiago del Estero (SDE) - 3 flights, all with E-190
* San Juan (UAQ) - 3 flights, all with E-190
* El Calafate (FTE) - 2 flights operated by a 737-800 and 737-700
* La Rioja (IRJ) / Catamarca (CTC) - 2 flights, both with E-190
* San Luis (LUQ) - 2 flights, both with E-190
* Santa Fe (SFN) - 2 flights, both with E-190
* San Rafael (AFA) - 1 flight with E-190
* Catamarca (CTC) - 1 flight with E-190
* Esquel (EQS) - 1 flight with E-190
* Parana (PRA) - 1 flight with E-190
* Rio Grande (RGA) - 1 flight with 737-800
* Santa Rosa (RSA) - 1 flight with E-190
* Viedma (VDM) - 1 flight with E-190
Aerolineas Argentinas
International Destinations - Week of 07-13Dec
Latin America
* Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) - 7 flights, all with 737-800
* Rio de Janeiro Galeao (GIG) - 6 flights, nearly all with 737-800
* Asuncion (ASU) - 5 flights, all with 737-800
* Santiago (SCL) - 5 flights, all with 737-800
* Santa Cruz de la Sierra (VVI) - 2 flights, both with 737-800
* Bogota (BOG) - 1 flight with A330-200
* Salvador de Bahia (SSA) - 1 flight, probably by 737-800 (appears to have been a "special" flight)
Intercontnental
* Miami (MIA) - 5 flights, all with A300-200
* Paris - Charles de Gaulle (CDG) - 1 flight, probably by A330-200 (appears to have been "a special" flight)
* Madrid (MAD) - 1 flight with A330-200
Presumably more flights will be added during the course of 2021 until a full flight schedule has been resumed, although that might take a couple of years depending on the economic and pandemic situations.
Sources:
