ROUTE UPDATE: Air Europa announces Madrid (MAD) - Montevideo (MVD) Service Effective 03Jun13

Air Europa announced on 24Jan13 that it will start flying from Madrid (MAD) to Montevideo (MVD) three times weekly effective 03Jun13 with 299-seat A330-200 aircraft, replacing the Iberia A340 service being suspended in late March.

Flights will initially operate from Madrid (MAD) to Montevideo (MVD) on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, returning to Spain on the following days; Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.  Assuming that bookings are healthy, the Spanish airline would increase the service to five weekly flights in the "near future".

A determining factor in Air Europa's decision might have been the decision just this past Monday 21Jan13 by ANCAP, Uruguay's national fuel company, to reduce the price of Jet A1 fuel to the same level of neighboring countries. The higher price weighed especially heavily on operators of long-distance routes, such as Montevideo (MVD) - Madrid (MAD) and reportedly played a role in Iberia's decision to drop the route. 

Uruguayan authorities are pleased not only by the new service but also the backing of the Grupo Globalia tour operator group that moves a lot of leisure traffic and will hopefully bring more European tourism to Uruguay.

Editor's Comment:  Will this mean that BQB Lineas Aereas' planned new service from Montevideo (MVD) to Madrid (MAD) with 767-300's will be suspended ? 

Source:   El Observador 24Jan13 

             http://www.elobservador.com.uy/noticia/242118/air-europa-confirmo-    

             tres-vuelos-semanales-entre-madrid-y-montevideo-desde-junio/

FLEET UPDATE: BQB Lineas Aereas Receives 3rd ATR-72, CX-LFL - Photos

BQB Lineas Aereas ATR-72-212A, CX-LFL, newly arrived at Montevideo (MVD) on 22Jan13. The new "flying saucer"-like terminal which opened a few years ago is in the background. (Amilcar Carriqui Photo)

CX-LFL in another view at Montevideo (MVD) with the old terminal in the background. (Amilcar Carriqui Photo)

The excellent Uruguayan aviation blog, Aviacion Civil Uruguaya, reports that BQB Lineas Aereas' third ATR-72, CX-LFL (c/n 570), a -212A model, arrived at Montevideo (MVD) Carrasco International Airport on 22Jan13.  The aircraft previously flew for Air Nostrum since its delivery to the Spanish carrier in 1999.

BQB is using the new aircraft to serve new routes that the airline has taken over from the now-defunct PLUNA, such as Montevideo (MVD) - Asuncion (ASU).

Sources: Aviacion Civil Uruguaya

             www.planespotters.net

Photos:  Amilcar Carriqui via Martin Blanco of Aviacion Civil Uruguaya
             http://aeronavescx.blogspot.com.ar/

Argentine Government Subsidies to Aerolineas Argentinas Grow in 2012 to Cover Increased Losses

Argentine government subsidies to Aerolineas Argentinas grew to nearly US$ 1 billion (thousand million in Spanish) in 2012 to cover the national carrier's increased losses.  

Aerolineas' President Mariano Recalde said two years ago that the carrier would break even in 2012 and he projected profits in the following years but that appears very unlikely now.  2011 was viewed as an exceptional year because of the ashes from the Chilean volcano that interrupted operations off and on over several months provoking losses but there were no such extraordinary circumstances in 2012, though the Argentine economy was not as strong this past year as in 2011.  

According to Aviacion News, subsidies to Aerolineas totaled almost as much as the airline's revenue from tickets and cargo operations in 2012, which, if true, means that the carrier's revenue only covers half of its expenses, a highly unprofitable situation !     

The airline carried a record number of passengers in 2012, with traveler number 7 million for the year arriving at Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) on 27Dec12 to a festive greeting by Recalde and a group of company representatives.  However, according to La Nacion, Aerolineas' losses grew even faster than the growth in passenger numbers with a 16.3% increase in passengers between the two years but the per passenger subsidy growing from 482 pesos in 2011 to 682 pesos in 2012, a 42% increase.  Some of that could be explained by the Argentine peso losing value against the US dollar during the past year, but that only amounted to about 10% at the official exchange rate.   

Sources: Aviacion News 20Dec12

             La Nacion 27Dec12 

FLEET UPDATE: Andes Receives Two More ex-Austral MD-83's, LV-BGV & LV-BHH

Andes MD-83 LV-BTH (c/n 49952/1934) taxis 

at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 17Sep10.

Andes Lineas Aereas recently took delivery of two more ex-Austral MD-83's  from leasing company Sky Holding:

MD-83, LV-BGV (c/n 49904/1680) which was originally delivered to Finnair in 1990 as OH-LMV on 27Dec12.

MD-83, LV-BHH (c/n 49741/1630) which was originally delivered to Finnair in 1989, as OH-LMU on 08Jan13.   

The carrier had previous taken delivery of two other ex-Austral MD-83's, LV-AYD (c/n 53015/1818) and LV-BAY (c/n 49284/1209), with the latter now being stored.

According to Aviacion News, Andes now has four MD-80's in service operating scheduled routes serving its home base Salta (SLA), Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP), Jujuy (JUJ) and Puerto Madryn (PMY) plus numerous charter flights to vacation destinations. 

Sources:  Aviacion News 20Dec12

              http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Andes%20Lineas%20Aereas-

              active-md80.htm

              http://linea-ala.blogspot.com.ar/

Aerolineas Argentinas A340 Wing Clips Tail of Air France 777-300 in Miami

On 17Jan13 at 5:46 pm local time an Aerolineas Argentinas A340-300 that had just arrived at Miami International Airport from Buenos Aires clipped an Air France 777-300 that was getting ready to depart with the Argentine aircraft's left wingtip colliding with the French airliner's tail.  Passengers reported a booming sound and the aircraft shook but there were no injuries. 

The passengers of the Aerolineas plane were allowed to disembark normally but the flight operated by the French airliner was cancelled with its 350 passengers deplaning for rebooking on other flights.  The scene at the Air France ticket counter was reportedly chaotic with tempers flaring and there were even physical confrontations as hundreds of travelers had to wait in line for alternative travel plans.

Both planes were taken out of service for repairs and an investigation was underway to determine the cause of the collision.   

The aircraft involved in the collision were:

Aerolineas Argentinas A340-312, LV-BMT (c/n 48) which is an early example of the type that was originally delivered to Air Mauritius in 1994 and also saw service with Air Jamaica and Air Canada before joining the Aerolineas fleet in 2007.  

Air France 777-328ER, F-GZNI (c/n 39973/924) which was delivered to the French carrier on 01Apr11.  

Sources:  http://www.miamiherald.com

              http://aerospotter.blogspot.com.ar/

FLEET UPDATE: Aerolineas Argentinas: Further Fleet Plans

Austral EMB-190 at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 22Jan11.  The  airline might acquire another four of the type in the near future. (Phil Perry Photo)

Further details to the November 22 posting in this blog regarding Aerolineas Argentinas' fleet plans:

The airline is negotiating with ILFC to acquire four ex-Malaysian Airlines A330-200's as part of a plan to eventually have six of the aircraft type.  

Plans to exercise options on four more EMB-190's for sister carrier Austral are being analyzed though this would require more credits from the Brazilian government. 

The airline recently received a proposal from a leasing company to add two more 737-800's to its fleet.

There are tentative plans to retire four A340-200's in the near future, including  aircraft LV-BIT and LV-BMT. 

If all goes according to plan, Aerolineas Argentinas' fleet in the next couple of years will be comprised of the Embraer 190, 737-700 and -800, A330-200 plus the A340-200 and A340-300.   

Source:  Aviacion News 20Dec12   

            http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2012/aviacion122012/

            aviacion122012.html

ROUTE UPDATES: BQB, MacAir & Sol New Service

BQB Lineas Aereas, Macair and Sol Lineas Aereas recently announced new services as follows:

Airline   Routing                                                            Eff           Equip                                                                                  
BQB      Asuncion (ASU) - Punta del Este (PDP)                   27Dec12   ATR-72-212A  2x/week
Sol       Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - Villa Gesell (VLG)   01Jan13   Saab 340      6x/week
Macair  Resistencia (RES) - Asuncion (ASU)                       15Jan13   Jetstream     3x/week

The BQB flights will serve the tourist market traveling from Paraguay to the Uruguayan beach resort of Punta del Este on an experimental basis until 17Feb13. 

The Sol flights will also be a summer service to the beaches of Villa Gesell and neighboring Pinamar.

The Macair flights are part of a planned expansion into Paraguay that will likely also include domestic flights within the country.

Sources:  
Aviacion News  20Dec12 & 27Dec12 
http://aerospotter.blogspot.com.ar/2012/12/nuevo-destino-para-macair.html

http://aeronauticaparaguay.blogspot.com.ar/2012/12/vuelos-de-cabotaje-activaran-el-turismo.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-/

ROUTE UPDATES: Macair to fly Resistencia (RES) to Asuncion (ASU) & Internal Paraguayan Routes

Macair Jetstream 32EP, LV-ZRL, (c/n 928) with no titles at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 01Oct10.  (Phil Perry Photo)

According to Paraguayan press reports, Macair, the Argentine aircraft charter and airline subservice company based out of Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP), will start flying from Resistencia (RES) in northeastern Argentina to the Paraguayan capital Asuncion (ASU) three-times weekly, effective 15Jan13.  

The start of service to Asuncion (ASU) is intended to be a first step into the Paraguayan market with the company expected to start flying domestically from Asuncion (ASU) to Ciudad del Este (AGT) in eastern Paraguay near the "Triple Frontier" area where Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay all meet, plus Asuncion (ASU) to Encarnacion (ENO) in the southern part of the country, near Posadas, Argentina.

Further services might be operated from Asuncion (ASU) to Pedro Juan Caballero (PJC) in north central Paraguay and Saltos del Guairá in the northeastern region of the country. 

Macair has a fleet of business jets, including Learjets, available for charter plus at least four active 19-seat Jetstream 32EP's that it operates for AeroChaco and LAER (Lineas Aereas Entre Rios) out of the provinces of the same names located north of Buenos Aires.  The company will presumably also use the Jetstreams on the new Paraguayan routes.

Sources: 

http://aerospotter.blogspot.com.ar/2012/12/nuevo-destino-para-macair.html

http://aeronauticaparaguay.blogspot.com.ar/2012/12/vuelos-de-cabotaje-activaran-el-turismo.html

http://www.macairjet.com.ar/aeronaves.html

FLEET UPDATE: BQB's Third ATR-72-212A CX-LFL due to arrive in January 2013

Blog editor's wife Laura about to board BQB ATR-72-212A, CX-JPL at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) for a flight to Punta del Este (PDP) on 16Sep11.

BQB Lineas Aereas' is scheduled to receive a third ATR-72-212A in January 2013 which will be registered CX-LFL after BQB owner Juan Carlos Lopez Mena's son Luciano Federico Lopez.  

The other two ATR's in BQB's fleet are also named after sons of Lopez Mena; CX-JPL signifies Juan Patricio Lopez and CX-JCL's namesake is unknown to the editor of this blog.       

Source:  Aviacion News 29Nov12
Photo:    Phil Perry

UPDATE 01Jan13:  

Blog reader "Sr. G" has noted that the initials JCL refer to BQB owner Juan Carlos Lopez himself !    

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