FLEET UPDATE: Aerolineas Argentinas Fleet Reductions in Recent & Coming Weeks

In addition to the recent sale of six ex-Austral / Aerolineas Argentinas MD-80's there have been or will be a number of other fleet reductions by Aerolineas soon:

737-528, LV-AZU, (c/n 25235/2428) departed Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) on return to its owner on 13Jul13 arriving in San Antonio (SAT) two days later. The aircraft had flown for Aerolineas since 2004 after having been originally delivered to Air France in 1993.

737-528, LV-AYI, (c/n 25234/2411) had the U.S. registration N261SC reserved for it and was to leave Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) in late July or early August. This is also an ex-Air France aircraft which was delivered to the French carrier in 1993 and passed on to Aerolineas in 2004.   

A340-313, LV-BIT, (c/n 93), was recently spotted at EZE painted all-white with no titles and is expected to be returned to its owners during August.  This aircraft was delivered to Air Canada in 1995 and operated with BWIA and Caribbean Airlines before entering service with Aerolineas in 2007.  

A340-312, LV-BMT, (c/n 48) is slated to leave the fleet in October 2013.  This plane was delivered to Air Mauritius in 1994 and saw service with Air Jamaica and Air Canada before joining the Aerolineas fleet in 2007.     

Updates on the whereabouts of a couple of former Aerolineas aircraft:
  

 737-5Y0, ex-LV-BEO on its way to Ecuador (Phil Perry Photo)

737-5Y0, ex-LV-BDV also going to Ecuador (Phil Perry Photo)

Two 737-5Y0's, ex-LV-BEO (c/n 25176/2155) and ex-LV-BDV (c/n 24900/2095) are being prepared in Tucson, Arizona, USA for delivery to the Ecuadorean airline Sudamericana.

737-236, ex-LV-ZIE, (c/n 21978/658) will join the fleet of the Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana with military registration FAE-630.

Sources:  http://linea-ala.blogspot.com.ar/2013/07/el-boeing-737-528-ex-lv-
              azu.html
              http://linea-ala.blogspot.com.ar/2013/07/aerolineas-argentinas-
              otro-que-se.html
                  http://linea-ala.blogspot.com.ar/2013/08/un-airbus-340-para-
              devolver.html
                  http://linea-ala.blogspot.com.ar/2013/08/dos-que-se-fueron-
              ecuador.html
                  http://www.airfleets.net

United States of America C-40C (737-700) at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 11Aug13

An unusual spotting at Aeroparque on Sunday 11Aug13 was this U.S. government C-40C BBJ (737-7CP), marking 05-0730 (c/n 34807/1908), presumably bringing a high-ranking government official to Argentina.

http://aerar.blogspot.com.ar/2013/08/usaf-en-aeroparque.html

FLEET UPDATE: Six ex-Austral & Aerolineas Argentinas MD-80's Sold

Six former Austral and Aerolineas Argentinas MD-80 Series aircraft were auctioned off on 19Jul13:

Austral MD-83 LV-BEG, (c/n 49630) 
Austral MD-83 LV-BGZ, (c/n 49906)
Austral MD-83 LV-WGM, (c/n 49784)
Austral MD-83 LV-WGN, (c/n 49934)

Aerolineas Argentinas MD-83, LV-VAG, (c/n 53117)
Aerolineas Argentinas MD-88, LV-VBZ, (c/n 53049)

Air Capital Group of Miami bought the aircraft, which were reportedly to leave Argentina during August bearing American registrations.  The selling price has been kept private between the airline and the buyer.

Checking the company's website, http://www.air-capital.com/aerothrust.html, its AeroThrust division specializes in engineering work on the JT8D engine (the type used on the MD-80 Series) so its acquisition of the AU/AR MD-80's is presumably for their engines with the airframes possibly to be used for spares and/or scrapped.    

Most of the above aircraft, including LV-BEG, LV-WGM, and LV-VAG have been parked at the San Juan (UAQ) Argentina airport for at least a year, with LV-WGN resting at Jujuy (JUJ) and LV-BGZ at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP). 
  
One other MD-80, LV-VBX, (c/n 53407) continues parked at San Juan (UAQ) not available for immediate sale apparently due to legal reasons. 

Austral MD-83, LV-BGZ at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) 

resplendent in the carrier's new colors on 26May12

LV-BGZ is unique among these aircraft in that it was the only one painted in Austral's new colors and it underwent a major check only a few weeks before being retired from service, having reportedly operated a few scheduled flights in the new colors.    

Sources: http://linea-ala.blogspot.com.ar/2013/07/se-vendieron-los-md-de-
             austral-y.html
                http://www.airfleets.net/home/

HISTORICAL PHOTO: Aero Sur Servicios Aereos 727-200 & Brief History of Unusual 727's in Argentina

Aero Sur 727-200, N373PA (c/n 20678/931) at Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) in 1994. (Phil Perry Collection)

Aero Sur Servicios Aereos operated two 727-200's briefly in 1994, presumably on charter services.  The pictured aircraft, N373PA, was due to be re-registered as LV-WFC but this was not taken up.  A second aircraft, N376PA (c/n 20169/743) was re-registered as LV-WDS.

Most 727-100's and 200's that flew in Argentina were operated by Aerolineas Argentinas in their full colors with a few notable exceptions:

Aerolineas leased two 727-256's, LV-VFL/EC-CBL (c/n 20606/397) and LV-VFM/EC-CBM (c/n 20607/943), from Iberia during the two-month southern hemisphere summer in late 1992 / early 1993 which it flew in Iberia's full colors and titles.  A third 727-200, LV-VFJ/EC-CAJ (c/n 20593/883) was leased-in and presumably also carried the Spanish airline's colors and titles.

Aerolineas also flew 727-233, C-GAAJ, (c/n 20941/1128) for two months in 1993 in the full Air Canada colors of the time but with the Canadian carrier's titles and the maple leaf logo removed from the tail.  

One of the more unusual 727-200's to fly in Argentina was Aviogenex 727-243, YU-AKM (c/n 22702/1814) in the Yugoslavian airline's full colors and titles under lease to Aerolineas for the three month summer period 12/86 to 3/87.

Two other airlines operated 727's in Argentina, Dinar flew 727-22, OB-1570 (c/n 19153/508) in its own full colors and titles on lease from Aero Continente from 12/95 to 2/96 and STAF (Servicios Transportes Aereos Fueginos) leased 727-023F, HK-3667X (c/n 19430/366) from Aerosucre for a time in the mid-1990's.

The above information is from the excellent blog covering the history of individual aircraft operated in commercial service in Argentina featuring some very rare and interesting photos.

Source: Historias Individuales blog

http://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com.ar/search/label/Boeing%20727?max-results=20

Aerolineas Argentinas, Austral & LAN Aircraft "Landing" & "Taxiing" in the Streets of Buenos Aires

Fun video: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r597z6xc8rs

Source: Aviacion News 01Aug13

Sol Lineas Aereas looking to receive ex-Air Nostrum CRJ-200's

Sol Lineas Aereas of Rosario, Argentina is reportedly about to lease 3-6 CRJ-200's of the Spanish commuter airline Air Nostrum.  These aircraft have become available because Air Nostrum's feeder contract with Iberia has been cancelled due to Iberia parent company IAG's strategic plans changing. 

Sol will use the aircraft on longer sectors of its existing route network, most of which are to the Patagonia region of southern Argentina where the airline serves 10 different airports.  Some of these sectors are quite long for the carrier's existing fleet of four Saab 340A's and two Saab 340B's.  The faster jet-powered CRJ's will reduce flying time on some legs by as much as an hour.

While some reports indicate that the CRJ-200's will complement the Saabs, others claim that they will gradually replace Sol's older and less-efficient A models.  The Air Nostrum CRJ's that Sol will acquire are on average 12 years old vs. 24 years for the Sol Saabs.     

If the lease goes through, Sol will become the third Argentine airline to operate aircraft of the Canadair CR family with Southern Winds having operated 10 different CRJ-200's in the late 1990's / early 2000's and Andes Lineas Aereas having flown two CRJ-900's in 2010-2011.   

Sources:  Aviacion News 18Jul13
              http://www.sol.com.ar/site/new/index.php/home.php
              http://todalaaviacion.blogspot.com.ar/2013/07/novedades-de-sol-
              lineas-aereas.html
                 http://www.sirchandler.com.ar/2013/07/sol-traeria-aviones-
              bombardier-para-su-flota/
                 http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Sol%20Lineas%20Aereas-active-
              sf3.htm
                 http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Southern%20Winds.htm         

ROUTE UPDATE: Aerolineas Argentinas returning to New York after 5-Year Absence

Aerolineas Argentinas announced that it will resume flights to New York-JFK on 15Dec13 more than five years after they cancelled service on the route. 

Flights will be operated non-stop daily between Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) and JFK using the carrier's soon-to-be-delivered A330-200's.

Aerolineas has flown to New York off-and-on since at least 1968 when they flew Boeing 707's on the route, sometimes stopping in Rio de Janeiro (GIG). More recently, AR flew 747-200's between EZE and JFK stopping in Miami (MIA) on certain days of the week.  The last such service was in April 2008.

Aerolineas new service comes shortly on the heels of the announcement by United Airlines that they will drop Newark (EWR) - Ezeiza service effective 29Sep13.  

Source: http://airlineroute.net/2013/07/24/ar-jfk-w13/ via Eric Trum

ROUTE UPDATE: United dropping Newark (EWR) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) service effective 29Sep13

United Airlines recently announced that it will discontinue its daily non-stop 767-300 service between Newark (EWR) and Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE), effective 29Sep13.  

Prior to the United merger with Continental, UA used to fly from Washington-Dulles (IAD) to EZE non-stop and CO flew a through-service from Newark (EWR) via Houston Bush Intercontinental (IAH) to EZE using a 767-200.  After the merger, United discontinued its IAD-EZE flights in favor of making CO's former EWR through-service to EZE nonstop and it continued the IAH-EZE flights.  United will now keep the daily IAH-EZE 767-300 service.  

United cited "lack of demand" for the nonstop flights from the New York area to Buenos Aires. Indeed, Argentine government restrictions on Argentine citizens' access to U.S. dollars plus the reciprocity fee charged to Americans to travel to Argentina have both diminished demand for flights between the two countries pushing any routes of marginal profitability between the US and Argentina into the "red" and that is what might have happened with United's EWR service.  

On the other hand, Delta flew from New York-JFK to EZE nonstop in the 2000's but dropped the route after a couple of years and Aerolineas Argentinas has been in and out of the route (mostly out) during the last decade.  The only airline that has flown from the New York area to EZE non-stop with consistency is American so maybe there is only room for one carrier on this route.  

Although American will once again be the only airline flying this route non-stop, Aerolineas Argentinas is rumored to be thinking of flying one of its newly-delivered A330's to New York starting in December in the wake of United's departure. 

Sources: http://airlineroute.net/2013/07/13/ua-ewreze-sep13/ via Eric Trum

             Aviacion News 18Jul13 

             www.cronista.com        

Retired Aerolineas Argentinas 737-200 Painted and Displayed in New Colors

Retired Aerolineas Argentinas 737-200, LV-ZYG, c/n 21795, was recently disassembled "at the airport" (unclear whether it was stored at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) or Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) but probably the latter), trucked to the Tecnopolis fair of Argentine technological achievements, reassembled, and "painted" with stickers in Aerolineas' newest scheme.      

The interesting detail about this is that 737-200's never flew with Aerolineas in the carrier's newest color scheme with the type having been retired from AR service on November 15, 2009, a few months before the introduction of the new colors.      

Tecnopolis is located just outside the northwest border of Buenos Aires with several other aircraft on display there; including a Chinook helicopter, A-4 Skyhawk, Pucara, and the Pulqui I and Pulqui II prototype jet fighters designed and built in Argentina in the late 1940's and early 1950's but that were never mass-produced. 

http://worldairlinenews.com/2013/07/20/aerolineas-argentinas-puts-retired-boeing-737-236-lv-zyg-on-display-at-tecnopolis-in-buenos-aires/

Sources: World Airline News
             Blog editor's personal knowledge 

Andes Lineas Aereas celebrates Seven Years in Service

Andes CRJ-900, LV-CFD, c/n 15064, at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 05Sep10.  The aircraft left the fleet less than a year later. (Phil Perry photo)  

Andes MD-83, LV-BTH, c/n 49952, at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 17Sep10. (Phil Perry photo)

June 20, 2013 marks seven years since the first flight of Andes Lineas Aereas, the privately-owned Argentine airline based in the northwestern city of Salta (SLA).  

Andes currently flies regularly scheduled flights using four MD-80's linking Salta (SLA) with Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) and Puerto Madryn (PMY) on the Atlantic coast of Patagonia, famous for whale-watching.  

The airline has also flown an extensive charter schedule between various Argentine cities and beach resorts in Brazil and the Dominican Republic. Charters currently scheduled for July 2013 include flights from Cordoba (COR) to La Romana (LRN) and Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) to Samana (AZS), both in the Dominican Republic.     

The past fleet has included two CRJ-900's that were flown on scheduled services for about a year in 2010/11, an all-metal scheme MD-87, LV-CFJ, c/n 49389 that was originally delivered to Transwede in 1988 and even two Vueling A320's that were flown on wet-lease for a short time in December 2011 / January 2012. 

For complete fleet details see:

www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Andes%20Lineas%20Aereas.htm

Sources:

www.andesonline.com/
www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Andes%20Lineas%20Aereas.htm
Aviacion News 27Jun13:  http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2013/aviacion062713/aviacion062713.html

ROUTE UPDATES: Aerolineas Argentinas, LAN Argentina, GOL & TAM Flights to Bariloche for Ski Season

GOL 737-800's are expected to bring many welcome Brazilian tourists to Bariloche for some skiing this winter. Pictured is PR-GTT at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 16Jan11.  (Phil Perry photo)  

With the start of the winter ski season, flights are on the increase to Bariloche (BRC), mainly for skiing at the nearby Cerro Catedral mountain.

Aerolineas Argentinas will fly to Bariloche (BRC) from:

* Buenos Aires (combination of AEP & EZE?) - 5x/daily on weekdays and  
   7x/daily on weekends 

* Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) - 3x/weekly 

* Santiago de Chile (SCL) - 1x/weekly     

* Belo Horizonte (CNF) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Bariloche (BRC) 

Flights will presumably be operated with a mix of 737-700's, 737-800's and Austral ERJ-190's, but the occasional widebody might be flown in too. 

LAN Argentina will fly there from:

Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) - 5x/daily on weekdays, 10x on Saturdays and 9x on Sundays, with A320's.   

GOL & TAM are expected to fly 120 charters to Bariloche (BRC) from various Brazilian cities between July and September carrying some 20,000 Brazilian tourists, presumably with a mix of 737-700's, 800's and A319/320/321's respectively but TAM might bring in widebodies too. 

Source:

Aviacion News 27Jun13:

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2013/aviacion062713/aviacion062713.html

HISTORICAL PHOTO: Orion Aviacion Let L-410, LV-WYV

Orion Aviacion Let L-410, LV-WYV, c/n 912603, at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) presumably sometime during 1997/98.  (Phil Perry collection)

This Czech-built small airliner is a workhorse of a plane that is much more common inside the former Soviet bloc than outside.  The pictured example is perhaps the only L-410 to ever have appeared on the Argentine register.  

LV-WYV was originally delivered to Aeroflot in 1991 as CCCP-67673 and after several years it passed on to Orion Aviacion of Argentina.  Orion operated the aircraft during 1997/98 between Concepcion del Uruguay (CDU) and Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on a twice-daily schedule in both directions with morning and evening departures timed to suit business travelers seeking to do a day trip without overnights in either city.  The concept was sound over the nearly 200-mile route but the service lasted only a short time.  

This aircraft went on to fly for a couple more carriers but it ended its flying career in a crash while operating for Central American Airways of Honduras as HR-AUQ.  It crashed near Cerro de Hula while flying from San Pedro Sula (SAP) to Tegucigalpa (TGU) with the loss of all 14 people on board.  Cause of the crash was undetermined.          

Sources:

Historias Individuales:

http://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com.ar/2010/12/lv-wyv-let-l-410-uvp-e20-turbolet-cn.html

http://www.aeropuertosarg.com.ar/losforos/index.php?topic=8405.480

http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20110214-0