ROUTE UPDATE: AeroMexico to introduce the 787-8 between Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) and Mexico City (MEX) effective 01Apr15

AeroMexico will start flying the 787-8 between Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) and Mexico City (MEX) on 01Apr15, operating four of its nine weekly flights between the two capitals, eventually going to daily 787 service on the route in October. The carrier currently has five 787-8's with four more on order plus six 787-9's due for delivery, as well.     

Sources:

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn141204/avn-141204.html

ROUTE UPDATE: Air New Zealand to start Auckland (AKL) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) nonstop service in December 2015

Air New Zealand recently announced plans to start Auckland (AKL) to Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) nonstop service in December 2015 with 777-200's on a 3x/weekly basis.  

The flights will have connections to/from Australia and southeast Asia plus Brazil on the South American end codesharing with Aerolineas Argentinas.  Aerolineas flew the Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Auckland (AKL) sector for several years but gave up the route in March 2014.  Buenos Aires also had flights to Australia operated by QANTAS until the Argentine aviation authorities denied that carrier codesharing rights with TAM to Brazil prompting the Australian airline to transfer its South American gateway to Santiago (SCL) offering connections with its Chilean Oneworld counterpart, LAN.    

Sources:

http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/flights-to-buenos-aires
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn141218/avn-141218.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/

ROUTE UPDATES: Amaszonas starts Montevideo to Santa Cruz / TAM increasing flights Montevideo to Rio De Janeiro / LAN Argentina restarts Bahia Blanca flights / British reducing service from Buenos Aires to London

* Amaszonas Lineas Aereas started 3x/weekly service between Montevideo (MVD) and Santa Cruz de la Sierra (VVI) via Asuncion (ASU) on 11Dec14 using CRJ-200's.  From VVI, passengers will be able to connect to Cuzco (CUZ) and Arequipa (AQP) in Peru, La Paz, Bolivia (LPB), Iquique, Chile (IQQ), and Salta, Argentina (SLA). 

* TAM Brazilian Airlines will increase service from Montevideo (MVD) to Rio de Janeiro Galeao (GIG) from 4x to 7x weekly effective 31Dec14 with all flights being operated with A320's. 

* LAN Argentina will reintroduce service between Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) and Bahia Blanca (BHI) on a daily basis effective January 2015 using A320's.  The airline suspended service on the route earlier this year due to the need for aircraft on heavily-traveled winter routes, but also because the Argentine aviation authorities would not grant the carrier permission to add more aircraft to its fleet, not even to replace airplanes out of service on a temporary basis for maintenance.  

* British Airways will reduce service between Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) and London Heathrow (LHR) from 7x to 5x/weekly effective 29Mar15, the end of the southern hemisphere summer season.  The service used to be operated with 747-400's via Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) but transitioned to nonstop 777-200's a few years ago which will be maintained.  Drop in demand is cited as the main reason for the service reduction. 

Sources:

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn141127/avn-141127.html
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn140925/avn-140925.html
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn141113/avn-141113.html
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn141120/avn-141120.html
http://airlineroute.net/2014/09/29/ba-eze-s15/ via Eric Trum
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn140918/avn-140918.html
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1729411-british-airways-reducira-dos-frecuencias-entre-buenos-aires-y-londres

ROUTE UPDATE: Lufthansa introduced 747-8I between Frankfurt (FRA) and Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) on 26Oct14

Lufthansa flew the 747-8I from Frankfurt (FRA) to Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) a few times earlier in 2014 but officially introduced the aircraft on a daily basis on the route on 26Oct14, the last Sunday of October, the traditional summer/winter schedule changeover date of the international airline industry.

Some interesting facts:

* The 747-8I is the longest-ever passenger-carrying aircraft at 250 ft. 2 inches (76.3m) compared to the A380 at 239 ft (72.73m). 

* Frankfurt (FRA) - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) is Lufthansa's longest non-stop route.  

* Lufthansa's 747-8I is the only 747 of any version currently flying in Argentina.  

Sources:

http://747-8.lufthansa.com/#/b747/experience

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn141030/avn-141030.html

PHOTO GALLERY: Argentine Fairchild Metros - #8 of 20+ - LV-VDJ (c/n AC-729)

Transportes Aereos Neuquen Fairchild Swearingen SA-227AC Metro III, LV-VDJ, (c/n AC-729) at Neuquen (NQN) in December 1998. (Phil Perry Collection)

LV-VDJ in service with Milenium Air at Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 24Oct10. (Phil Perry Photo)  

Metro (c/n AC-729) was originally delivered to Skywest Airlines of the US as N27283 in April 1989 but after only a short time went into private service with White Industries in 1990 followed by Maron Recovery, Inc. before traveling to Argentina to join Transportes Aereos Neuquen on 16Sep92.  The aircraft joined Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP)-based Baires Fly in June 2000 before transferring to Milenium Air on 09Apr09 where it apparently still flies today.

Photo of AC-729 in Skywest service at San Diego (SAN): 

http://www.airliners.net/photo/SkyWest-Airlines/Fairchild-SA-227AC-Metro/0602264/L/&sid=34f488d77aa5336aa5d4e8971651ea7f

Source:

http://loudandclearisnotenought.blogspot.com.ar/2010/11/lv-vdj-fairchildswearingen-sa-226-metro.html

ROUTE UPDATES: COPA adds Montevideo (MVD) flights / Conviasa to fly A340's to Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) / Amazonas adds Salta (SLA) - Tarija (TJA) / LAN adding Salta (SLA) - Iquique (IQQ)

* Conviasa - Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) - Caracas (CCS)

Leasing an A340-300 from Air Asia X to operate on this route on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, effective mid-August 2014.  The aircraft will also be operated between Caracas (CCS) and Madrid (MAD). 

* Amaszonas - Salta (SLA) - Tarija (TJA) (Bolivia)

Amaszonas Linea Aerea of Bolivia to operate 50-seat Canadair CRJ-200's on the 35-minute flight between these two cities on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, effective 19Nov14. 

* COPA - Montevideo (MVD) - Panama City (PTY)

Increasing from 7 to 11 weekly flights on this route with the additional frequencies being operated by 737-800's on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, effective 06Dec14.  

* LAN - Salta (SLA) - Iquique (IQQ) (Chile)

Will resume summer seasonal service on this route from 03Jan15 - 28Feb15, possibly extending into March as they did in 2014.  Flights will be operated 2x/weekly (both on Saturdays) with A320's.

Sources:

http://airlineroute.net/2014/08/27/v0-ezemad-aug14/ via Eric Trum
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn140904/avn-140904.html
http://airlineroute.net/2014/07/26/cm-w14update1/ via Eric Trum
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn141120/avn-141120.html

FLEET UPDATE: BQB Lineas Aereas A319, CX-SAN, returned to lessor in Toulouse

Buquebus Lineas Aereas A319, CX-SAN (c/n 1703), departed Montevideo (MVD) on return to lessor Air Lease International in Toulouse, France (TLS) via Recife, Brazil (REC) on 13Dec14.  

The aircraft, which was intended for regional routes from Montevideo (MVD) to points in Brazil and Chile, such as Rio de Janeiro Galeao (GIG), Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) and Santiago (SCL), saw little regular service with the Uruguayan airline.  It was the first and so far only Airbus aircraft to be on the Uruguayan register.

Sources:

http://aeronavescx.blogspot.com.ar/2014/12/partio-toulouse-el-airbus-319-cx-san-de.html

http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn141225/avn-141225.html

100,000 Pageviews ! ! !

Dear Readers & Contributors:

Argentina Airline News, Photography & Spotting reached 100,000 pageviews on the afernoon of 31Dec14, one day after the third anniversary of the first posting of the blog !  I would like to thank our readers and contributors for their loyalty during the last few years.  

Presently, the blog is logging about 4,500 pageviews per month on the months when I am able to do a dozen or more postings.  Additionally, I have organized a lot of my photos and slide scans, both modern-day and from the past, so I expect to be posting moe photo subjects in the coming months. 

Sincerely,

Philip Perry
Blog Editor
Argentina Airline News, Photography & Spotting

"HISTORICAL" PHOTOS: Aerolineas Argentinas Vickers Vanguard (just a model but a very nice one !)

HISTORICAL PHOTOS: September 25, 4th Anniversary of Austral EMB-190AR in Service

Austral celebrated the 4th anniversary of Embraer 190AR regional jet service on 25Sep14.  The first two aircraft, LV-CDY (c/n 365) and LV-CDZ (c/n 377), were delivered to Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on 20Sep10 as pictured below.       

Austral, sister airline to Aerolineas Argentinas, currently has 22 Embraer 190's in service flying domestic Argentine routes and regional services to neighboring countries Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.  

The original order for 20 airframes was delivered in the year between September 2010 and 2011 with a follow-up order of two more examples being delivered in September and October 2013.  

All of the airline's Embraer 190's are equipped with 8 first-class and 88 economy-class seats and are powered by two GE CF34-10E6 engines.  

The first commercial service operated by an Austral Embraer 190 was flight AR2652 from Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) to Neuquen (NQN) on 25Sep10.

As of 25Sep14, the Embraer 190 fleet had accumulated approx. 189,922 hours and 131,572 cycles.

LV-CDY during a low flypast over Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) on its delivery flight from the Embraer factory in Sao Jose dos Campos, Sao Paulo, Brazil in the late afternoon of 20Sep10.  (Phil Perry Photo) 

Minutes later, LV-CDZ followed with its own low flypast over AEP.  (Phil Perry Photo)

After its flypast, LV-CDY lands on Buenos Aires Aeroparque (AEP) runway 13 for the first-ever touchdown of an Austral Embraer 190 on Argentine soil.  (Phil Perry Photo)  

LV-CDZ follows LV-CDY a few minutes later.  (Phil Perry Photo) 

Sources:

http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/Austral-active-e190.htm
http://linea-ala.blogspot.com.ar/2014/09/embraer-190-aniversario-en-austral.html

Proposed Spanish Start-Up "Plus Ultra Lineas Aereas" receives first A340, plans service to Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE) & Other Destinations

The proposed new Spanish carrier, Plus Ultra Lineas Aereas, received the first of two planned A340-313X's, A9C-LG (c/n 212), on September 1.  The aircraft was painted in the airline's full colors as seen in the photo below:

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=7881362

The plane was originally delivered to Singapore Airlines in 1998 and transferred to Gulf Air in 2003 but was stored in June 2011, most recently at Amman, Jordan's Queen Alia Airport.  It is due to be re-registered as EC-MDG.

Sistership A9C-LH, (c/n 215), has an identical history, having also been delivered to Singapore, flown with Gulf Air and stored in Jordan.  It is also due to join Plus Ultra.

Plus Ultra was established in 2011 by former Air Madrid director Julio Miguel Martinez Sola with the intention of flying long-haul flights from Madrid (MAD) to Latin America, including Buenos Aires Ezeiza (EZE), Bogota, Havana, and Santiago, much in the same fashion as Air Madrid did from 2003 to 2006, with A330's and a single A340.  However, the airline has yet to start flying and its website barely has any information on it: http://www.plusultra.com/  If it launches service, Plus Ultra will face stiff competition from Aerolineas Argentinas, Air Europa and Iberia. 

"Plus Ultra" is the national motto of Spain, which in Latin means "further beyond".  

A Dornier Do J flying boat named "Plus Ultra" flew the first transatlantic flight from Spain to South America in 1926, completing the four-day journey from Palo de las Fronteras, Spain to Buenos Aires, Argentina on January 26.  The aircraft is currently on display in the Carriage Museum in Lujan, Argentina, near Buenos Aires.

Photo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plus_Ultra_(aircraft)

Sources:

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=7881362
http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-a340-212.htm
http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-a340-215.htm
http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/30839-spanish-start-up-plus-ultra-lneas-areas-gets-first-a340 
http://worldairlinenews.com/2014/09/04/plus-ultra-lineas-aereas-takes-delivery-of-its-first-aircraft-hopes-to-fly-from-madrid-to-south-america/
http://www.siscoma.com.ar/online/aviacion/2014/avn140904/avn-140904.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Madrid
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plus_ultra_(motto)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plus_Ultra_(aircraft)