Alas Uruguay suspends operations

Alas Uruguay (YZ, Montevideo) has suspended all operations following its last scheduled commercial flight, YZ163 - Buenos Aires Aeroparque- Montevideo, on Monday, October 24.
The route was operated by the carrier's last remaining operational B737-300, CX-OAC (msn 28563) which is leased from Cara Aircraft Leasing. Flightradar24 ADS-B data indicates sistership CX-OAA (msn 28569), which is leased from Aergo Capital, has not operated any commercial flights since October 19.
Alas Uruguay has since formally requested the Uruguayan civil aviation authority (DINACIA) to suspend its operations for up to sixty days.

Lamenting the carrier's difficulties, Uruguay's Minister of Tourism, Liliam Kechichián, told El Espectador newspaper that there was "no more room for financial support" for the airline from government adding that "they long ago made that very clear."

Launched in January of this year, Alas Uruguay was a project centred around ex-PLUNA (PU, Montevideo) personnel using a Uruguayan government national development fund (FONDES) loan of USD15 million. However, despite initial optimism, it soon ran into difficulties attracting lower than expected loads on its flights to Argentina and Paraguay. With less than expected revenue, the airline struggled to finance its debts.

In July, ALAS Uruguay's management was reported to have held talks with Brazil's Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras (AD, Campinas Viracopos) and Amaszonas (Z8, La Paz El Alto), parent firm to rival Amaszonas del Uruguay (BQB, Montevideo), over a possible cooperation agreement though nothing tangible is said to have come of them.

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Alas Uruguay takes delivery of its first aircraft - a B737-300

Alas Uruguay (Montevideo) took delivery of its first aircraft, CX-OAA (msn 28569), at a ceremony held at Montevideo on Tuesday, March 10. The B737-300, formerly with Ukraine International Airlines (PS, Kiev Borispol), is on dry-lease from Ireland's Aergo Group and will be joined by a second of the type, CX-OAB (msn 28869), later this year.

Once the start-up has secured its Air Operators Certificate (AOC) from the Uruguayan civil aviation authority (Dirección Nacional de Aviación Civil - DINACIA) - expected later this month - it plans to delve into the scheduled services market covering routes to Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina that were previously covered by PLUNA (PU, Montevideo).

An Alas Uruguay spokesperson confirmed to ch-aviation that the carrier is already actively looking for two additional B737s to join its fleet. 

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Pluna successor Alas-U to operate three CRJ900s, first aircraft landing in Porto Alegre

Alas Uruguay eyes October launch date with regional flights

Alas Uruguay has set a planned launch window of October this year pending the finalization of USD15million in Uruguayan state funding. In his interview with Montevidean newspaper, El Pais, airline executive Sergio Riolfo said the start-up had complied with requirements laid down by its donor, the national development fund (FONDES), and would shortly begin certification with the local civil aviation authority (Dirección Nacional de Aviación Civil e Infraestructura Aeronáutica - DINACIA). Once that was completed, the process of securing traffic rights would begin.

Among the routes the carrier intends to serve from its Montevideo hub are: Asuncion, Santiago de Chile Int'l, Buenos Aires Aeroparque, Punta del Este, São Paulo Guarulhos and Rio de Janeiro Int'l.

Three B737-300s are to be acquired on a lease-before-buying basis from an undisclosed US lessor, Riolfo added. ch-aviation
Photo:La Prensa.uy