Argentine airlines – Wikipedia

Argentinian airlines , formally Aerolineas Argentinas SA , is the largest airline in Argentina and the country’s flag company. ^{[first] [2]} The company was founded in 1949 by the merger of four companies and started operating in December 1950. A consortium led by Iberia took control of the airline in 1990 and Grupo Marsans acquired Aerolíneas Argentinas and its subsidiaries in 2001, after A period of serious financial crisis that put the company on the verge of closure. It has been managed by the Argentine government since the end of 2008, when the country has resumed control of it after it was detected by the Spanish owners. In December 2014, Aerolíneas Argentinas was state property. He is based in Buenos Aires. Skyteam membership was reached at the end of August 2012; The cargo division of the airline has become a member of Skyteam Cargo in November 2013.

Aerolíneas Argentinas operates by two hubs, both located in Buenos Aires: Aeroparque Jorge Newbery and the International Airport Minister Pistarini. Its Narrow Body fleet, used on national and regional routes, is made up of Boeing 737-700, 737-800 and 737 max 8, while intercontinental and transoceanic services are carried out by the Irbus A330-200. ^[3]

The beginnings [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

The Argentine National Company was created in 1949 when all independent operators (with the exception of the Lade, managed by the aerial force) as a flota aérea merchant Argentina (fame), Alfa, airport and zonda that already operated in Argentina since the 1930s, were Raised under the peronist umbrella of a state corporation, in all respects a department of the Ministry of Transport. The backbone of the new aerolinea was the Argentine aeroposta, a subsidiary of the French Aeropostal , whose first flights dated back to 1927 with the Latécoère 25, who had expanded from the original route between Buenos Aires and Asunción (Paraguay) in a substantial network within the country and to the neighboring states. The Argentine government had taken 20% of the Airoposta in 1946; the same percentage held in the Alfa (Aviation of the coast Fleuva Argentina) which at the time operated the Sandingham Short seaplanes along the Rio Paranà and in the Zonda (West and Northern Aerolineas Argentina Zones) who had started flying in 1947 and managed local cabotage on behalf of MANION-PAN American Grace . The fame had been founded in 1946 with 33% of state capital to operate exclusively on international lines.

Creation of the Company: 1950-1990 [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

The flight operations of the new Airolineas Argentinas actually began on December 7, 1950. In the 1950s, aerolinea operated with types of diversified aircraft such as Avro Lancastrian, Douglas DC-3, Douglas DC-4 and Douglas DC-6, Avro York, Vickers Viking, a single Avro Anson, some Convair 240, even three junkers junkers Ju 52 (brought to the dowry by the Airoposta) and six big setinguits Sandargham of British construction used to Europe.
Such a heterogeneous flight line gave many problems in the early days and many types were eliminated almost immediately, aligning the fleet on the convair nursing and the Douglas quadimators. The routes, as well as in the vast South American country, went to the United States, the Caribbean and Europe.
The first jets, in the form of the revolutionary English quadriget Comet 4C , they were ordered in six specimens in 1958, a move aimed at keeping the company competitive against the British Boac, who was introducing the eggs on the routes of South America. Aerolineas Argentinas was therefore the first company of the continent and the fourth in the world to introduce jets in service.
Three French construction bireers Caravelle Vi-R For the medium -ray routes they arrived in 1960 and twelve turbolic models Hawker Siddeley 748 For the short radius since 1962. The most powerful Boeing 707-320B replaced the comets on the long range starting from 1966, while the smallest Boeing 737-200 made their appearance on the internal routes in 1969. For the first aeroplanes of great capacity , the Boeing 747-200B, was the turn in 1976. Subsequently the flight line was expanded with the special version with a larger ray of the latter, the 747- 400; then with the birector widebody Airbus A310 , and with the European quadriget in the ultra-long range Airbus A340-200 .

Located at the southern end of the vast Latin American continent, Argentina has always had a primary needs of long autonomy airplanes, for example by introducing the non-stop connection between Buenos Aires and Madrid already in 1967 with Boeing 707, a distance of almost 10 100 km that at the time made the longest commercial flight without a stopover. The Falkland War in 1982 led to a suspension of flights to London which resumed, after the normalization of the relations between the two countries, only in recent times through the partner Air Plus Comet , but the connections with the other European destinations were maintained. Since that year, Argentina has started to suffer from cyclical economic crises that have also put the flag company to the test, which often found itself in the impossibility of renewing the flight line with the necessary timeliness despite the fact that it occupied the position of third South American aerolinea in terms of passenger-km transported.

Privatization: 1990–2008 [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

The Carlos Menem government saw privatization as the best way to attract capital and this happened in the late nineties, after long hesitation and discussions with the interested parties. The first team of new enthusiasts saw Iberia (with 30%then climbed up to 85%, and in turn owned by the American Airlines for 10%), Cielos del Sur/Austral (35%) and other investors (20%), with the government that maintained 15% and the promise to transfer part of it to employees. A serious crisis took place in June 2001, when seven international destinations had to be suspended and the company went to controlled administration. Argentine Aerolineas owned 37 planes and made profits, it is mortgaged during the Carlos Menem government from IBERIA. Only one aircraft will not remain. In November 2001 92% of the shares passed to the Grupo Marsans with an injection of fresh capital and the desire to reactivate intercontinental connections, first of all the one with Madrid on the same month, and this allowed the company to emerge definitively from the state of crisis within a few months, after the courts had approved the restoration plan, Malgardo the serious economic and institutional crisis that affected Argentina at the end of 2001. The network In addition to the vast country, Argentinas embraced Argentinas, practically all the Latin American continent, almost to the South Pole, and goes through the Pacific in Australia, New Zealand and Far East. Through the Atlantic to Europe and South Africa, as well as the Caribbean and the United States. The latter only in recent times, after the abolition of the veto that prevented the USA for a certain period and which was sentenced as a protectionist move in favor of the American companies. The main hubs are the two airports of Buenos Aires, Ezeiza and Aeroparque, and that of Cordoba. Primary partners are aerosur, Air Plus Comet – which belongs to the same Spanish financial group – and Austral. The latter company with which in recent times there has been a real merger regarding the short-medium ray fleet, whose dedicated aircraft, MD-80 and B737, bear the names of aerolineas on the two sides of the fuselage ( left side) and Austral (right side).

The re-nationalization: 2008-Pride [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

During the following years, however, the situation returned to deteriorate seeing the company to get into debt for 900 million US $ bringing it to a whisker from bankruptcy. To save her, therefore in September 2008, the Senate approved the proposal of a re-nationalization of the same. ^[4] In 2009 the company started the modernization of the fleet: in the first part of the year he proceeded to purchase two new Boeing 737-700, which became operational a few months later. In late November 2010, 10 other planes of the same model were also ordered through leasing, whose deliveries began in April 2011.

In April 2013, Air Lease Corporation announced the rental of six Boeing 737-800 to the company, with deliveries starting from November 2014; In May 2013, Cita Aerospace announced the rental of four additional aircraft of the same type, with deliveries starting from January 2014. In October of the same year, an agreement was announced for the acquisition of 20 other types of the type, for a value of 1.8 billion US dollars. ^{[5] [6]} In addition to the rental of four Airbus A330-200 second hand by Ilfc, the first of which delivered in September 2013, Aerolíneas Argentinas signed a memorandum in agreement in November with Airbus, aimed at acquiring four other aircraft of the type. ^{[7] [8]} In a transaction worth 887 million dollars, the order was confirmed in February 2014. ^[9] The first Airbus A330-200 purchased directly by Airbus was delivered in March 2015. ^[ten]

With his old long -range fleet that needed to be replaced, the CEO of Aerolineas Mario Dell’Acqua declared in November 2017 that the company was evaluating a replacement for the Airbus A340, with a decision to be made by 2018 . The company was taking into consideration the Boeing 787 or the Airbus A350, with the intention of bringing the new fleet into service in 2020. ^[11] Airbus A330 should also have been replaced. ^[twelfth] In November 2017, Aerolíneas Argentinas became the first Latin American airline to take over a Boeing 737 Max 8; The plane carried out its first service on the Buenos Aires-Ezeiza-Menandoza route. ^{[13] [14]}

Property [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

Aerolíneas Argentinas is completely owned by the Argentine government. ^[15] Starting from December 2013, Aerolíneas Argentinas Cargo, the Austral Líneas Aéreas National Airline, the AeroHandling Ramp service provider, the Cargo Jetpaq Sa division and the Ottar SA tour operator were listed as controlled by Aerolíneas Argentinas. ^[16] The airline and its subsidiaries operate by two hubs, both located in Buenos Aires. ^[17] The operations of national and regional flights of the smaller types of airports of the fleet are concentrated at the Jorge Newber Aeroparque, which also acts as an operational base, while the Minister Pistarini airport is mainly used for international services. The company provides free transport to those passengers who need to change from one airport to another. ^[18] In April 2014, the airline and its subsidiaries employed 11,515 employees. ^[19]

In May 2020, following the Pandemia di Covid-19, it was announced that Aerolíneas Argentinas and his subsidiary Austral would be merged into a single undertaking. ^[20] On 1 December 2020 the merger was completed, with the Austral fleet integrated into the Aerolíneas fleet, agreements achieved with the unions of the pilots and the cabin crew of both airlines. ^[21]

Key people [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

At 2022, Pablo Ceriani held the office of president. ^[22]

Neighborhood general [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

Aerolíneas Argentinas is based at the Aeroparque Jorge Newbery, located in the city of Buenos Aires. ^[first]

Commercial agreements [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

At 2022 Aerolineas Argentinas has Code-Share agreements with the following companies ^[23] :

Alliances [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

With the support of Delta Air Lines ^[25] The company signed an agreement to start the process of adhesion to Skyteam at the end of November 2010. ^{[26] [27]} He became the first South American carrier and the second Latin American to join the alliance in August 2012, as well as the 18th member ever. ^{[28] [29]} The cargo division of the airline, Aerolíneas Argentinas Cargo, joined Skyteam Cargo in November 2013, becoming the twelfth company member of the alliance. ^{[30] [thirty first]}

Current fleet [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

In December 2022 the Aerolineas Argentinas fleet is made up of the following planes ^[3] :

Historical fleet [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

Over the years Aerolineas Argentinas operated with the following aircraft models ^{[3] [33]} :

• On April 23, 1954, the company’s plane was supposed to operate on the national route of the Córdoba-Menandoza line when he fell on a mountainous land, within the territory of the province of Córdoba, after a detour for Rioja due to serious turbulence on the original flight trajectory; All 25 died on board. ^[34]
• On December 8, 1957, Flight 670 was directed to San Carlos de Bariloche airport from the International Airport Minister Pistarini when he fell 25 kilometers south-east of Bolívar, in extreme weather conditions. The victims were 61. ^[35]
• On May 15, 1959, the DC-3 operating Il Volo 672 took off from Buenos Aires-Ezeiza at 18:30 directed to Bahía Blanca via Mar del Plata. The plane arrived at the airport at 20:14. At 20:40, the C-47 left for the latest trafficking, falling into the sea shortly after take off. ^[36]
• On September 7, 1960, a DC-6 was operating the Asunción-Buenos Aires line service as a flight 205 when he suddenly crashed into a field, 12 kilometers to the jump east. The victims were 31. ^[37]
• On July 19, 1961, the DC-6 operating the flight 644 from Buenos Aires-Ezeiza to Comfortoro Rivadavia met a strong turbulence during the climb and fell, leaving no escape to any of the 67 on board. ^[38]
• On November 23, 1961, the De Havilland Comet operating the flight 322 fell shortly after the take-off from San Paolo-Campinas airport, in Brazil. All 40 passengers and 12 crew members remained killed. Flight 322 was a line service from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to New York-Idlewild International Airport, NY. Scolas at the San Paolo-Campinas airport, Brazil and the Port of Spain-Sanco airport, Trinidad, were planned. The plane took off from Campinas airport at 05:38. After reaching an altitude of about 100 m, the plane lost altitude, ending up against some trees. ^[39]
• On February 4, 1970, the flight controllers lost the radio contact with the Aerolíneas Argentinas 707 flight, operated by a Hawker Siddeley HS 748, when the plane was near the border between the province of Chaco and the province of Santa Fe while it was raging a strong storm. There, the crew lost control, crashing near Cologne Tacuarí, in a palm grove located in a place known as Loma Alta. None of the 39 on board survived. ^[40]