Austral Líneas Aéreas

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Austral Líneas Aéreas
IATA
AU		 ICAO
AUT		 Callsign
AUSTRAL
Founded 1957 (as Compañía Austral de Transportes Aéreos)
Commenced operations 23 January 1958 (1958-01-23) (54 years ago)
Hubs
Frequent-flyer program Aerolíneas Plus
Airport lounge VIP Lounge
Alliance SkyTeam (affiliate member in 2012)
Subsidiaries Inter Austral (currently defunct)
Fleet size 30
Destinations 22
Parent company Aerolíneas Argentinas (100%)
Headquarters Buenos Aires, Argentina
Key people
Website www.austral.com.ar

Cielos del Sur S.A., operating as Austral Líneas Aéreas, more commonly known by its shortened name Austral, is a domestic airline of Argentina, the sister company of Aerolíneas Argentinas.[3] It is the second largest domestic scheduled airline in the country, after Aerolíneas Argentinas itself. As a subsidiary of Aerolíneas Argentinas, the company shares its headquarters with that airline, which is located in the Torre Bouchard, San Nicolás, Buenos Aires. Its main base of operations is Aeroparque Jorge Newbery, Buenos Aires.

Austral is currently fully integrated into Aerolíneas Argentinas; however, some differences arise, especially those relying upon the Unions the staff of both companies are affiliated to, which lead to constant conflicts.[4][5][6] Although the carrier is assigned the IATA airline code AU and the ICAO airline code AUT for its operations,[7][8] it currently uses the AR and ARG codes of the parent airline Aerolíneas Argentinas. Austral's callsign is AUSTRAL.[7][8]

The airline currently operates a mixed fleet of MD-80 series and recently-delivered Embraer 190s.[9] As more Embraer 190s are delivered the MD-80s will be withdrawn and the airline will eventually operate an all-Embraer fleet.

Contents

[edit] History

An Austral MD-83 in one of the former liveries, on the apron at Malvinas Argentinas International Airport. (2004)
An Austral Embraer 190 wearing the new livery is seen here taxiing at Aeroparque Jorge Newbery. (2011)

The origins of the carrier can be traced back to 1957, when Compañía Austral de Transportes Aéreos SACI (CATASACI) was founded, starting scheduled services in January 1958 (1958-01).[10][11] CATASACI focused its services on southwestern Argentina, but it also operated international flights to Montevideo, Puerto Montt and Punta Arenas.[11] In 1965, Pan Am acquired a 22% stake in CATASACI in return for supplying the company with DC-3s.[11] In 1966, CATASACI acquired a 30% holding in Aerotransportes Litoral Argentino (ALA), a Rosario–based company that was founded in 1957 and operated flights within northern Argentina, and the services of both companies were integrated.[11][12][13] Austral Líneas Aéreas was formally established in June 1971 (1971-06) from the merger of CATASACI and ALA.[10] In practice, operations of the latter airline were absorbed by CATASACI, which was rebranded as Austral Líneas Aéreas S.A. after merging. Austral inherited both companies' fleet, consisting of turboprops NAMC YS-11 and jetliners BAC One-Eleven.

Austral became a government-owned company in 1980. After poor economic performances, there were two failed attempts to re-privatise Austral in 1981 and 1983. All that time Austral and Aerolíneas Argentinas were competitors on a number of domestic routes. Realizing that such a situation could not persist much longer, the government decided again to privatise Austral. This was much resisted by the Aerolíneas Argentinas' personnel, and more specifically its pilots, who claimed their salaries were lower than those of Austral's counterparts. Aerolíneas Argentinas' pilots union understood the government effort was not to solve their affiliates salary conflict, but to focus on privatising a loss-making carrier as Austral was instead. The consequence of this discrepance was the announcement that Aerolíneas Argentinas flights were to be indefinitely suspended effective 1 July 1986.[14] The strike affected both Aerolineas Argentinas' domestic and international operations. Argentine as well as foreign carriers were benefited from this strike. Ironically, Austral was included among that carriers, gaining the domestic market share Aerolíneas Argentinas lost.[15]

Austral became once again a privately-owned firm when it was acquired by the holding company Cielos del Sur S.A. in late 1987. The acquisition generated some controversy on the Argentine aviation sector at that time, as it was raised that the new owner had little or no experience in managing an airline. On April 1988, the carrier became a IATA member. Shortly afterwards, the company faced a major accident during its new private era on 12 June 1988, when a McDonnell Douglas MD-81 hit a tree on a low visibility approach into Posadas and crashed. Apart from the 22 fatalities involved in the accident, it also spread concerns on the aviation sector over the airline's poor rate of occupation on some routes, of just 10.32% for this particular flight.[citation needed]

Cielos del Sur S.A. and Iberia formed a consortium to acquire an 85% stake in Aerolíneas Argentinas in 1990, within the framework of that flag carrier privatisation.[16][17] Soon afterwards, Cielos del Sur S.A. sold Austral to Iberia. The destiny of both Aerolíneas Argentinas and Austral became aligned thereafter. By July 1998, the company was 10% owned by its erstwhile competitor Aerolíneas Argentinas.[18]

On 21 July 2008 the Argentine Government took the airline back into state control after acquiring 99.4% of the share capital for an undisclosed price. The remaining 0.6% continues to be owned by the company's employees.[19] In September 2008, Argentina's Senate approved the nationalization of Aerolíneas Argentinas and its subsidiary Austral Líneas Aéreas on a 46-21 vote in favor of the takeover.[20]

In June 2010 Aerolíneas Argentinas launched a new paint scheme to revamp the airline's image. The new livery resembles the colour blue of Argentina's flag and the colour yellow of the sun. As its subsidiary airline, Austral also adopted the new image. Austral's livery actually differs from the Aerolíneas Argentinas' one by a red cheatline only.[21] In the meantime the airline also announced the incorporation of 20 new Embraer 190 to its fleet, receiving the first two of them in September 2010. The MD-80 series will be gradually phased out from the fleet as these aircraft are delivered.

[edit] Destinations

Main article: Austral Líneas Aéreas destinations

The so-called Federal Corridor (Spanish: Corredor Federal), a two-way route linking the cities of Bariloche, Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Iguazú, Mendoza and Salta, is commercially run by Aerolíneas Argentinas, yet the route is actually operated using Austral equipment.[22]

[edit] Fleet

Pushback of an Austral Embraer 190 at Martín Miguel de Güemes International Airport, Salta, Argentina. (2011)

Austral Líneas Aéreas is undergoing a major fleet renewal. In 2009, the company signed a contract with Embraer for the purchase of 20 Embraer 190.[9][23][24] As of December 2011, the airline's fleet comprises the following equipment:[7][8][25]

Austral Líneas Aéreas Fleet
Aircraft In Fleet Orders Passengers Notes
C Y Total
Embraer 190 20 — 8 88 96[26]
McDonnell Douglas MD-81 1 — — 160 160
McDonnell Douglas MD-83 8 — 8 140 148
McDonnell Douglas MD-88 1 — 12 130 142
Total 30 —

As of December 2011, Austral is the sixth worldwide largest operator of the Embraer 190; the carrier's fleet age is 8.9 years.[27]

[edit] Retired

An Austral BAC One-Eleven taxiing at Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (1993). This livery was used while the carrier was owned by Cielos del Sur S.A., and persisted for some years after the airline was acquired by Iberia.

Austral has previously operated the following aircraft:

[edit] Accidents and incidents

As of December 2011, Aviation Safety Network records 11 accidents/incidents for Austral Líneas Aéreas, totalling 224 deaths.[30] The list below includes hull-loss accidents only.

Date Location Aircraft Tail number Aircraft damage Fatalities Description Refs
01959-01-16 16 January 1959 ArgentinaMar del Plata C-46 Commando LV-GED W/O &1000000000000005100000051/52 The aircraft was operating a domestic scheduled Buenos Aires–Mar del Plata passenger service as Flight 205. It crashed into the sea 1.2 kilometres (0.75 mi) off the coast after a missed approach to the airport of destination. [31]
01969-12-17 17 December 1969 ArgentinaBuenos Aires C-46 Commando LV-GEB W/O &100000000000000000000000/2 One of the engines ran out of fuel at climbout after an improper selection of the fuel pump. The pilots managed to land the plane in a nearby sports field. The aircraft was operating a cargo service. [32]
01973-12-04 4 December 1973 ArgentinaBahía Blanca BAC 1-11 500 LV-JNR W/O &100000000000000000000000/74 Experienced a loss of power in an engine immediately after take-off from Comandante Espora Airport. The pilots made a forced landing using the remaining length of the runway. Arresting cables deployed on it were unable to stop the aircraft, and damaged the fuel tanks as they broke off. Despite sparks ignited the fuel, all occupants managed to escape unharmed from the aircraft. [33]
01977-11-21 21 November 1977 ArgentinaBariloche BAC 1-11 400 LV-JGY W/O &1000000000000004600000046/79 The airplane was operating a chartered Buenos Aires–San Carlos de Bariloche passenger service as Flight 9, when it suffered pressurization problems during climbout to 35,000 feet (11,000 m). It flew the route despite this, although at a lower flight level. On approach to San Carlos de Bariloche International Airport the aircraft collided with the ground, 21 kilometres (13 mi) east of the destination city. [34]
01981-05-07 7 May 1981 ArgentinaBuenos Aires BAC 1-11 500 LV-LOX W/O &1000000000000003100000031/31[note 1] The aircraft was operating a scheduled domestic Tucumán–Buenos Aires passenger service as Flight 901. Crashed into the Río de la Plata amid stormy weather while on approach to Aeroparque Jorge Newbery, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) east-southeast of the airfield. [35][36]
01988-06-12 12 June 1988 ArgentinaPosadas MD-81 N1003G W/O &1000000000000002200000022/22 Crashed on final approach to Posadas Airport after hitting trees in low visibility. Was operating a scheduled Resistencia–Posadas service as Flight 46. [37][38]
01997-10-10 10 October 1997 UruguayNuevo Berlín DC-9-32 LV-WEG W/O &1000000000000007400000074/74 Crashed while en route from Posadas to Buenos Aires operating Flight 2553 after entering a storm. The likely cause of the accident was the icing of the pitot tubes. It remains the deadliest one experienced by the carrier all through its history. [39][40]

[edit] See also

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[edit] Notes

  1. ^ A discrepancy exists regarding the death toll, as it was claimed it rose to 30,[35] or to 31.[36]

[edit] References

  1. ^ David Knibb (20 August 2009). "Unions gain in Aerolineas reshuffle". Flightglobal.com. Airline Business. http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/08/20/331230/unions-gain-in-aerolineas-reshuffle.html. Retrieved 9 March 2011. 
  2. ^ Brendan Sobie (21 April 2010). "New life for Aerolineas Argentinas?". Flightglobal.com. Airline Business. http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/04/21/340854/new-life-for-aerolineas-argentinas.html. Retrieved 9 March 2011. 
  3. ^ "Argentina’s government buys back flag carrier Aerolineas Argentinas from private firm". DHS Aviation. 5 September 2008. http://www.dancewithshadows.com/aviation/argentinas-government-buys-back-flag-carrier-aerolineas-argentinas-from-private-firm/. Retrieved 10 March 2011. 
  4. ^ Luis Ceriotto (5 March 2011). "Una historia marcada por internas gremiales y una larga puja con el Gobierno [A history marked by internal union conflicts and a long struggle with the Government]" (in Spanish). Clarín. http://www.clarin.com/politica/historia-marcada-internas-gremiales-Gobierno_0_438556336.html. Retrieved 5 March 2011. 
  5. ^ "La pelea entre los gremios aeronáuticos, en el límite de lo inhumano [Tensions between unions bordering unhuman limits]" (in Spanish). infobae.com. 4 March 2011. http://www.infobae.com/notas/567903-La-pelea-entre-los-gremios-aeronauticos-en-el-limite-de-lo-inhumano.html. Retrieved 5 March 2011. 
  6. ^ "Tras un día complicado, un paro de pilotos obliga a cancelar vuelos en Ezeiza [Pilots strike force the cancellation of fligths at Ezeiza after a complicated day]" (in Spanish). Clarín. 4 November 2010. http://www.clarin.com/ciudades/Arranco-problemas-mudanza-Aeroparque-Ezeiza_0_365963610.html. Retrieved 21 July 2011. 
  7. ^ a b c d e "Austral Fleet". Airfleets.net. http://airfleets.net/flottecie/Austral.htm. Retrieved 23 December 2011. 
  8. ^ a b c d e f g "Austral Lineas Aereas – Details and Fleet History". Planespotters.net. 17 December 2011. http://www.planespotters.net/Airline/Austral-Lineas-Aereas. Retrieved 23 December 2011. 
  9. ^ a b Mary Kirby (8 July 2009). "UPDATE: Embraer's 1H deliveries nearly reach year-earlier tally". Flightglobal.com. Air Transport Intelligence news (Philadelphia). http://www.flightglobal.com/channels/finance/articles/2009/07/08/329353/update-embraers-1h-deliveries-nearly-reach-year-earlier.html. Retrieved 22 June 2011. "Embraer also signed a contract with Argentina's Austral Lineas Aereas for the sale of 20 E-190s." 
  10. ^ a b "World Airline Directory – Austral Lineas Aéreas (ALA)" (pdf). Flight International: 59. 1 April 1989. http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1989/1989%20-%200869.html. Retrieved 23 June 2011. 
  11. ^ a b c d "World Airlines 1970 – Austral (Compania Argentina de Transportes Aereos SACI)". Flight International: 473. 26 March 1970. http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1970/1970%20-%200523.html. Retrieved 23 December 2011. 
  12. ^ "World Airline Survey – Aerotransportes Litoral Argentino SA (ALA)". Flight International: 595. 14 April 1966. http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1966/1966%20-%201030.html. Retrieved 23 December 2011. 
  13. ^ "The World's Airlines... – Aerotransportes Litoral Argentino SA  — ALA". Flight International: 551. 12 April 1962. http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1962/1962%20-%200553.html. Retrieved 23 December 2011. 
  14. ^ "Argentine airlines face reorganisation". Flight International: 7. 19 July 1986. http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1986/1986%20-%201645.html. Retrieved 28 April 2011. "Argentina's flag carrier, Aerolineas Argentinas, has dismissed all 561 of its pilots after they went on indefinite strike on July 1." 
  15. ^ (Spanish) La Gran Huelga. http://www.uala.org.ar/IMG/pdf/LV-24_La_gran_huelga.pdf. Retrieved 3 February 2011. 
  16. ^ "Crónica de una década que dejó a Aerolíneas al borde de la quiebra [Chronicle of a decade that left Aerolíneas on the brink of bankruptcy]" (in Spanish). Clarín. 3 June 2001. http://edant.clarin.com/diario/2001/06/03/e-03301.htm. Retrieved 22 June 2011. 
  17. ^ "Iberia takes control of Argentine carrier" (pdf). Flight International. 25 July 1990 – 31 July 1990. http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1990/1990%20-%202052.html. Retrieved 5 August 2011. "Concern had been expressed during the tender period that if the Iberia consortium was successful it would monopolise domestic routes. One of Iberia's main partners, Cielos del Sur, owns Austral, Argentina's largest private domestic airline." 
  18. ^ "Airline Ownership Survey", Airline Business, 1 July 1998, http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/1998/07/01/38768/airline-ownership-survey.html, retrieved 5 February 2011 
  19. ^ "Argentine airline set for bumpy ride", BBC News, 22 July 2008, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7519069.stm, retrieved 5 February 2011 
  20. ^ "Other News - 09/04/2008". Air Transport World. 5 September 2008. http://atwonline.com/international-aviation-regulation/news/other-news-09042008-0904. Retrieved 28 June 2011. "Argentine Senate authorized the renationalization of Aerolineas Argentinas by a 46-21 vote." 
  21. ^ "New directions, new image" (pdf). pp. 10. http://www.aerolineas.com.ar/nuevaimagen/files/nuevaImagen_en.pdf. Retrieved 8 February 2011. 
  22. ^ Diego Dominelli (16 September 2010). "Llega el primer avión para Austral [First (Embraer) plane arrives for Austral]" (in Spanish). Radio Nacional (Argentina). http://www.radionacional.com.ar/articulos/austral-diego-dominelli.html. Retrieved 10 March 2011. 
  23. ^ "Austral Lineas Aereas inks deal for 20 E-190s". Air Transport World. 25 May 2009. http://atwonline.com/aircraftenginescomponents/news/austral-lineas-aereas-inks-deal-20-e-190s-0309. Retrieved 28 June 2011. 
  24. ^ "Embraer To Sell 20 Jets To Argentina's Austral". Reuters. AIRwise. 22 May 2009. http://news.airwise.com/story/view/1242952070.html. Retrieved 24 February 2011. 
  25. ^ "Austral Fleet". CH-Aviation. http://www.ch-aviation.ch/aircraft.php?search=set&airline=AU&al_op=1. Retrieved 12 October 2011. 
  26. ^ Embraer and Austral Seal Contract for 20 Embraer 190 Jets
  27. ^ "Fleet Age – Austral". Airfleets.net. http://airfleets.net/ageflotte/Austral.htm. Retrieved 23 October 2011. 
  28. ^ a b c d e "World Airlines – Austral Lineas Aereas (ALA)" (pdf). Flight International: 15. 18 May 1972. http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1972/1972%20-%201269.html. Retrieved 7 April 2011. 
  29. ^ "No more tears". Flightglobal.com. Airline Business. 1 October 1997. http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/1997/10/01/22408/no-more-tears.html. Retrieved 7 April 2011. 
  30. ^ "Accident record for Austral Líneas Aéreas". Aviation Safety Network. 21 December 2011. http://aviation-safety.net/database/dblist.php?sorteer=datekey_desc&kind=%&cat=%&page=1&field=Operatorkey&var=6437. Retrieved 23 December 2011. 
  31. ^ Accident description for LV-GED at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 23 December 2011.
  32. ^ Accident description for LV-GEB at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 23 December 2011.
  33. ^ Accident description at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 23 December 2011.
  34. ^ Accident description for LV-JGY at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 23 December 2011.
  35. ^ a b "Safety: commercial half-year report – FATAL ACCIDENTS: SCHEDULED PASSENGER FLIGHTS" (pdf). Flight International: 172. 18 July 1981. http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1981/1981%20-%202334.html. Retrieved 5 August 2011. 
  36. ^ a b Accident description for LV-LOX at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 5 August 2011.
  37. ^ Accident description for N1003G at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 23 December 2011.
  38. ^ "COMMERCIAL FLIGHT SAFETY – FATAL ACCIDENTS: SCHEDULED PASSENGER FLIGHTS" (pdf). Flight International: 51. 21 January 1989. http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1989/1989%20-%200165.html. Retrieved 5 August 2011. 
  39. ^ Accident description for LV-WEG at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on 23 December 2011.
  40. ^ "75 Die in Crash of Argentine Plane in Uruguay". The New York Times. 12 October 1997. http://www.nytimes.com/1997/10/12/world/75-die-in-crash-of-argentine-plane-in-uruguay.html?scp=66&sq=aerolineas%20argentinas&st=cse. Retrieved 20 February 2011. 

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