Viva (airline)
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| Founded | 2006 | ||||||
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| Hubs | |||||||
| Focus cities |
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| Fleet size | 21 | ||||||
| Destinations | 25 | ||||||
| Parent company | Inversionistas en Autotransportes Mexicanos S.A. de C.V., Irelandia Aviation | ||||||
| Headquarters | Insurgentes Norte 42, Mexico City, Mexico | ||||||
| Key people | Roberto Alcántara (Chairman) Juan Carlos Zuazua (CEO) Robert Zoller (COO) Manuel Ambriz (CCO) Alan Bird (CFO) | ||||||
| Website | www.vivaaerobus.com | ||||||
Aeroenlaces Nacionales, S.A. de C.V., trading as VivaAerobus, is a Mexican low-cost airline part-owned by the founders of Europe's biggest low-cost carrier, Ryanair and the biggest bus company group in Mexico, IAMSA.
History
VivaAerobus started operations on November 30, 2006 with its hub at Monterrey International Airport (MTY), in Monterrey, Mexico. The airline initially connected Monterrey to a number of Mexican domestic locations and, in July 2007, publicly confirmed its intention to open its first base outside of Mexico and first US destination in Austin, Texas. The base ultimately closed in 2009.[1]
VivaAerobus is co-owned by the Ryan family (founders of Irish airline Ryanair) and the Mexican bus company IAMSA. The Ryans joined with Alexander Maurice Mason of Kite Investments to establish "RyanMex" to facilitate the Irish family's investment in the Mexican airline. RyanMex holds 49 percent of shares in the airline, while IAMSA has the remaining majority stake. The airline commenced operations with an initial investment of $50 million and two Boeing 737-300 aircraft.
VivaAerobus fares were intended to undercut traditional Mexican carriers by up to 50 percent, in a change of the industry that started with the arrival of the country's second generation of low-cost airlines (Avolar, Click Mexicana, Interjet, Volaris) and the privatization of Mexicana, one of the two top national airlines. On November 5, 2007 the airline received approval from the US Department of Transportation to operate to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, initially serving the Mexican destinations of Cancún, Monterrey, Guadalajara and León. Flights to the South Terminal Austin began on May 1, 2008.
On May 16, 2009, Viva Aerobus stated it would cease passenger operations at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on May 31, 2009. The airline blamed the pullout in part on an outbreak of swine flu, which caused an unprecedented decrease in demand for service.[2] The company began to fly between Monterrey and Las Vegas in the summer of 2009.
In November 2009, the airline announced it had applied to commence operations between Hermosillo and Las Vegas beginning in March 2010.
In April 2010, the airline finally began serving Mexico's capital with two flights, one from Monterrey and the other from Guadalajara. It also started serving Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport. However, the airline planned to serve Houston Hobby Airport on completion of that airport's new terminal in 2015.[3]
In 2010, the airline opened a focus city at Mexico City International Airport on October 1 after Mexicana ceased operations. VivaAerobus switched Mexico City from focus city into a hub on April 1, 2011, beginning more destinations from the airport.
On July 26, 2011, the airline got approval to fly to Chicago-Midway International Airport.[4] On August 15 the same year VivaAerobus announced it would begin round-trip service between San Antonio (SAT) and Monterrey (MTY), Mexico starting that November.[5] On April 13, 2012 the airline ceased flights to Chicago Midway.
On May 15, 2014, VivaAerobus received and started using Airbus A320s. It will continue using Boeing 737s until the end of 2016, when it will operate an all Airbus fleet.[6][7]
In October 2014, VivaAerobus began nonstop flights from Ciudad Juárez (Chihuahua State) to Mexico City, León, and Hermosillo. In 2015, the airline launched flights to Dallas-Fort Worth from several Mexican cities.[8] The service was terminated in October 2015.[9]
Destinations
In-flight services
VivaAerobus has a buy on board program offering food and drinks for purchase.[10]
The airline also provides an in-flight magazine.
Bus services
VivaAerobus operates a shuttle bus from downtown El Paso, Texas to Abraham González International Sunport in Ciudad Juárez.[11]
VivaAerobus operated a bus shuttle between Austin-Bergstrom International Airport South Terminal and the Omnibus Mexicanos Bus Terminal in eastern Houston in addition to a bus shuttle between the Austin airport and the Omnibus Mexicanos Bus Terminal in downtown San Antonio for passengers on flights going to and from Cancún and Monterrey.[12][13]
Fleet
\VivaAerobus became an all Airbus airline on November 4, 2016. [14]
As of November 18, 2016, the VivaAerobus fleet consists of the following aircraft:[15]
| Aircraft | In Service | Orders | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A320-200 | 19 | 0 | 180 | |
| Airbus A320neo | 2 | 38[16] | 186 | To be delivered between 2016 and 2021. |
| Total | 21 | 38 | ||
References
- ^ Reed Business Information Limited. "VivaAerobus to drop all Austin services". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
{{cite web}}:|author=has generic name (help) - ^ Eaton, Tim. "Viva Aerobus to cease operations out of Austin-Bergstrom." Austin American-Statesman. Saturday May 16, 2009. Accessed May 16, 2009.
- ^ "Houston airport operator envisions Hobby offering international flights in 12 markets". centreforaviation.com. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- ^ Elsemanario.com.mx Archived July 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "[1]." SAT WELCOMES VivaAerobus TO SAN ANTONIO.
- ^ "VivaAerobus Starts A320 Operations in Mexico". Caribbean News Digital. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- ^ 4-traders (14 May 2014). "AIRBUS : Viva Aerobus starts A320 operations in Mexico". 4-traders.com. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "VivaAerobus to Launch Mexican Service from Dallas Fort Worth". Airchive. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- ^ VivaAerobus pulls back on US routes as the Viva Group takes aim at Costa Rica | CAPA - Centre for Aviation
- ^ "Know Before You Go." Viva Aerobus. Retrieved on January 12, 2009.
- ^ Shuttle El Paso-Ciudad Juárez Accessed December 9, 2008.
- ^ "Shuttle Austin-Houston Archived September 22, 2008, at the Wayback Machine." VivaAerobus. Accessed October 25, 2008.
- ^ Austin-San Antonio Accessed December 9, 2008.
- ^ http://www.air-journal.fr/2016-11-05-vivaaerobus-passe-a-une-flotte-tout-airbus-5172184.html
- ^ "Viva Aerobus [sic] Fleet Details and History". planespotters.net. 12 July 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
- ^ Viva Aerobus receives first of 52 A320s on order | Airbus Press release
External links
