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| Founded | 1971 | |||
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| Hubs | Jorge Newbery Airport | |||
| Frequent flyer program | Aerolíneas Plus | |||
| Member lounge | VIP Lounge | |||
| Fleet size | 17 (+20 orders) | |||
| Destinations | 24 | |||
| Parent company | Aerolíneas Argentinas | |||
| Headquarters | Buenos Aires, Argentina | |||
| Key people | Mariano Recalde | |||
| Website | www.austral.com.ar | |||
Austral Líneas Aereas is an airline based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is the sister company of Aerolíneas Argentinas and is the second largest domestic scheduled airline in Argentina. Its main base is Aeroparque Jorge Newbery, Buenos Aires[1].
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[edit] History
The airline was established in June 1971 from the merger of Austral Compañía Argentina de Transportes Aéreos and Aerotransportes Litoral Argentino (ALA). At that time its fleet consisted on NAMC YS-11 turboprop and BAC One-Eleven jet liners. It was acquired by Cielos del Sur, a holding company, in 1987. Following the privatisation of Aerolíneas Argentinas in 1990, Cielos del Sur and Iberia both took holdings, but these have since been disposed of. In 2001 Grupo Marsans acquired a majority holding[1].
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 [1]
On 3 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.[2]
[edit] Destinations
[edit] Fleet
The Austral Líneas Aéreas fleet consists of the following aircraft (at 16 August 2009):[3]
| Aircraft | In Service |
Orders | Patents | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embraer E-190 | 0 | 20 | Entry into service: May 2010 | |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-81 | 1 | 0 | LV-WFN | |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-83 | 10 | 0 | LV-ARF, LV-AYD, LV-BAY, LV-BDE, LV-BDO, LV-BGV, LV-BGZ, LV-BHH, LV-BHN, LV-WGN | LV-BEG, LV-WGM stored at AEP |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-88 | 6 | 0 | LV-BOA, LV-BOH, LV-BOR, LV-BTI, LV-BXA, LV-VBX | LV-BOA, LV-BOH, LV-BOR, LV-BTI, LV-BTW, LV-BXA leased from AeroMéxico LV-BTW, LV-VCB, LV-VGB, LV-VGC stored at AEP 1 for Aerolíneas Argentinas |
| Total | 17 | 20 | Last updated: 03 March 2010 |
[edit] Incidents and accidents
As of 26 April 2009, Austral Líneas Aéreas has had 11 incidents and accidents with a total of 224 deaths; [4]
- On 16 January 1959, Austral Líneas Aéreas Flight 205 a Curtiss C-46 from Buenos Aires crashes on approach to Mar del Plata killing 51 occupants - 5 crew members and 46 passengers. The cause of the crash was determined as pilot error.
- On 8 November 1969, a BAC 1-11 flying from Buenos Aires to Córdoba, Argentina was hijacked and flown to Montevideo, Uruguay. The hikjacker wanted to fly to Cuba but surrendered 1 day after arriving in Uruguay.
- On 17 December 1969, a C-46 Commando with 2 crew members onboard, lost engine 1 due to fuel exhaustion shortly after take-off from Buenos Aires. The plane failed to gain height and made a crash landing in a small sport field. Both 2 crew members survived without injury.
- On 15 August 1972, a BAC 1-11 flying from Trelew to Buenos Aires was hijacked by 10 hijackers and flown to Puerto Montt, Chile. The hijackers were demanding political asylum. The hijackers surrendered in less than a day, all passengers and crew survived including all 10 hijackers.
- On 4 December 1973, a BAC 1-11, loses power to engine 1 on take-off from Comandante Espora Airport, Bahía Blanca. The plane crashed back down onto the runway, then skidded off causing sparks to ignite the leaking fuel. All 68 passengers and 6 crew survived.
- On 21 November 1977, Austral Líneas Aéreas Flight 9, a BAC 1-11, flying from Buenos Aires to San Carlos de Bariloche, suffered pressurization problems whilst climbing to 35,000ft. Later on approach into San Carlos de Bariloche International Airport, San Carlos de Bariloche the plane struck terrain and crashed. All 5 crew and 41 of 74 passengers were killed.
- On 27 January 1978, a BAC 1-11 on the ground at Buenos Aires, was damaged by an oxygen tank that set on fire.
- On 7 May 1981, Austral Líneas Aéreas Flight 901, a BAC 1-11, crashes on approach into Jorge Newbery Airport, Buenos Aires after a flight from Tucumán. The likely cause was the weather and pilot error. All 31 passengers and crew - 5 crew and 26 passengers were killed.
- On 12 June 1988, Austral Líneas Aéreas Flight 46, a McDonnell Douglas MD-81, crashes on approach into Posadas. All 22 occupants - 6 crew and 16 passengers were killed.
- On 10 October 1997, Austral Líneas Aéreas Flight 2553, a Douglas DC-9-32, crashes near Fray Bentos, Uruguay traveling from Posadas to Buenos Aires, resulting in the death of all 74 occupants - 5 crew members and 69 passengers.
- On 20 February 2004, Austral Líneas Aéreas Flight 2734, a McDonnell Douglas MD-81, loses a wheel after departing Jorge Newbery Airport, Buenos Aires. The wheel smashed through the permiter fence, then came to rest on a golf course near the airport. The captain circled the airport to burn off fuel where an emergency landing took place. All onboard survived the incident and the aircraft was repaired and put back into service.
[edit] External links
- Austral Líneas Aéreas
- (Spanish) Unión de Aviadores de Líneas Aéreas Austral operations during Falklands War (Spanish: Guerra de las Malvinas)
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International: p. 80. 2007-03-27.
- ^ International Herald Tribune
- ^ Austral Líneas Aéreas Fleet
- ^ Austral Líneas Aereas incidents/accidents
[edit] See also
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