The International Air Transport Association (IATA) requested more information on the proposed long-haul operations at Buenos Aires Jorge Newbery Airfield (AEP). A few weeks ago, Aerolíneas Argentinas, the state carrier, announced it will operate its Airbus A330-200 fleet from AEP on long-haul flights to Miami and Latest York starting on August 7.
Requesting more information
A number of days after Aerolíneas Argentinas announced it’ll launch several Airbus A330-200 flights from Jorge Newbery Airfield, IATA sent a letter to the Argentinian authorities. As reported by the local news agency, Télam, IATA requested more information and details on how the operation will work.
Photo: Carlos Yudica/Shutterstock.
The international airline body was apparently blindsided on the measure which authorized the state carrier operating widebody flights from AEP, which has been historically employed just for domestic short-haul flights. said Peter Cerdá, IATA’s vice-president within the Americas.
Starting on August 7, Aerolíneas Argentinas will fly from AEP to Miami (MIA), Latest York John F. Kennedy (JFK), El Calafate (FTE), Iguazú (IGR), and Ushuaia (USH) airports using its Airbus A330 fleet.
IATA supports the choice
Despite the reports, IATA is supportive of the choice of launching long-haul flights from Jorge Newbery Airfield. Peter Cerdá said the airline body will completely support the operation, even though it requests to collaborate and work along with the authorities to make this latest idea an entire success. The regional vice-president said launching long-haul flights from the Airfield was “very interesting”.
The Jorge Newbery Airfield is the second-largest airport serving Buenos Aires behind Ezeiza International (EZE), which has traditionally been Argentina’s international gateway. AEP is positioned right in the midst of Buenos Aires, perfectly positioned for tourists and travelers seeking to get quickly into the town.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Easy Flying.
The IATA said it was willing to bring its expertise to the Argentinian authorities to make certain every thing went appropriately and that the launch of flights from AEP suffers no delays. In line with the airline body, that they had previous experiences with other airports globally, akin to London Heathrow, wherein the opening of the Terminal 5 needed to be postponed sseveral times because the right conditions weren’t met.
Why is it controversial?
Nonetheless, Argentina’s decision to authorize Aerolíneas Argentinas to operate long-haul flights to the US was received with a combination of criticism. Some argued this might give the state carrier an unfair advantage over US operators flying to Buenos Aires. These airlines (American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines) currently fly to Ezeiza and, while they theoretically could operate flights to the Jorge Newbery Airfield since they’ve planes able to landing within the 2,600-meter-long runway, that they had not shown any interest in doing so.
Aerolíneas Argentinas has a fleet of nine Airbus A330-200 which it operates in routes from Buenos Aires to domestic destinations sucha s Bariloche (BRC), El Calafate (FTE), Iguazú (IGR), and Ushuaia (USH), and long-haul destinations akin to Cancun (CUN), Rome (FCO), Rio de Janeiro (GIG; not long-haul but international), Latest York (JFK), Madrid (MA), and Miami (MIA).
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