Estelar to Return to Spain with Wet-Leased Aircraft

DALLAS — Venezuelan carrier Estelar Latinoamerica (ES) will soon make its long-haul operational comeback by agreeing to wet-lease aircraft from third-party companies for the upcoming winter season, according to ch-aviation.com.

The airline based at Caracas-Simon Bolivar International Airport (CCS) has plans to launch a non-stop connection between the Venezuelan capital and Madrid (MAD), the gateway to Europe from Latin America, expected to start on November 17, 2023.

However, ES does not currently own any widebody aircraft to make this route possible. The airline has chosen to sign an ACMI contract with the Spanish company Iberojet (E9) to make use of an Airbus A350-900 for the service, just as it did before the COVID-19 pandemic by hiring a HiFly Malta (3L) Airbus A340-300.

Iberojet owns and operates two A350 aircraft dry-leased from ALC and Avolon. The Spanish leisure carrier, as with others dedicated to this market, looks for potential ACMI customers to fill the schedule of their aircraft during the low season when leisure and charter flights are less frequent between October and March.

Iberojet fell into the third position in terms of Spanish A350 operators after World2Fly received its third unit in May 2023. Photo: Adrian Nowakowski/Airways.

More Connections From Venezuela to Europe

The transatlantic connectivity between Caracas and Europe has been significantly impacted by the complex political, demographic, and economic situation that has been unfolding in Venezuela over the past decade.

Despite the strong cultural ties between Venezuela and Spain, the number of Spanish routes available from Venezuela is considerably smaller compared to other Latin American countries with similar populations.

As of September 2023, Air Europa (UX) operates three weekly flights between Caracas and Madrid, while Iberia (IB) offers five weekly flights on the same route.

Furthermore, Plus Ultra (PU) is the only airline that provides service from the Venezuelan capital to other cities, including Tenerife (TFN), which has a significant Venezuelan population residing in the Canary Islands.

Featured image: Estelar Latinoamérica

https://airwaysmag.com/air-europa-increases-latin-america/