New Uruguayan Airline to Launch A220 Operations

DALLAS — SUA (Uruguayan Air Society), the successor of Pluna as Uruguay’s flag carrier, revs its engines just a year after releasing its business plans at the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) in Spain. 

SUA will make an important announcement on January 28, 2025, at the Internacional De Carrasco airport in Montevideo, offering more details regarding the start of operations.

According to a report by aviaciononline.com, a wet lease agreement has been signed for Airbus A220 aircraft from the AirBaltic (BT) fleet, marking the first such case in South America and the Caribbean.

The management also intends to establish the region's first Airbus A220 maintenance and operations center and install simulators within the next five years to train Category D pilots fully. 

The Uruguayan government expects this to contribute to developing airports in Salto, Paysandú, Rivera, and Punta del Este, creating 300 new direct jobs and 1,500 indirect jobs in the country."

Finances, Management, Fleet

The majority of project financing comes from Saudi private capital. Antonio Rama, an entrepreneur and captain of Qatar Airways' (QR) Boeing 777, is the executive director and founder of the Uruguayan company. 

He lives in Doha and led U-Air, a failed low-cost airline that tried to rival Pluna between 2003 and 2005. Additionally, he played a key role in bringing direct flights from Iberia, American Airlines, and Air Europe to Carrasco.

The Airbus A220 aircraft in SUA's fleet, formerly the CS series designed in Canada by Bombardier Aerospace. The fleet is reported to consist of six aircraft within 18 months and 10 aircraft within three years.

The management intends to establish the region's first Airbus A220 maintenance and operations center and install simulators within the next five years to train Category D pilots fully.

‍‍Before SUA

PLUNA (Uruguayan Primera Lines of Air Navigation) ceased operations on July 5, 2012. Jose Mujica, the former President of Uruguay at the time, refused more state funding for the airline after 76 years of operation. 

Other companies that attempted to operate under the Uruguayan flag, alongside U-Air, were Buquebús Airlines, Amaszonas Uruguay, and Alas Uruguay.

U-air faced bankruptcy after being denied permission to operate at Jorge Newbery Airport in Buenos Aires. The low capacity of the Fokker F-100 aircraft (only 20% occupancy) flying to Córdoba, Mendoza, and Rosario also contributed to its downfall.

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