The Ministry of Defense explains the charter flight agreement between LADE and Flybondi

Following yesterday’s announcement by Aviacionline regarding the operation of charter flights by Argentine Air Force Boeing 737-700 T-99 under contract with Flybondi, the Ministry of Defense issued a statement on Monday explaining the basis of the agreement and its origin.

According to the ministry, on January 15, the Minister of Tourism and Sports, Matías Lammens, sent a note to Minister Jorge Taiana in which he requested that Líneas Aéreas del Estado, the development company dependent on the Air Force Argentina, accepts an operation charter that would allow Flybondi to carry out a series of scheduled flights after a significant part of the low-cost company’s crews were isolated by COVID-19.

“The current summer season is seeing high levels of tourism demand in our country exceeding, in major destinations in each province, 90% occupancy,” Lammens pointed out in the letter.

“Current levels of demand and the different regions and tourist towns are registering significant levels of economic reactivation, guaranteeing the full development of all the activities that make up the activity”, continued the head of tourism, which is why “it is necessary to strengthen regular flights and, therefore, the participation of Líneas Aéreas de Estado (LADE) is necessary to carry out a set of flights contracted by the company FB LÍNEAS AÉREAS SA (Flybondi), which will be carried out by Flybondi. (Flybondi) which, for operational reasons, may not be able to be carried out, harming hundreds of passengers throughout the country”.

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As we had informed, the operation, which started yesterday with flights to Tucumán and Trelew, will be extended until January 21 and will allow more than 3,000 passengers to travel, generating income for LADE, in an operation which is not unprecedented for the airline since it is usually contracted by private companies.

Flybondi will use the T-99 on a temporary basis after receiving its fifth Boeing 737-800, registration LV-KCD, yesterday.

The Boeing 737-76N, registration T-99 and named “Islas Malvinas” joined the I Air Brigade, I Transport Group, in April 2021, and normally performs Argentine Air Force logistics transport flights or specific operations of LADE (it is not part of the regular program in the lines of the latter, as do the Saab 340, the Fokker F28 or the Twin Otter). It is also often contracted by other private companies for different services. It has 141 single-class seats and was delivered to its first operator, Ethiopian Airlines, in March 2004.