Aero VIP

Infobox Airline
airline = Aero VIP


image_size = 250
IATA = 2D
ICAO = AOG
callsign = AVIP
founded = 1999
ceased = 2004
hubs = Ezeiza International Airport
secondary_hubs =
focus_cities =
frequent_flyer =
lounge =
alliance =
subsidiaries =
fleet_size =
destinations =
parent =
company_slogan =
headquarters = Buenos Aires, Argentina
key_people =
website =

Aero VIP was an airline based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It operated regional passenger services. Its main base was Ezeiza International Airport, Buenos Aires.Fact|date=April 2007

Operations were suspended in November 2004, with the airline in debt [http://www.aeropuertosarg.com.ar/lineasaereas.php?id=2 Aeropuertas Argentina (in Spanish)] retrieved 21 April 2007] .

History

The airline was established on 15 March 1999 and started operations on 23 June 1999. It operated for a time as LAPA VIP and as ARG Express until sold back to its original owner. The airline was owned by Sebastian Agote. Fact|date=April 2007 Operations were suspended in November 2004.

Teba, which held the concession for the Buenos Aires bus station, acquired a controlling stake in Aerovip in December 2004, buying shares representing 80% of the outstanding equity that belonged to Sebastian Agote. The other 20% will remain in hands of Eduardo Eurnekian, head of airport concessionaire Aeropuertos Argentina 2000. Aerovip has not been flying since October 3, 2004 and has debts of over US$9 million. In a meeting with the Aeronautic Union (APA), the new owners committed to resume flights by December 20, 2004 and maintain the current payroll [ [http://bankrupt.com/TCRLA_Public/041207.mbx IBL Troubled Company Reporter] 7 December 2004] .

In 2005 it was announced that LAN Airlines would absorb LAFSA and Aero VIP into LAN Argentina [ [http://www.clarin.com/diario/2005/03/16/um/m-939949.htm Clarin.com] (in Spanish) 16 March 2005] . Pilots, stewards and maintenance personnel of LAN Argentina went on strike in November 2005 to protest at management’s failure to hire 150 former workers of Aero VIP [ [http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/nov2005/wkrs-n22.shtml World Socialist website] 22 November 2005] .

Destinations

Aero VIP operated the following services (at January 2005):

*Domestic scheduled destinations: Buenos Aires, Mar del Plata and Villa Gesell.

*International scheduled destinations: Montevideo and Punta del Este.

Fleet

As of August 2006 the Aero VIP fleet included [Flight International, 3-9 October 2006] :

*1 Fairchild Metro III

Previously operated

*6 BAe Jetstream 32EP (registrations: LV-ZOW, LV-ZPW, LV-ZSB, LV-ZPZ, LV-ZRL and LV-ZST)

External links

* [http://www.classclip.com/AeroVIP_Flyer/23-Argentina.htm Aero VIP]

References