Colombia's Aero Republica plans to complete the renewal of its fleet later this month as its last Boeing MD-80 is retired and two additional Embraer E-190s are placed into service.
Aero Republica president Roberto Junguito says the carrier's one remaining MD-80 is now scheduled to operate its last flight at the end of January. Aero Republica originally planned to phase out its MD-80 fleet at the end of 2009.
Junguito says the carrier is taking two E-190s from Panamanian sister carrier Copa Airlines this month, giving it 15 of the type. Aero Republica, which operated an all-MD-80 fleet when it was acquired by Copa Holdings in 2005, has been replacing MD-80s with E-190s as part of a fleet renewal programme initiated in 2006.
Most of Aero Republica's E-190s have come directly from Embraer. But Copa also has been transferring to Aero Republica some of its E-190s as the Panamanian carrier takes delivery of additional Boeing 737s.
Copa Airlines announced earlier this week it has taken two additional 737-800s, giving it a fleet of 11 737-800s, 20 737-700s and 13 E-190s. The airline says it will end this year with a fleet of 17 737-800s, 20 737-700s and 11 E-190s.
While Copa Holdings is taking delivery of eight 160-seat 737-800s this year, including the two aircraft which arrived earlier this month, the company does not have any deliveries of E-190s scheduled for 2010. Instead the company has elected to reduce the E-190 fleet under Panamanian registry by transferring two of the group's 26 E-190s to its Colombian subsidiary.
According to Flightglobal's ACAS database, neither Copa nor Aero Republica has any more E-190s on outstanding order. But ACAS lists Copa as still holding options for 16 E-190s and Aero Republica with options for 20 of the type.
Copa Holdings was originally scheduled to only take four 737-800s in 2010 but in the second half of last year committed to four more 737-800 delivery slots. The company last year took delivery of six aircraft - a mix of 737s and E-190s - but returned two of its oldest 737-700s and three MD-80s.
It only plans to return one aircraft this year - the last MD-80 - as its next 737 lease does not expire until 2011. Copa intends to turn over its older 737-700s, which were first acquired about 10 years ago, using some of the 737-800 delivery slots it has in 2011 and beyond.
The MD-80 has been a workhorse in the Colombian domestic market for several years. But the country's two main carriers are both now preparing to phase out the type with flag carrier Avianca planning to operate its last MD-80 flight within the next couple of months.
The MD-80 historically was also a workhorse in two other Latin American domestic markets - Mexico and Argentina. But Aeromexico retired its last MD-80 from scheduled service last year while Aerolineas Argentinas subsidiary Austral plans to replace its entire MD-80 fleet with E-190s over the next two years.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
