Uruguayan start-up BQB Air is still aiming to launch services by the end of this month as it works on resolving the remaining issues in its long-delayed certification process.
Recently appointed BQB Air CEO Andreas Blass says the first of the two ATR 72-500s ordered last year by the carrier's parent company, Argentinean ferry and bus behemoth Buquebus, is expected to finally arrive in Uruguay later this week. He says the second aircraft is now scheduled to be delivered in March and Buquebus plans to exercise the options it holds for two additional ATR 72s, which will also "in principle" be delivered by the end of 2010.
"Everything is prepared and in place to receive the AOC very soon after the arrival of the first aircraft," Blass said in an interview with ATI, adding that the company has already completed most mandatory financial audits, while the technical organisation has also been fully set up.
BQB was originally planning to launch services in the third quarter of 2009 and in anticipation ATR completed the carrier's first aircraft last May. But Buquebus has encountered numerous delays in certifying the new carrier and securing all the required government approvals. As a result the carrier's first aircraft has sat in France for the last eight months.
Blass says the latest delay was the result of "a gap in the Uruguayan legislation, which had no provisions for importing or registering aircraft acquired under a financial lease". This gap has prevented the airline from meeting its previous schedule of a December first aircraft delivery and January launch.
He explains Deutche Bank has committed to supplying financial leases for the first two ATR 72s while BQB has secured a second undisclosed bank to supply financial leases for the third and fourth aircraft. But until now only aircraft outright purchased or under operating leases could legally enter Uruguay.
An amendment to the Uruguayan legislation allowing the registry of aircraft on a financial lease was signed by Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez on 8 February. Blass says this now allows BQB Air to finally ferry its first aircraft to its Punta del Este base.
"Once the aircraft is here, the remaining certification process will not take more than two weeks," Blass says, explaining that two weeks of test flights is the only remaining requirement in BQB's application for a Uruguayan AOC.
BQB in early November secured a batch of route authorities from Punta del Este to destinations in Argentina and Brazil. Blass confirms initial routes will include Port Alegre in Brazil and Buenos Aires Aeroparque but he is reluctant to reveal further network development plans in order to avoid giving "further hints to our competitors".
When first establishing the airline early last year, Buquebus initially unveiled plans to open international routes from three tiny Uruguayan airports which currently do not have any commercial service - Colonia, Salto and Ribera. But the company subsequently changed its business plan and applied for several routes from the country's main airport at Montevideo. After these applications were rejected BQB decided instead on establishing its initial base at the seaside resort city of Punta del Este.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
