AIRG
| Company type | Airline |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aviation |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Defunct | April 2003 |
| Fate | Declared bankruptcy and ceased operations |
| Headquarters | Buenos Aires , Argentina |
Area served | Domestic Argentina, United States, Uruguay, regional South America |
Key people | Claudio Zichy-Thyssen (principal shareholder from 1980), Gustavo Deutsch (owner in 1984), Eduardo Eurnekian (owner from 2001), AeroSur and Argentine investors (owners from 2002) |
| Products | Passenger and cargo air transport, charter flights |
| Owner | AeroSur and Argentine investors (from 2002) |
Number of employees | 60 (1995) |
Líneas Aéreas Privadas Argentinas (), widely recognized as LAPA (and operating under the names ARG Argentina Línea Privada and AIRG between 2001 and 2002), was an airline headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina. At its height, LAPA managed international routes to destinations such as the United States and Uruguay, in addition to maintaining a broad domestic flight network. The carrier also provided charter flight options. Domestic and regional operations were primarily conducted from Aeroparque Jorge Newbery located downtown, whereas international flights to Atlanta utilized Ministro Pistarini International Airport. LAPA distinguished itself by ending the monopoly previously held by Aerolíneas Argentinas and Austral Líneas Aéreas, introducing more affordable fares.
The airline halted all operations in April 2003 following a declaration of bankruptcy.
History
Established in 1977, LAPA initially concentrated on providing services within Buenos Aires Province. By May 1978, it had secured authorization to conduct charter flights throughout the Americas, with scheduled flights commencing in 1979. By July 1980, Claudio Zichy-Thyssen emerged as the principal shareholder, overseeing a fleet comprising three YS-11A aircraft and a Piper Cheyenne, servicing both passenger and cargo routes domestically. These routes included cities such as Concordia, Ezeiza, Gualeguaychu, La Plata, Necochea, Olavarria, Parana, Pehuajo, San Nicolas, and Tres Arroyos. In 1984, Gustavo Deutsch took ownership of LAPA when it operated just two domestic routes using a single propeller plane.
In January 1987, LAPA became the first airline in South America to operate the Saab 340. Expansion accelerated in 1993 with permissions granted to fly to Bariloche, Córdoba, Iguazú, and Mar del Plata. By 1994, the airline’s network encompassed 17 destinations served by three aircraft. As of March 1995, LAPA employed 60 personnel and operated a fleet that included one Beech B-58 Baron, one Beech King Air 500, two Boeing 737s, and two Saab 340s. These aircraft serviced routes to Bariloche, Colonia del Sacramento, Córdoba, Iguazú, Mar del Plata, Mendoza, Montevideo, and Villa Gessel. The airline ventured into wide-body aircraft operations in September 1995 by adding its first Boeing 757. By late 1996, LAPA commanded approximately 30% of the domestic market share.
Change of ownership and name
On 27 September 2001, following acquisition by Eduardo Eurnekian, the airline was rebranded as ARG Argentina Línea Privada. The fleet was repainted featuring the acronym ARG on both sides of the fuselage; however, this conflicted with Aerolíneas Argentinas’ ICAO code. By mid-2002, the company underwent another name change to AIRG. Subsequently, on 29 August 2002, Bolivian carrier AeroSur along with four Argentine investors took control of the airline and reinstated its original name, LAPA.
Decline and cessation of operations
The company sought bankruptcy protection in May 2001 but ultimately ceased all operations in April 2003 after lessors reclaimed three out of its five aircraft.
Destinations
Following deregulation of the Argentine aviation market in 1994, LAPA broadened its domestic route network and operated international flights to Atlanta, Montevideo, and Punta del Este. When it ceased operations in 2003, its destinations included Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Mendoza, Salta, Ushuaia, São Paulo, Santiago de Chile, Santa Cruz de la Sierra among others.
Fleet
Prior to declaring bankruptcy in April 2003, LAPA progressively returned its most advanced aircraft—such as the newer Boeing 737-700s, Boeing 757-200s, and a sole Boeing 767-300ER utilized on the Buenos Aires–Atlanta route—to leasing companies during 2001 and 2002 due to the high costs associated with their leases. By the time operations ceased in April 2003, only three out of five remaining Boeing 737-200 Advanced planes were still in service.
Over the course of its operation, LAPA's fleet included the following types of aircraft:
- BAC 1-11 400
- Boeing 737-200
- Boeing 737-200 Advanced
- Boeing 737-200C
- Boeing 737-700
- Boeing 757-200
- Boeing 767-300ER
- Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante
- Piper Cheyenne
- Piper Cheyenne II
- Saab 340
- Short 330
- YS-11A-300
Accidents and incidents
- 31 August 1999: Flight 3142, operated by a Boeing 737-200C with registration LV-WRZ, crashed during takeoff from Aeroparque Jorge Newbery on a scheduled Buenos Aires–Córdoba route. The aircraft failed to become airborne, overran the runway at speeds exceeding , collided with a perimeter fence, struck a vehicle and construction equipment, came to rest on a nearby golf course, and ignited within one minute. Of the 103 people on board, 63 lost their lives along with two individuals on the ground. This accident ranks as Argentina’s third deadliest air disaster, following Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 644 and Austral Líneas Aéreas Flight 2553.
See also
- List of airlines of Argentina
- List of defunct airlines of South America
- Transport in Argentina
External links
- Official website