After a month, Aerolineas Argentinas anticipates its return to Las Higueras Airport (RCU) serving Rio Cuarto, from July 1 to May 13, 2024, with four weekly flights after local authorities agreed with the state airline to maintain its operations.
Previously, Aerolineas Argentinas had announced it was looking to optimize its operations by focusing on routes or destinations that show better performance, aligned with conditions imposed by the government of Javier Milei, which continues to include it among the state companies it wants to divest from. The latest measures include the cancellation of routes to Havana (HAV), Cuba and Reconquista (RCQ).
The decision is justified by the low-demand period from April to June, but is also due to the absence of tourism incentives such as PREVIAJE, which from 2021 to 2023 supported the movement of travelers between peak seasons, breaking the seasonality.
The municipality met with officials from Aerolineas Argentinas, agreeing that it will cover the quota of vacant seats, as long as occupancy is below 80%. «From the Municipality we take on the commitment to work with the community to sustain it over time, as it is one of the great needs of the city and the region,» stated the Secretary of Open Government and Citizen Participation, Guillermo De Rivas.
The airline operated three weekly flights on Embraer 190 from the City of Buenos Aires/Aeroparque (AEP). According to data obtained from the National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC) Argentina, in 2023 it transported 28,256 passengers with an occupancy of 77%.
Rio Cuarto was added to the Aerolineas Argentinas network on September 5, 2016, initially triangulating with the city of Cordoba (COR).
It reached its peak in 2017, when it operated with 12 weekly flights (two flights daily from Monday to Friday), the year with the highest movement of passengers, and moving 55,524 passengers through Aerolineas Argentinas.
