Sky Airline

Sky Airline, styled as SꓘY, is an airline based at Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport in Santiago, Chile. It is the second largest airline in the country behind flag-carrier LATAM Airlines and the first airline to operate under a low-cost model in the country. It serves international routes to Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Uruguay. It also operates charter flights in Chile and South America and domestic flights within Peru.

Sky Airline
IATA ICAO Callsign
H2 SKU AEROSKY
Founded2001
HubsArturo Merino Benítez International Airport
Frequent-flyer programSky Plus
SubsidiariesSky Airline Ecuador
Sky Airline Peru
Fleet size29
Destinations45[1]
HeadquartersSantiago, Chile
Key people
  • Jürgen Paulmann (founder)
  • Holger Paulmann (CEO)
Websiteskyairline.com

History
A Boeing 737-200 formerly operated by Sky Airline between 2001 and 2013

Sky Airline was controlled by its founder, Jürgen Paulmann (1930–2014), a German-Chilean businessman, brother of retail billionaire Horst Paulmann.[2] It started operations in December 2001 and made the first flights from Santiago to Northern Chile in June 2002. Since 2005 is a full member of IATA.

In April 2009, the company signed an agreement with Aerolíneas Argentinas, allowing the Argentinean flag carrier to offer in all its commercial offices and through its electronic ticket system most of the destinations covered by Sky Airline in Chile.[3]

In 2011, it signed a codeshare agreement with TACA for domestic flights in Chile, Peru and between both countries.[4] In 2012 it signed a codeshare agreement with TACA's parent company, Colombia's Avianca for operations between Chile and Colombia.[4]

The airline planned to transition to a low-cost carrier model during 2015 and 2016 to reduce costs.[5]

On June 28, 2023, it was announced that Avianca and Gol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes plan to add Sky to their proposed Abra Group.[6]

Awards

Sky Airline was named the Best Regional Airline in South America in the 2014, 2015 and 2016 Skytrax World Airline Awards.[7][8]

In addition, OAG (Official Airline Guide) declared Sky Airline as the most punctual airline of 2016.[9]

Maintenance

Maintenance services are supplied by AIRMAN, a sister maintenance company based in Santiago Airport.

Destinations
Countries served by Sky Airline as of March 2024[10][11][12]
A Sky Airline Airbus A320 at Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (2010)
Country City Airport Notes Refs
ArgentinaBuenos AiresAeroparque Jorge Newbery
Buenos AiresMinistro Pistarini International Airport
CordobaIngeniero Aeronáutico Ambrosio L.V. Taravella International Airport
RosarioRosario – Islas Malvinas International Airport
MendozaGovernor Francisco Gabrielli International Airport
BoliviaLa PazEl Alto International AirportTerminated
BrazilBelo HorizonteTancredo Neves International AirportSeasonal charter
BrasíliaBrasília International AirportBegins 16 June 2024[13]
FlorianópolisHercílio Luz International Airport
Porto AlegreSalgado Filho Porto Alegre International Airport[13]
Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport
SalvadorDeputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport
São PauloSão Paulo–Guarulhos International Airport[14]
ChileAntofagastaCerro Moreno International Airport
AricaChacalluta International Airport
BalmacedaBalmaceda Airport
CalamaEl Loa International Airport
CopiapóDesierto de Atacama Airport
ConcepciónCarriel Sur International Airport
El SalvadorRicardo García Posada Airport
IquiqueDiego Aracena International Airport
La SerenaLa Florida Airport
OsornoCañal Bajo Carlos Hott Siebert AirportSeasonal
Puerto MonttEl Tepual Airport
Pucón Pucón AirportSeasonal
Puerto NatalesTeniente Julio Gallardo AirportSeasonal
Punta ArenasPresidente Carlos Ibáñez del Campo International Airport
SantiagoArturo Merino Benítez International AirportHub
TemucoLa Araucanía Airport
ValdiviaPichoy Airport
ColombiaBogotáEl Dorado International Airport
PeruArequipaRodríguez Ballón International AirportOperated by Sky Airline Perú
AyacuchoCoronel FAP Alfredo Mendívil Duarte AirportOperated by Sky Airline Perú
CuscoAlejandro Velasco Astete International AirportOperated by Sky Airline Perú
IquitosCoronel FAP Francisco Secada Vignetta International AirportOperated by Sky Airline Perú
LimaJorge Chávez International Airport
PiuraFAP Captain Guillermo Concha Iberico International AirportOperated by Sky Airline Perú
PucallpaFAP Captain David Abensur Rengifo International AirportOperated by Sky Airline Perú
TarapotoCadete FAP Guillermo del Castillo Paredes AirportOperated by Sky Airline Perú
TrujilloFAP Captain Carlos Martínez de Pinillos International AirportOperated by Sky Airline Perú
TumbesFAP Captain Pedro Canga Rodríguez AirportOperated by Sky Airline Perú
United StatesMiamiMiami International AirportOperated by Sky Airline Perú
UruguayMontevideoCarrasco International AirportSeasonal[15]
Punta del EsteCapitán de Corbeta Carlos A. Curbelo International AirportSeasonal

Fleet

Current fleet

As of November 2023 the Sky Airline fleet consists of the following aircraft:[16]

SKY Airline Fleet
Aircraft In Service Orders Passengers Notes
M Y Total
Airbus A320neo 25 — — 186 186
Airbus A321neo 4 3[17] — 238 238
Airbus A321XLR — 10[18][17] TBA Deliveries from 2025.[17]
Total 29 13

Fleet development

In September 2018 Airbus delivered the airline's first A320neo.[19]

In June 2019 Sky Airline signed a lease contract for three A321neo from Air Lease Corporation with deliveries scheduled in 2020 and 2021.[20] The first A321neo was delivered in June 2021.[21]

In December 2019 the airline ordered 10 A321XLR.[18]

A SKY Airline brand new Airbus A320neo on final approach to Presidente Carlos Ibanez International Airport
In July 2021 SKY Airline received their first Airbus A321neo.

Former fleet

Since its beginnings, Sky Airline operated a 100% Boeing 737 fleet, these began to be replaced by Airbus A320 family planes in 2010 and were fully withdrawn in 2013.[22]

Sky Airline historical fleet
Aircraft Introduced Retired
Boeing 737-200 2001 2013
Boeing 737-300 2008 2008
Airbus A319 2013 2020
Airbus A320 2010 2019

Incidents and accidents
  • On July 18, 2012, at 5:08 PM local time, a Sky Airline Flight SKU 101, operated by a Boeing 737-200 Advanced, registration CC-CRQ, with 115 passengers and 6 crew members on board, en route from Antofagasta Cerro Moreno Airport to La Serena-La Florida Airport, aborted landing at La Serena touching the runway with its right hand wing, suffering substantial damage to the wing tip and flap fairing. The plane safely landed at Copiapó-Chamonate Airport at 5:47 PM with no injuries. Visibility conditions at La Serena were rapidly deteriorating at the time of the approach, but still good enough for a safe landing (6000 m. visibility). The plane was subsequently repaired.[23]
  • On October 14, 2015, a passenger on board SKU 112, an Airbus A319, filmed part of the plane's left engine cowling coming off as it took off from Santiago Airport en route to Chamonate Airport. The plane immediately returned to Santiago Airport and landed safely. No passengers were injured. A similar incident with the A319 had happened previously on a British Airways flight departing Heathrow Airport.[24]

References
  1. "SKY Airline (Chile) on ch-aviation". ch-aviation. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
  2. "Las palabras que Horst Paulmann dedicó a su hermano Jürgen". 3 October 2014.
  3. "Transport of insect repellent in view of the Dengue / Zica epidemic". www.aerolineas.com.ar. Retrieved 2016-05-20.
  4. "Sky Airlines codeshare". www.skyairline.cl. Archived from the original on 2012-12-17. Retrieved 2016-05-20.
  5. "Sky Goes Low Cost". Airliner World: 17. November 2015.
  6. "GOL & Avianca's Abra Group's Next Step: Adding Sky Airline". Simpleflying.com. June 28, 2023.
  7. "The World's Best Regional Airlines | 2014". 2015-01-14. Archived from the original on January 14, 2015. Retrieved 2016-05-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. "The World's Best Regional Airlines in 2015". www.worldairlineawards.com. Retrieved 2016-05-20.
  9. "SKY Airline: la más puntual del mundo el 2016". ModoCharlie (in Spanish). 2017-01-06. Retrieved 2017-08-22.
  10. "Sky Airline Flight Booking". SKY Airline. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  11. "Route map Sky Airline (H2)". flightconnections.com. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  12. "Route map Sky Airline Peru (H8)". flightconnections.com. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  13. "Sky Airline adds 2 new Brasilian routes from June 2024". AeroRoutes. 9 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  14. "Sky Airline resumes Sao Paulo service from Dec 2018". Routesonline. 1 November 2018.
  15. "Sky Airline resumes Montevideo service from Dec 2019". AviacionNews. 23 August 2019.
  16. "Sky Airline Fleet Details and History". planespotters.net. 9 July 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  17. Garbuno, Daniel Martínez (2023-07-27). "Meet The Only 100% Airbus NEO Family Airline: Sky Airline". Simple Flying. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  18. "Chile's SKY orders 10 A321XLRs to expand its international footprint". airbus.com. 9 December 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  19. "Airbus delivers first A320neo to Sky Airline". www.airbus.com. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  20. "Chile's SKY Airline to add A321neo". ch-aviation. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  21. "Chile's SKY takes delivery of its first A321neo". www.airbus.com. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  22. "Sky Airline Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net Just Aviation. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  23. Ranter, Harro. "Descripción del Accidente ASN 18 JUL 2012 Boeing 737-230 CC-CRQ - La Serena-La Florida Airport (LSC)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 2016-05-20.
  24. "Engine Breaks Apart In Passenger Video Onboard Sky Airline Flight 112". www.huffingtonpost.co.uk. 2015-10-15. Retrieved 2015-10-19.
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