MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

New air service for Punta Arenas

Sometime in the coming weeks another airline will be flying to Punta Arenas according to Mr. Fernando Uauy, president of Sky Service, a private carrier already operating in the north of Chile, who made the announcement in the Magallanes Hotel.

Mr. Uauy who is the former president of the defunct National Airlines said that Punta Arenas is one of the leading cities in southern Chile, and "given that the natural link with the rest of the country is by air, we are determined to offer a good and comfortable option to the people of Magallanes Region".

Mr. Uauy added he owns 45% of Sky Service that already flies to north Chile with two aircraft.

"In the coming months, and before 2002 is over, we expect to incorporate two Boeing 737-200, with the latest state of the art equipment, to service Temuco, Puerto Montt, Chacabuco and Punta Arenas", remarked Mr. Uauy who anticipated very competitive fares, "probably 10% below the current rates".

Mr. Uauy also revealed that the two aircrafts have been acquired with foreign funds and that a German investor, Mr. Jürgen Paulmann owns the rest of the company Sky Service.

However Mr. Uauy cautioned that Sky Service is a long term project and "we're not interested in a fierce competition. We know what happened to the last five, six companies that only targeted the short term, they've all disappeared".

"But if we don't receive local support, if Punta Arenas residents don't consider us as the friendly airline of Magallanes, it will be difficult because competing with Lan Chile is extremely tough".

Further on Mr. Uauy added that "we want to become a small airline, but a profitable one; maybe 15/20% of the local Chilean market. That is sufficient to keep us busy", stressing "more than knowing what must be done, we actually know what has to be avoided".