MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

New airline to Punta Arenas.

Sky Service S.A. owner of Sky Airline will begin flying to Punta Arenas from Santiago four times a week next November in coincidence with the summer season. The new carrier plans to fly with Boeing 737-200 that has a 124 passenger capacity.

CEO Jose Manuel Rebolledo said the "timing" for the beginning of the operation will help implement the necessary communications, maintenance and commercial infrastructure "to best serve the interests of the extreme south of Chile".

Alain Peet, Commercial Manager of Sky Airline was scheduled to arrive this Friday in Punta Arenas to meet with regional and local authorities as well as with the business community and tourists operators.

"We wish to establish strong permanent links with all the Magallanes Region so as to ensure a good relation with local residents", indicated Mr. Rebolledo to La Prensa Austral.

Regarding air fares, currently a very controversial issue in Punta Arenas since Lan Chile is the only airline to regularly fly to Magallanes Region and has been accused of "monopoly practices", Mr. Rebolledo said that "we'll have a definition in a month and a half on time for the start of the operation".

When asked if they are planning higher or lower air fares than Lan Chile, Mr. Rebolledo simply replied that "we have to learn to compete" in the extreme south of the country.

Lan Chile's Punta Arenas General Manager Paola Contardo said that "we're always open to competition, we're not concerned about Sky Airline, we operate and compete with them in many other routes".

Actually Sky Airlines air fare policy and structure has been described by travel agents as quiet similar to that of Lan Chile so many changes are not expected.

Sky Airlines partners include Jürgen Paulmann and Fernando Uauy, a former associate of the Musiet family who owned the defunct National Airlines.

According to Mr. Rebolledo Sky Airlines has a total of eight Boeing 737-200.