MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

More British Airways flights to Argentina.

British Airways beginning next January 2004 will increase the number of weekly Buenos Aires-London flights from three to four.

With the new schedule British Airways flights will be leaving Buenos Aires on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday at 13:25 hours arriving in London 08:35 local time the following day (flight BA0246). Return flights from London will depart Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday at 09:55 local time, flight BA0247.

According to the airline, BA plans to keep flying the Boeing 777, the most modern aircraft of the industry which have recently been renovated for greater comfort and leg room. Actually BA has invested 320 million US dollars to become the first airline to provide seats that become horizontal beds, an ergonomic design completely electronic and targeted for businessmen and long distance travellers.

But BA is not the only airline that is returning or increasing international flights to Argentina. Of the ten that left in 2001/2002 in the midst of the political and financial crisis four have anticipated resumption of operations: Air Canada beginning December 3 with three weekly flights between Toronto and Ezeiza. Luthansa, Delta and Mexicana de Aviación are also scheduled to begin flying for the coming summer season.

In related news Lan Chile admitted holding preliminary talks for the possible acquisition of Colombian flag carrier Avianca.

"We've been invited to asses the airline and are holding preliminary talks" admitted Lan Chile's CEO Luis Ernesto Videla.

Avianca belongs to a consortium under the name of Alianza Summa that faces deep financial and liquidity problems and is restructuring the group's companies. Alianza's domestic airline Aerolíneas Centrales de Colombia is in liquidation process and the whole group is under judicial protection from creditors.

Lan Chile for several years running has been nominated as the best and most profitable Latinamerican airline and has expanded aggressively along the Pacific acquiring Peruvian and Ecuadorian carriers.