MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Punta Arenas/Santiago with 1.230 daily seats

From a virtually monopoly situation Punta Arenas this high season has three airlines competing in the Santiago round trip market with a total daily supply of 1.230 seats.

Since this month, besides Lan Chile, Aerolíneas del Sur and Sky Airlines have daily round trips to Punta Arenas from Santiago, which has increased the daily average supply of 918 seats to 8.650 per week.

Lan Chile which is the main carrier has two daily flights with Airbus 319 flights which have a capacity of 136; two Airbus 320 which can carry 156 passengers each; a Boeing 767 with 264 seats and a Boeing 737 with 120 seats.

This makes a total daily of six flights and 918 seats which next January will be increased with a further Airbus 320.

Lan Chile has said the seven options will stand until next March.

Aerolineas del Sur has two daily schedules with Boeing 737 Advanced totalling 248 seats, although on Saturdays' the number is cut to an only flight.

Sky Airlines adds a daily flight with a Boeing 737 Advanced which means an extra 124 seats.

This means that the original provision of 6.426 weekly seats from Lan Chile now has increased 2.232 reaching 8.658 weekly seats in round trips to Santiago.