MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Azul returning to Uruguay in November from Porto Alegre

Azul will serve Uruguay with Embraer E-195 E2 aircraft

Brazilian carrier Azul will resume flights to Uruguay as of November 10 with the reopening of the Porto Alegre-Montevideo route four times a week.

The company will also serve Punta del Este starting December 20 from Porto Alegre and December 23 from Campinas (Sao Paulo).

Also starting December 20, services between Montevideo and Porto Alegre will be daily, the airline has announced.

Azul's operations in Uruguay were suspended in March 2020, as a consequence of the coronavirus pandemic restrictions.

Services will be offered on Embraer E195-E2 aircraft, which can accommodate up to 146 passengers. Azul Linhas Aéreas took delivery of this model in September 2019, as part of an order for 51 units worth US $ 3.2 billion.

On July 1, 2016, Azul Linhas Aéreas started serving Montevideo to and from Porto Alegre on ATR 72-600 turboprop aircraft four times a week.

Due to high occupancies, the Brazilian company increased to daily flights in October of that year, increasing to 8 weekly operations in November.

In December that year and due to growing demand, the carrier shifted to Embraer 190s, offering 48 more seats per flight and by July 2017, operations to Montevideo were only with these jet-powered models.

On December 15, 2016, Azul opened second route to Uruguay: Punta del Este, Campinas-Viracopos and from Porto Alegre. During 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, the airline also carried out seasonal operations to that beach resort.

Earlier this week, Aerolineas Argentinas also announced its return to Uruguayan skies, marking a gradual reopening of airline travel into the country.