In 2022 Flybondi doubled the number of passengers transported compared to 2019 after recovering its destinations and routes, some interprovincial and international, increasing frequencies, adding aircraft and new destinations.
The first ultra low cost in Argentina, which is about to celebrate five years of operations, closed 2022 with 11 Boeing 737-800 aircraft and 23 routes between 21 destinations (18 in Argentina and 3 in Brazil).
According to data obtained by Aviacionline through ANAC Argentina’s preliminary report, in 2022 Flybondi transported 2,362,101 passengers, representing a growth of 85% compared to 2019, when it had mobilized 1,279,789 travelers.
During the course of the year, a constant growth of passengers in the domestic market was observed, reaching in the last quarter the levels of the extinct LATAM Argentina.
In 2022 Flybondi added Ushuaia (USH) in January; Puerto Madryn (PMY) in June; Comodoro Rivadavia (CRD) and El Calafate (FTE) in August to its network. Río Gallegos (RGL) remains as the only destination served by LATAM Argentina that Flybondi still does not reach.
The ultra low-cost carrier also decided to strengthen its previous network, allowing it to close the year with a 15.72% share (versus 7.66% in 2019) in the domestic market, carrying 2,135,528 passengers on the following routes:
| Ruta | Pasajeros 2022 | Ocupación |
|---|---|---|
| Buenos Aires - Bariloche | 420.467 | 93% |
| Buenos Aires - Puerto Iguazú | 260.980 | 94% |
| Buenos Aires - Mendoza | 244.907 | 93% |
| Buenos Aires - Salta | 196.981 | 94% |
| Buenos Aires - Córdoba | 133.691 | 93% |
| Buenos Aires - Tucumán | 131.505 | 93% |
| Buenos Aires - Jujuy | 126.263 | 95% |
| Buenos Aires - Neuquén | 118.690 | 92% |
| Buenos Aires - Corrientes | 75.200 | 90% |
| Córdoba - Bariloche | 62.853 | 89% |
| Buenos Aires - Posadas | 62.838 | 94% |
| Buenos Aires - Ushuaia | 61.848 | 91% |
| Buenos Aires - Sgo. del Estero | 57.672 | 92% |
| Buenos Aires - Trelew | 51.422 | 87% |
| Córdoba - Neuquén | 36.740 | 91% |
| Buenos Aires - Puerto Madryn | 26.854 | 92% |
| Buenos Aires - Comodoro Rivadavia | 22.710 | 88% |
| Buenos Aires - El Calafate | 17.659 | 90% |
The total in the table does not consider charter flights, diversions and other non-scheduled operations that contribute to the overall total
In the international segment, it handled 226,573 passengers:
- Buenos Aires – Rio de Janeiro (GIG), 139,323 / load factor: 86%.
- Buenos Aires – São Paulo/Guarulhos (GRU), 59,643 / load factor: 78%.
- Buenos Aires – Florianópolis (FLN), 22,349 / load factor: 79%.
Flybondi’s fleet
Flybondi renewed its Boeing 737-800 fleet, reducing the average age to 14.1 years. During the COVID-19 health crisis, the company decided to retire the aircraft that saw the company’s birth in 2018 (LV-HFQ, LV-HKS, LV-HQY, LV-HKR and LV-HFR) to reduce fixed costs while restrictions in Argentina continued.
In December 2021 it presented its plan to reach a fleet of 10 aircraft by mid-2022, but global supply chain issues and delays at maintenance providers delayed deliveries for the second half of the year, impacting schedule compliance.
Flybondi’s fleet after the pandemic was recomposed in this way: LV-KAH (June 2021), LV-KAY (September 2021), LV-KCD (January 2022) and LV-KCE (March 2022).
It was only in June that they began to receive the projected new aircraft, with which they were able to open the four new destinations mentioned above and increase their presence in Brazil: LV-KDR (June 2022) and LV-KDQ (July 2022).
At that time, the company began basing its aircraft at Ezeiza (EZE) with flights to Ushuaia (USH), El Calafate (FTE), Rio de Janeiro (GIG) and São Paulo (GRU). By the end of 2022, the company took delivery of four additional aircraft, allowing it to add new frequencies to existing destinations: LV-KEH (October), LV-KGN (November), LV-KEG and LV-KHO (December).
The entry of these Boeing 737-800s allowed Flybondi to offer a more robust operation in case of techincal or meteorological eventualities, operating daily with nine aircraft and leaving a reserve aircraft in case of disruptions.
In 2023 it will continue to grow
The traffic rhythm reached highlighted the need to add more capacity to its routes, so at the ALTA Forum held in October they announced that they will incorporate seven additional aircraft in 2023.
See also: Flybondi incorporates a twelfth Boeing 737-800
Among them, the LV-KHO, which landed in Argentina on December 30, while this week the LV-KEG arrived. Both aircraft are expected to be certified to operate by the end of February, allowing Flybondi to strengthen existing routes and add new routes.
One of them is the return of the Córdoba (COR) – Salta (SLA) flight, currently only operated by Aerolíneas Argentinas with an average load factor of 87%.
The other five remaining Boeing 737-800s will enter during second quarter of 2023. Although new destinations have not yet been disclosed, according to data obtained by Aviacionline through Cirium, with the existing frequencies and routes Flybondi could mobilize more than three million passengers in 2023.
