In a decision published this Friday, November 15, in the Official Gazette, the Undersecretariat of Air Transport of the Ministry of Economy of Argentina issued Disposition 4/2024, authorizing the Chilean company SKY Airline to operate regular passenger and cargo air transport services on the Santiago de Chile-El Calafate-Santiago de Chile route.
According to the disposition, the authorization is framed within the bilateral agreements in force between Argentina and Chile, which include the Memorandum of Understanding and the Air Services Agreement signed by both countries in April of this year. These regulations establish the conditions for the operation of commercial air services between the two nations and include the designation of authorized carriers by their respective aeronautical authorities.
The decision enables SKY Airline to conduct combined passenger and cargo operations on this route, in compliance with the legal and administrative requirements stipulated by Argentine authorities. According to the resolution, the Chilean airline had already been designated by its country’s aeronautical authority to provide regular services to Argentina, meeting the conditions required at the bilateral level.
The Undersecretariat of Air Transport, led by Hernán Adrián Gómez, highlighted that this measure aims to strengthen connectivity between both countries and enhance air commercial relations within the framework of established agreements.
The Santiago de Chile-El Calafate route represents a strategic connection, as El Calafate, located in Argentine Patagonia, is an internationally renowned tourist destination due to its proximity to the Perito Moreno Glacier and other natural attractions in the region. The incorporation of SKY Airline on this route expands connectivity options for travelers from both Chile and other countries.
SKY Airline had already announced in August that it would begin flights between Santiago and El Calafate starting December 18. Initially, it will be a seasonal route extending until March 25, 2025.
The flights will be operated with Airbus A320neo aircraft, with a capacity of 186 seats, offering 744 seats per week.
- Santiago – El Calafate flight H2 649 SCL 16:05 – 19:00 FTE / Wednesdays and Sundays.
- El Calafate – Santiago flight H2 650 FTE 20:10 – 23:05 SCL / Wednesdays and Sundays.
With this new addition, the Comandante Armando Tola International Airport in El Calafate will once again have direct international flights after six years. Between 2017 and 2018, Aerovías DAP had offered flights between Punta Arenas (PUQ) and El Calafate, with a prior stop in Puerto Natales (PNT), capitalizing on the high tourist demand in the Patagonian region.
El Calafate will also become the fourth Argentine city served by SKY, after Buenos Aires (Aeroparque and Ezeiza), Mendoza, and Bariloche (seasonal route).
