By Juan Pedro Sanchez Zamudio
SKY Airlines Receives Approval From the DOT to Initiate Operations between Peru and the U.S.
The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) approved at the request of SKY Airline to transport passengers, cargo and mail between Peru and Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
According to ALNNEWS, The request was submitted by the airline on August 10, as part of the company’s internationalization plan that began in 2019. On that occasion, the carrier indicated that “the routes to the United States were chosen due to their high demand of passengers in the local market. In addition, there are not enough low-cost options for Peruvians. In the case of Miami, there is no low-cost airline with direct flights from Lima”.
The airline’s intention would be to start operations during the first half of 2021, using an Airbus A320neo with 186 seats in an economy class configuration, and would initially involve seven round-trip frequencies per week. The carrier stated that the service would initially involve seven roundtrip frequencies per week.
This new operations made by Sky Airlines would allow the carrier to offer a new low-cost non-stop travel alternative to Peruvians and US citizens and residents residing in South Florida, to travel between these two American countries.
According to aviacionline, Sky received a Peruvian Air Operator Certificate in February 2019 and began its domestic operations in April 2019. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline offered 10 domestic routes in Peru and had grown to become the second-largest airline in the Peruvian domestic market.
SKY Airlines Peru suspended flights in March as the COVID-19 crisis worsened, but gradually rebuilt its network in recent weeks. The airline expects to reach 50% of capacity before the start of the pandemic in December 2020 and anticipates reaching 80% by December 2021.
In addition, SKY Airlines Peru announced the start of flights from Lima to Cancun and Punta Cana from April this year but were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Flights to the Mexican Caribbean would begin at the end of December of this year, while flights to Punta Cana will begin from March of next year.
As announced, international flights in Peru restarted this Monday, October 5. The first international operation was operated by Sky Airlines with Santiago de Chile. This first operation between Chile and Peru represents an initial itinerary of 4 flights a week that will gradually increase. The general manager of Sky Peru, José Raúl Vargas, pointed out that “prior to the pandemic we had 2 daily flights, now we are departing with 4 flights a week and in the last week of October we already resumed the daily flight.”
The three things Juan Pedro loves most about aviation are aircraft, airports, and traveling thousands of miles in just a few hours. What he enjoys the most about aviation is that it is easier and cheaper to travel around the world and this gives you the opportunity to visit places you thought were too far away. He has traveled to different destinations in North, Central, South America and Asia. Born, raised and still living in Perú, Juan is a lawyer, soccer lover, foodie, passionate traveler, dog lover, millennial and curious by nature.