VivaAerobus

Infobox_Airline
airline=VivaAerobus
|200pxlogo_size=300
fleet_size=8
destinations=20
IATA=VB
ICAO=VIV
callsign=AEROENLACES
parent=Inversionistas en Autotransportes Mexicanos S.A. de C.V.
founded=2006
headquarters=Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
key_people= Roberto Alcántara Rojas (Chairman), Mike Szucs (CEO), Donal Rogers (CFO)
hubs=Gen. Mariano Escobedo Int'l Airport
Focus_cities=|Austin International Airport
frequent_flyer=
lounge=
alliance=
website= http://www.vivaaerobus.com.

Aeroenlaces Nacionales, S.A. de C.V., trading as VivaAerobus, is a low cost airline part-owned by the founders of Europe's biggest low-cost carrier, Ryanair.

History

VivaAerobus started operations on November 30, 2006 with its hub at General Mariano Escobedo International Airport (MTY), in Monterrey, Mexico. VivaAerobus initially connected General Mariano Escobedo International Airport to a number of Mexican domestic locations and, in July 2007, publicly confirmed their intention to open their first base outside of Mexico and first US destination in Austin, Texas. The airline currently flies between Monterrey and twenty one other Mexican cities (September 2008).

It is co-owned by the Ryan family, founders of Ryanair and the Mexican bus company IAMSA. The Ryans joined with Maurice Mason of Kite Investments to establish "RyanMex" to facilitate the Irish family's investment in the Mexican airline. RyanMex hold 49 percent of shares in the airline, while IAMSA will have the remaining majority stake. It started off with an initial investment of $50 million and two Boeing 737-300 airplanes bearing its vivid green and red dots logo. The airline has served 1.3 million passengers in its first year of operations and anticipates handling 2.4 million passengers in 2008.

VivaAerobus fares intend to undercut traditional Mexican carriers by up to 50 percent, in a change of the industry that started with the arrival of the country's first low-cost airlines (Avolar, Click Mexicana, Interjet, Volaris) and the privatization of Mexicana, one of the two top local airlines. On November 5, 2007 the airline received approval from the US Department of Transportation to operate to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, initially serving the Mexican destinations of Cancún, Monterrey, Guadalajara and León. Reservations for flight to Austin began on the 28 of January 2008.

Destinations

Over the last months of 2007 and continuing through the present, VivaAerobus has had some problems regarding frequent changes in their travel schedules. These schedule changes have affected passengers with already purchased tickets. These schedule changes have been erratic and sometimes occur during the final few days preceding the scheduled flight. The modifications have resulted in, for example, a paid Saturday to Wednesday itinerary being unilaterally changed to a Sunday to Monday itinerary. Passengers adversely affected by such changes have been informed that due to VivaAerobus' status as a discount airline no refunds will be issued.

VivaAerobus has recently signed a deal with Gary/Chicago International Airport, Chicago's third biggest airport, for flights starting in July 2008.

Bus service to Houston

VivaAerobus operates a bus shuttle between Austin-Bergstrom International Airport South Terminal and the Omnibus Mexicanos Bus Terminal in eastern Houston for VivaAerobus passengers on flights going to and from Cancun and Monterrey. [http://www.vivaaerobus.com/us/shuttleservices/austinhouston.htm]

Fleet

The VivaAerobus fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of 19 September 2008) [http://www.ch-aviation.ch/aircraft.php?search=set&airline=VAB&al_op=1] :

*8 Boeing 737-300

As of 19 September 2008, the average age of the VivaAerobus fleet is 21.6 years ( [http://www.airfleets.net/ageflotte/VivaAeroBus.htm] ).

References

External links

* [http://www.vivaaerobus.com/ VivaAerobus Official Site]