Ivonne Cardenas, commercial manager of Peru's leading airline, Star Peru announced today that it will increase operations in leading tourism areas. One of the key additions and changes to the schedule will be an increase in daily flights to Arequipa and Cusco, which were on limited schedules from Lima prior to the change.
Operations will change schedules to provide daily flights between the cities of Cusco and Arequipa commencing on 15 January. This route has been heavily requested due to the increase in tourism between the two cities.
One key change to operations schedule as to increase the number of flights from Lima to Arequipa and back, on a daily basis. During the business weeks, guests will be able to leave for Arequipa from Lima daily by 5am and return nightly at 4pm. The move is to help alleviate and encourage executive travel between the two cities.
According to Cardenas, the demand is urgent. Passengers and potential passengers are looking for such flights on an urgent basis.
Currently, Star Peru offers service from a number of routes. This includes Arequipa to Juliaca. Flights from Lima include to Cuzco City and Machu Picchu, to Arequipa and to Juliaca (Puno- Lake Titicaca.) Additionally flights to Iquitos, Tarapoto and Pucalipa are also available, though the number of flights is lower.
Star Peru has been in business since 1998. The fleet currently offers 7 Boeing 737-200 aircraft, with the addition of 2 BAE 146-100 British airplanes being purchased in 2008. The fleet's extension should alleviate some of the demand and help to expand service offered by Star Peru.
Cardenas also said that Star Peru is conducting several studies to determine the most fiscally sound method of utilizing the purchase of these two additional aircraft. Increasing air travel to locations such as Cajamarca, Puerto Maldonado and Piura will be the most likely investment.