In a milestone for Uruguay's domestic air connectivity, the airline Paranair carried out the inaugural flight of the direct route between Montevideo and the city of Salto, restoring the connection after more than twenty years.
The event was attended by representatives of the airline, of Aeropuertos Uruguay and national and departmental authorities, who celebrated the arrival of the aircraft, which landed at the Salto International Airport, Nueva Hespérides, after less than 45 minutes of flight.
The new air route connects the two cities using modern CRJ-200 aircraft, with capacity for 50 passengers. The flight offers two weekly frequencies, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, significantly improving connectivity between the capital and the coast.
“We are very grateful to Uruguay, especially because the Asunción-Montevideo route was the first one we resumed after the COVID-19 pandemic. Today we celebrate an important day, as we are the airline chosen to resume domestic flights in the country. Connectivity is key to development, and we are confident that this flight will boost Uruguay's commercial and tourism growth. I would especially like to acknowledge the great effort of the authorities and of Aeropuertos Uruguay who made this day a reality,” said the general manager of Paranair, Jaime Cassola.
On Tuesdays, the flight departs from Montevideo at 08:50 hours to Salto, returning to the capital at 10:40 hours, while on Thursdays, the flight departs from Montevideo at 19:00 hours, returning from Salto at 20:45 hours.
This new service not only strengthens the transport infrastructure, but also represents a key boost for domestic tourism, facilitating access to one of the country's main thermal destinations.
For his part, Matías Carluccio, Commercial Manager of Aeropuertos Uruguay, commented that “today we are taking an important step towards Uruguay's air connectivity, recovering internal routes that are key to the country's development. This flight between Montevideo and Salto is the result of a joint effort by the public and private sectors to promote development.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Tourism, Eduardo Sanguinetti, said: “I thank those who have worked on this, because it is not only an effort of the ministry, but of civil society, of many authorities, of the airline Paranair and of Aeropuertos Uruguay. Let us enjoy this opportunity and continue working on regional connectivity.”
The mayor of Salto, Andrés Lima, said that this milestone marks “a before and after in the region.” “I thank all the institutions that made this possible, the national government and Aeropuertos Uruguay for their significant investment in the renovation of this airport, which is now first class. I also thank Paranair, for taking on the challenge of improving connectivity between the north and the south with this first flight between Salto and Montevideo. Our expectation is that this will continue to grow, thanks to the joint effort to advance the development of our country,” he said.
In addition, the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Nicolás Albertoni, highlighted the process carried out by private sector actors, together with the Ministry of Tourism and Transport and Public Works, to “boost domestic connectivity. This is a first step towards connecting a department in the interior of the country with other capitals abroad.”
The inauguration of this air route is part of the comprehensive modernization process of the Salto International Airport, carried out by Aeropuertos Uruguay and completed in February of this year.
The works carried out at the airport included a complete renovation of its infrastructure and services, raising its operational safety standards with the aim of attracting new airlines and ensuring efficient connectivity for the development of tourism and the regional economy.
With the new route, passengers travelling from Montevideo and Salto will receive exclusive benefits.
Through a strategic alliance with the rental company Europcar, passengers will be able to access promotional prices for vehicle rentals at both Carrasco Airport and Salto Airport.
On the other hand, in Salto there will be special prices at Orange Taxis and free access to parking at the airport.
In Montevideo, Taxis Aeropuerto will offer exclusive prices for the transfer of passengers from the airport terminal to various destinations within the metropolitan area, and passengers will be able to access a parking promotion at a promotional price from Tuesday to Thursday.
Tickets are on sale on the airline's website www.paranair.com and at travel agencies across the country.
Source: Quatromanos Agency.