Ecuadornews:
Madrid –
Two months after the start of Plus Ultra flights to Ecuador, the low cost airline already has 6,320 reservations for the Madrid-Quito-Guayaquil / Quito-Guayaquil-Madrid route. The company that will have three weekly flights will make its inaugural flight on July 12.
The announcement was made by José Luis Benito, sales manager of the company, during the event “Ecuador, 4 worlds to enjoy”, organized by the Ministry of Tourism in Madrid.
In July 2015, the airline obtained the air operator certificate and one year later started its operations. It currently has a fleet of four Airbus 340/300 aircraft and also offers transatlantic flights to Lima and Caracas.
During this time, the airline has closed some of its frequencies, including Santo Domingo, Santiago de Chile and Havana. Plus Ultra officials acknowledge that they have struggled to gain the trust of customers, but that in 2018 they left the red numbers and foresee revenues of 100 million euros for the sale of tickets.
Although the company declares itself as “low cost” and with the “lowest” prices, a ticket to travel in July, from Madrid, can cost between 1,100 and 2,100 euros. In October, a month considered low season, for example, the values are around 600 euros. The prices are similar to those of other companies that cover the same route. In the case of Plus Ultra, flights will leave the Spanish capital on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
The entry into the Ecuadorian market of the Spanish company coincides with the decision of LATAM Airlines to suspend flights that also covered this route, from December 13. From that same day, Iberia will offer direct flights Guayaquil-Madrid, with four frequencies a week. (I)
