Editing PLUNA (section)

== History ==

=== Foundation ===
[[File:PLUNA737.jpg|right|thumb|A PLUNA advertisement from the 1970s.]]
The airline was established in September 1936, and started operations the following month, on 19 November 1936.<ref name="FI1966" /> It was set up by Jorge and Alberto Márquez Vaesa, two brothers who had obtained the necessary financial and technical support through the ambassador of the [[United Kingdom]] to [[Uruguay]] at the time, Sir [[Eugen Millington-Drake]]. Millington-Drake wrote in his memoirs that he suggested the airline be named using a memorable acronym, taking [[SABENA]] as an example. It was then decided on "PLUNA", an acronym for ''Primeras Líneas Uruguayas de Navegación Aérea'' ({{langx|en|First Uruguayan Air Navigation Lines}}). Millington-Drake knew De Havilland's representative in Buenos Aires at the time, which helped in the acquisition of the airline's first aircraft. The airline flew two five-seater [[de Havilland Dragonfly]]s from [[Montevideo]] to [[Salto, Uruguay|Salto]] and [[Paysandú]].<ref>[http://www.pluna.aero/english/historia.asp PLUNA's history] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928103418/http://www.pluna.aero/english/historia.asp |date=28 September 2007 }}</ref>{{When|date=August 2011}} The two planes were christened ''Churrinche'' and ''San Alberto'', the latter in honor of the brothers' father. PLUNA flew 2,600 passengers in their first fiscal year, a huge success for that era. It also flew 20,000 pieces of mail and 70,000 newspapers.{{Cn|date=June 2024}}

The [[Air carrier|carrier]] saw the incorporation of both the [[Potez 62]] and the [[Douglas DC-2]] into its fleet in the early 1940s, the latter acquired from the [[U.S. government]].<ref name="FI1966"/> Following the outbreak of [[World War II]], PLUNA was forced to suspend operations between 1942 and 1944, due to the lack of [[spare part]]s.<ref name="FI1966"/> The delicate position PLUNA was in at this time led the Uruguayan Government to aid the company by boosting its stake to 85% on 16 October 1944.<ref name="FI1966"/> The first [[Douglas DC-3]] entered PLUNA's fleet in February 1946.<ref name="FI1966"/> The airline launched regular services to [[Porto Alegre]], [[Brazil]], in May 1948.<ref name="FI1966"/> The carrier later added the cities of [[Santa Cruz, Bolivia|Santa Cruz]] in [[Bolivia]] and [[Buenos Aires]], [[Rosario]] and [[Córdoba, Argentina|Córdoba]] in [[Argentina]] to its network.{{When|date=August 2011}}

=== Nationalisation ===
[[File:Douglas C-47B CX-BDB PLUNA MVD 07.04.75 edited-3.jpg|thumb|right|Preserved PLUNA [[Douglas DC-3]] at Montevideo in 1975]]
[[File:Vickers Viscount 769 CX-AQO PLUNA MVD 07.04.75 edited-3.jpg|thumb|right|PLUNA [[Vickers Viscount|Vickers Viscount 769D]] at Montevideo when operating the schedule to Buenos Aires in 1975]]
The airline became a wholly [[government-owned]] company on 12 November 1951.<ref name="FI1966"/> After World War II, PLUNA's fleet included two [[Douglas DC-2]]s which were operated on the Montevideo–Paysandú–Salto route until they were retired in 1951. In the same year, a [[Douglas DC-3]] and four [[de Havilland Heron]]s were added to the fleet. The Herons only stayed in PLUNA's fleet for a short time and by 1957, they had been sold. The DC-3s remained in service much longer, and in 1971, the last four of them were sold to the [[Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya]].

[[São Paulo, São Paulo|São Paulo]] was added to the route network in January 1954.<ref name="FI1966"/> On 24 June 1958, the carrier entered the turbine era with the delivery of its first of three [[Vickers Viscount]]s four-engined turboprops purchased new from Vickers; it later acquired two Viscount 700s from [[Alitalia]] and three Viscount 800s from [[VASP]].

PLUNA's growth slowed considerably for the next three decades, but it entered the [[jet age]] soon after jets were introduced to the world, and added [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]] (JFK) in [[New York City|New York]], and [[Miami]] to its destinations, using [[Boeing 707]] and [[Boeing 737]] aircraft.

In the 1980s, PLUNA began flying to [[Madrid]], [[Asunción]], [[Rio de Janeiro]] and [[Santiago]], but services to JFK and Miami were suspended. In the meantime, as the city of [[Punta del Este]] flourished as a major tourist destination, PLUNA benefited from that. During this time, an office was also opened in [[Tel Aviv]], [[Israel]].

=== Privatisation ===
The 1990s, saw financial trouble loom for PLUNA. In 1995, the company was transformed into a [[public–private partnership]] and the government sold 51% of the shares to a holding formed by an [[Argentina|Argentine]] [[consortium]] named Tevycom and [[Uruguay]]an businessmen; the holding later sold half of its participation in PLUNA to [[Varig]].<ref>{{cite news|title= Varig pode vender Pluna para a Aerolíneas Argentinas|language= pt|trans-title= Varig's Pluna stake may be sold to Aerolineas Argentinas|date= 16 March 2004|publisher= [[Folha de Sao Paulo]]|url= http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha/dinheiro/ult91u81966.shtml|access-date= 19 July 2012}}</ref>

At {{start date|2000|4}}, the airline had {{cardinal|635}} employees. At this time the fleet consisted of {{cardinal to word|6}} [[Boeing 737-200 Advanced]] and {{cardinal to word|1}} [[McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30]] to serve a network that included [[Asunción]], [[Buenos Aires]], [[Córdoba, Argentina|Cordoba]], [[Florianópolis]], [[Madrid]], [[Montevideo]], [[Punta del Este]], [[Rio de Janeiro]], [[Rosario]], [[Salvador, Bahia|Salvador]], [[Santiago]] and [[São Paulo]].<ref name="FI2000-97" /> By late {{start date|2005|6}}, the airline's major shareholders were the [[Government of Uruguay]] (49%) and Varig (49%), and private investors held the balance.<ref>{{cite news|title= Varig deixa gerência da companhia aérea uruguaia Pluna|language= pt|trans-title= Varig steps down from management at Pluna|first= Vinicius|last= Albuquerque|date= 27 June 2005|publisher= [[Folha de Sao Paulo]]|url= http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha/dinheiro/ult91u97671.shtml|access-date= 19 July 2012}}</ref> When Varig entered [[Chapter 11 bankruptcy]] protection on 17 June 2005, it sought a bidder for its 49% stake in PLUNA. For almost a year, it looked as if it might go to Venezuela's state-run [[Conviasa]],<ref>{{cite news|title= Pluna in play|url= http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2005/08/22/201013/pluna-in-play.html|agency= [[Airline Business]]|work= Flightglobal|date= 22 August 2005|archive-url= https://archive.today/20120731090218/http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2005/08/22/201013/pluna-in-play.html|archive-date= 31 July 2012|url-status= live|access-date= 8 June 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title= Venezuela quer comprar ação da Varig na Pluna|language= pt|trans-title= Venezuela wants to buy Varig's stake in Pluna|date= 14 July 2005|newspaper= [[Folha de Sao Paulo]]|url= http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha/dinheiro/ult91u98187.shtml }}</ref> but the deal officially fell through in {{start date|2006|7}}.

[[File:Pluna CRJ-900 NextGen CX-CRB AEP 2009-1-12.png|thumb|left|A PLUNA CRJ900 at [[Aeroparque Jorge Newbery]] in 2009.]]
On 4 January 2007, the Government of Uruguay started negotiations to sell 75% of it shares to a private consortium of investors from [[Germany]], [[United States]], Uruguay and Argentina called Leadgate Investment, a subsidiary of Latin American Regional Aviation Holding Corporation (LARAH),<ref name="PLUNA se capitaliza en 20 millones de dólares y anuncia plan de crecimiento"/>{{Failed verification|date=July 2012}} that committed to inject {{US$|177|link=yes}}&nbsp;million in the company.<ref name="Uphoff">{{cite news|title= Uruguay government close to selling controlling stake in Pluna to investors, replace management team|first= Rainer|last= Uphoff|url= http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/01/08/211408/uruguay-government-close-to-selling-controlling-stake-in-pluna-to-investors-replace-management.html|work= Flightglobal|date= 8 January 2007|archive-url= https://archive.today/20130124171610/http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/01/08/211408/uruguay-government-close-to-selling-controlling-stake-in-pluna-to-investors-replace-management.html|archive-date= 24 January 2013|url-status= live|access-date= 20 June 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title= Ambitious project to recover Uruguay's flag carrier|url= http://en.mercopress.com/2007/01/06/ambitious-project-to-recover-uruguay-s-flag-carrier|work= MercoPress|date= 6 January 2007|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101224074511/http://en.mercopress.com/2007/01/06/ambitious-project-to-recover-uruguay-s-flag-carrier|archive-date= 24 December 2010|url-status= live|access-date= 20 June 2012}}</ref> In July the same year, the government awarded 75% of PLUNA's stock to LARAH,<ref name="El empresario argentino Campiani abandona Pluna"/> and the acquisition of seven [[Bombardier CRJ-900]]s in a deal worth {{US$|261}}&nbsp;million was announced.<ref>{{cite web|title= Uruguay's flag carrier signs contract for 7 midrange Bombardiers|publisher= MercoPress|date= 10 July 2007|url= http://en.mercopress.com/2007/07/10/uruguay-s-flag-carrier-signs-contract-for-7-midrange-bombardiers|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101226085739/http://en.mercopress.com/2007/07/10/uruguay-s-flag-carrier-signs-contract-for-7-midrange-bombardiers|archive-date= 26 December 2010|url-status= live|access-date= 19 July 2012}}</ref>

In late {{start date|2007|10}}, PLUNA presented its new [[corporate image]], developed by [[Australia]]n design company Cato Partners. This new image is based on the interpretation of the name "Uruguay" as meaning "river of the painted birds" or "river of the colorful birds" ({{langx|es|Río de los pájaros pintados}}).<ref>{{cite news|title= Pluna presenta nueva imagen y planes para la próxima temporada|language= es|trans-title= Pluna presents its new image and plans for the next season|date= 30 October 2007|publisher= Espectador.com|url= http://www.espectador.com/1v4_contenido.php?id=107959|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110721134918/http://www.espectador.com/1v4_contenido.php?id=107959|archive-date= 21 July 2011|url-status= dead|access-date= 6 July 2012}}</ref> The first of seven brand new [[CRJ900]]s that would be incorporated into the fleet during 2008 arrived in March that year; these new aircraft permitted increasing frequencies to existing routes, as well as expanding services to new destinations.<ref>{{cite web|title= Historia de la compañía|trans-title= Company's history|language= es|publisher= Pluna|url= http://www.flypluna.com/cat/es/historia-de-la-compania-28.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120501100232/http://www.flypluna.com/cat/es/historia-de-la-compania-28.html|archive-date= 1 May 2012|url-status= dead|access-date= 6 July 2012}}</ref>

In {{start date|2010|4}}, the Canadian airline holding company [[Chorus Aviation|Jazz Air Income Fund]] invested {{US$|15}}&nbsp;million in LARAH.<ref name="Canadian Fund Invests in Uruguay’s Flagship Carrier PLUNA">{{cite web|url= http://en.mercopress.com/2010/04/27/canadian-fund-invests-in-uruguay-s-flagship-carrier-pluna|title= Canadian Fund Invests in Uruguay’s Flagship Carrier PLUNA|work= MercoPress|date= 27 April 2010|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101226154315/http://en.mercopress.com/2010/04/27/canadian-fund-invests-in-uruguay-s-flagship-carrier-pluna|archive-date= 26 December 2010|url-status= live|access-date= 8 June 2012}}</ref> The move gave this holding an indirect control of 25% of the Uruguayan flag carrier, as LARAH had a participation of 75% into PLUNA at that time; the Government of Uruguay held the balance.<!-- Statement is ambiguous. --><ref name="Canadian Fund Invests in Uruguay’s Flagship Carrier PLUNA"/><ref name="Jazz Air to convert to corporate structure by year-end"/><ref>{{cite press release|publisher= [[Jazz Air]]|date= 26 April 2010|title= Jazz Air Income Fund announces equity investment in South American regional airline, Pluna S.A.|url=http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=194177&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1417600&highlight=|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151018034653/http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=194177&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1417600&highlight=|archive-date= 18 October 2015|url-status= dead|access-date= 8 June 2012}}</ref>{{clarify|date=January 2013}}

In September and October 2010, three additional new CRJ900s aircraft were delivered from the Bombardier factory. In April 2011, three options were taken up for delivery at the end of 2011 and these were delivered between September and November 2011. With these additions, PLUNA's fleet consisted of 13 airplanes, the highest number in its history.

===Collapse===
In early {{start date|2012|6}}, PLUNA's then [[CEO]], [[Matías Campiani]], disclosed that the airline might face collapse amid a financial distress that led to a loss of {{US$|18}}&nbsp;million for the eight months ending in February the same year, partly due to the [[protectionism]] of the [[government of Argentina]] —where the carrier concentrated 21% of its operations— following the renationalisation of [[Aerolíneas Argentinas]] in 2008, and partly due to the slowdown of the [[Economy of Brazil|Brazilian economy]] in the preceding months.<ref name="Uruguay's Pluna warns of collapse, but CEO's missive may be more political than financial"/><ref name="Uruguay's Pluna airline hits 'strong turbulence'"/><ref>{{cite news|title= Uruguay's Pluna Airline CEO warns of 'collapse'|first= Belén|last= Bogado|agency= Associated Press|location= Montevideo|date= 4 June 2012|url= http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_268779/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=KR8ohas9|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190708004121/http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_268779/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=KR8ohas9|archive-date= 8 July 2019|url-status= live|access-date= 21 June 2012}}</ref> Later on, with losses totalling {{US$|300}}&nbsp;million, Leadgate disposed of their 75% stake in the airline, transferring it back to the Uruguayan government.<ref name="Uruguay seeks new investor for Pluna after Leadgate's withdrawal"/><ref>{{cite news|title= Canada and US closely monitoring Uruguay’s flag air carrier in the brink of default|date= 5 June 2012|work= MercoPress|url= http://en.mercopress.com/2012/06/05/canada-and-us-closely-monitoring-uruguay-s-flag-air-carrier-in-the-brink-of-default|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120608044736/http://en.mercopress.com/2012/06/05/canada-and-us-closely-monitoring-uruguay-s-flag-air-carrier-in-the-brink-of-default|archive-date= 8 June 2012|url-status= live|access-date= 20 June 2012}}</ref> By that time, that percentage of PLUNA's stock was owned by LARAH, which was in turn 75% owned by Leadgate and 25% by [[Jazz Air]].<ref>{{cite news|title= Acuerdan salida de socio privado de Pluna y esperan ratificación|first= Andrés|last= Oyhenard|language= es|trans-title= Exit agreed for Pluna's private partner and ratification is awaited|work= [[El Observador (Uruguay)|El Observador]]|date= 12 June 2012|url= http://www.elobservador.com.uy/noticia/225855/acuerdan-salida-de-socio-privado-de-pluna-y-esperan-ratificacion/|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120616011648/http://www.elobservador.com.uy/noticia/225855/acuerdan-salida-de-socio-privado-de-pluna-y-esperan-ratificacion/|archive-date= 16 June 2012|url-status= dead|access-date= 21 June 2012}}</ref> Despite being initially disclosed that Jazz Air was not interested in taking over the entire 75% stock,<ref name="Jazz no está interesada en adquirir más acciones de Pluna"/><ref>{{cite news|title= Chorus Aviation won't invest more to help Pluna airlines out of financial woes|first= Sylvain|last= Larocque|agency= [[The Canadian Press]]|work= [[Canadian Business]]|date= 15 June 2012|url= http://www.canadianbusiness.com/article/87972--chorus-aviation-won-t-invest-more-to-help-pluna-airlines-out-of-financial-woes|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120620174327/http://www.canadianbusiness.com/article/87972--chorus-aviation-won-t-invest-more-to-help-pluna-airlines-out-of-financial-woes|archive-date= 20 June 2012|url-status= dead|access-date= 21 June 2012}}</ref> and that it was later informed that the Canadian airline was evaluating the acquisition,<ref name="Canadian company still interested in recapitalization of Uruguay’s national airline"/><ref name="Ejecutivos de Jazz llegan al país para negociar compra de Pluna"/> the government suspended PLUNA's operations on {{end date|2012|7|5|df=y}}—following a strike that started two days earlier, after failing to find new investors for the company.<ref name="Uruguay's Pluna halts operations indefinitely"/><ref name="Pluna closes down"/><ref name="Uruguay to shut down bankrupt flagship carrier Pluna -source"/> The government announced that both PLUNA's fleet and routes would be auctioned.<ref name="Liquidated Pluna to auction fleet, route rights within 60 days"/> It seemed there were no plans for the government to have any stake in PLUNA's successor.<ref name="Liquidated Pluna to auction fleet, route rights within 60 days"/>

In {{start date|2012|9}}, the auction of the seven Bombardier aircraft that belonged to the liquidated carrier was delayed until {{start date|2012|10}} as there were no bidders.<ref name="Pluna’s fleet auction postponed to Oct. 1"/><ref name="Auction of Pluna’s Bombardier aircraft collapses: terms “non attractive” and “non viable”"/> Cosmo Airlines, a Spanish charter carrier, eventually purchased the seven aircraft at a price of $137 million.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://atwonline.com/aircraft-engines-components/news/cosmo-buys-liquidated-pluna-s-seven-crj900s-1004 |title=Cosmo buys liquidated Pluna’s seven CRJ900s |author=Edvaldo Pereira Lima | date=4 October 2012}}</ref> Regionally, the void created by PLUNA's collapse benefited foreign airlines on some routes.<ref name="Aerolineas Argentinas, BQB, Gol and LAN-TAM poised to benefit from demise of Uruguay's Pluna"/><!-- The auction was finally held, and [[BQB Líneas Aéreas]] bought these seven aircraft for {{US$|137}} million; there are plans for another six aircraft to be auctioned in the future.<ref>{{cite news|title= Cosmo buys liquidated Pluna’s seven CRJ900s|first= Edvaldo|last= Pereira Lima|publisher= [[Air Transport World]]|date= 4 October 2012|url= http://atwonline.com/aircraft-engines-components/news/cosmo-buys-liquidated-pluna-s-seven-crj900s-1004|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121006091957/http://atwonline.com/aircraft-engines-components/news/cosmo-buys-liquidated-pluna-s-seven-crj900s-1004|archive-date= 6 October 2012|url-status= dead|access-date= 4 October 2012}}</ref> The aircraft will be used mainly on flights to Argentina and Brazil.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ieco.clarin.com/economia/Lopez-Mena-compra-aviones-Pluna_0_790721173.html | title=El dueño de Buquebús se queda con los aviones de la ex Pluna | publisher=El Clarín | date=12 October 2012 | access-date=14 October 2012 | language=es}}</ref> -->

In 2016, a Uruguayan court concluded that no Leadgate executives were responsible for Pluna's collapse. Two years later, in 2018 a Panamanian-based investment consortium named Caballero Verde S. de R.L. took ownership of LARAH, which still owned 75% of Pluna's shares. The consortium plans to seek compensation from the Uruguayan government for Pluna's demise.<ref name="New Pluna owners to challenge Uruguay over airline’s demise" />