Editing PLUNA (section)

=== 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.