On Aerolíneas Argentinas flight AR1133 from Madrid to Buenos Aires, twelve passengers were injured due to severe turbulence.

AR1133

After crossing the Atlantic Ocean and reaching Brazilian airspace, Aerolíneas Argentinas flight AR1133 encountered severe turbulence, leading twelve passengers to suffer from severe injuries. A few passengers were taken to Hospital de Ezeiza for treatment and observation. There were 271 passengers onboard and 13 crew on the Airbus A330.

The turbulence was so severe that some emergency equipment fell from the ceiling, and some overhead panels cracked. Because of the situation, the crew requested that medical service meet the plane in Buenos Aires, and nine passengers were treated onsite. A further three passengers were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

“According to the information provided by the crew, the ‘fasten seatbelt’ signs were on, and an announcement had been made. The passengers who suffered most and were taken to the hospital did not have their seatbelts fastened when the aircraft encountered turbulence.” – Aerolíneas Argentinas

But according to a passenger on flight AR1133 who was interviewed by Argentinian media outlet Clarin, the ‘fasten seatbelt’ sign had not been turned on.

Recent Aerolíneas Argentinas news

Aerolíneas Argentinas and its Brazilian partner, Gol Linhas Aéreas, recently announced the inaugural date for the ponte aérea or “sky bridge” between São Paulo and Buenos Aires. The original announcement was made in June, but it was not until Monday that the November 1 date was set. The flights will be between the Aeroporto Internacional de São Paulo – Guarulhos and Aeroparque in Buenos Aires.

The advantage of flying to Aeroparque is its proximity to the Argentinian capital and access to public transport. Buenos Aires’ larger airport, Ezeiza, cannot offer passengers the same things Aeroparque can.

GOL’s CEO Celso Ferrer said,

“GOL and Aerolíneas Argentinas already benefit Brazilian and Argentinian passengers in Guarulhos as well as Buenos Aires through an extremely successful codeshare agreement. With the inauguration of the ponte aérea, we will offer the most accessible flights in the region, increasing the comfort of our passengers.”

The two airlines are partnering on the route, offering one sole check-in area dedicated to the route at both airports and flexibility for passengers to make same-day alterations. According to Gol, clients who purchase the Plus, MAX, or premium fares or who have a Silver, Gold, or Platinum Smiles credit card will not be charged change fees. Passengers who purchase the Light fare and Smiles clients of other statuses will be able to make a change for R$100 (around $17).

Gol and Aerolíneas Argentinas have been codeshare partners since 2014, in addition to being two of the few operators of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in South America.

Ponte Aérea

The term ponte aérea originated with Varig, VASP, Transbrasil, and Cruzeiro do Sul. Together, the airlines offered service from the Congonhas airport in São Paulo and the Santos Dumont airport in Rio de Janeiro. During that time, passengers could fly the route with any of the four airlines and their aircraft. But for many years, the only aircraft serving the route was the Lockheed Electra II.