Peruvian airline announces flights to Ecuador and the U.S.; international service could return to Cuenca after a 15-year absence

LC Perú, Peru’s second largest airline, says it has received permission from civil aviation authorities to proceed with plans to offer international flights to Ecuador, the U.S., and Bolivia.

The airline said it is purchasing five new Boeing aircraft in preparation for expansion. It plans to begin service to Ecuador and Bolivia in early 2016 and to the U.S. by the end of 2016.

LC Perú says it will announce the cities it plans to fly to in October, although one that it is considering is Cuenca. Airline authorities have been in discussions with airport officials since early this year.

In the 1990s, international flights connected Cuenca to Cusco, Lima, and Chiclayo, Peru. Another Peruvian airline, Star Perú, planned to offer Cuenca to Chiclayo flights in 2010 but the planned was scrapped following a management change.

In its expantion, LC Perú will be competing head-on with Lan, which has the largest air travel market share in Peru. The airline hopes to attract 1.5 million more passengers to its new flights. The airline also announced that Chiclayo, in northwestern Peru, will serve as a hub for both domestic and regional international flights.

If LC Perú does decide to offer Cuenca service, it would be to cities in Peru.