Sol del Paraguay Lineas Aereas Fokker F.28 Mk. 0100 (Fokker 100) XA-TCM (msn 11320) MEX (Rurik Enriquez) (launches operations), originally uploaded by Airliners Gallery.

Sol del Paraguay (Asuncion) is making Paraguayans proud. Paraguay once again has a new international flag carrier besides TAM Airlines (Transportes Aéreos del Mercosur S.A.).

The upstart operated its first scheduled domestic passenger flight between Asuncion and Ciudad de Este on November 14, 2011.

The launching of the first international route came a week later on November 21, 2011 when the company launched a new route linking Asuncion with Buenos Aires (Ezeiza).

The new airline commenced operations initially with three Fokker 100s. The three F100s are named “Ypacaraí Lake”, “Itapúa Poty” and “Heroes of the Chaco”.

The airline intends to expand to other cities in South America and eventually to Miami with larger aircraft.

Formerly operated by Mexican Click, this Fokker F.28 Mk. 0100 (Fokker 100) XA-TCM (msn 11320) prepares at Mexico City for its delivery flight to new operator Sol del Paraguay Lineas Aereas (Asuncion) which means “Sun of Paraguay Airlines” in English.

Previously Líneas Aéreas Paraguayas (LAP) – Air Paraguay was founded in 1963 to be the flag carrier of Paraguay. Since LAP was an unprofitable government company, attempts to privatize it were not successful and LAP was shut down in 1994.

Copyright Photo: Rurik Enriquez.