BQB Líneas Aéreas (Punta del Este) will cease operations on April 11 with 90 employees to be made redundant Uruguay's El Pais newspaper has reported quoting an internal company source. The carrier has struggled to remain afloat in a difficult market and as such, owner and founder Juan Carlos Lopez Mena has begun exploring his options apropos its future.

According to the paper, alongside possible partnership talks with Bolivian carrier Amaszonas (Z8, La Paz El Alto), Mena is also considering selling off the airline's traffic rights (which includes a Chilean Air Operators Certificate) and fleet to help with short term survival.

Uncorroborated reports state one of the carrier's three ATR 72-500s has already been acquired by lessor Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC) with the rest likely to follow in due course.

Since September of last year, BQB has been operating a much-reduced network involving flights linking Montevideo Carrasco and Punta del Este with Buenos Aires Jorge Newbery and Asuncion.