Avianca
Encyclopedia
Avianca S.A.
(BVC
:AVA) (acronym
in Spanish
for Aerovías Nacionales de Colombia S.A., currently Aerovías del Continente Americano S.A.) is the flag carrier
airline
of Colombia
since December 5, 1919 when it was initially registered under the name SCADTA
. It is headquartered in Bogotá, D.C. with its hub
at the El Dorado International Airport
. Avianca is the largest airline in Colombia and a major one in Latin America
: Avianca together with its subsidiaries has the most extended network of (both passenger and cargo) destinations in the Americas
and one of the largest and most modern aircraft fleet in the continent. It is wholly owned by AviancaTACA S.A., a Latin American holding company
established in the Panamá
and specialized in air transport. The company is listed in the Colombia Stock Exchange.
On October 7, 2009, it was announced that Avianca would merge with TACA
but both airlines have stated that each will maintain their own identity and operate separately for the moment. In 2009 Avianca turned 90 (years) making it the second world's oldest airlines still in operation; It is actually the oldest continuously operating airline in the Western Hemisphere
.
Since April 26, 2010, OceanAir is being rebranded Avianca in the same way as it was done with SAM
years ago and it would do with other subsidiaries (for example, VIP
is partially rebranded) to place Avianca as the leading airline in Latin America.
On November 10, 2010, Avianca and Taca were accepted to be part of Star Alliance
in a process that will last around 18 months until both airlines fulfill all requirements to be official members of the Alliance . Before that happens (by April 2012), all airlines under AviancaTaca umbrella will be completely unified under an unique single brand.
The airline traces its history back to 5 December 1919, in the city of Barranquilla, Colombia. Colombians Ernesto Cortissoz (the first President of the Airline), Rafael Palacio, Cristóbal Restrepo, Jacobo Correa and Aristides Noguera and Germans Werner Kämerer, Stuart Hosie and Alberto Tietjen founded the Colombo-German Company, called Sociedad Colombo-Alemana de Transporte Aéreo or SCADTA. The company accomplished its first flight between Barranquilla and the nearby town of Puerto Colombia
, aboard a Junkers F.13
, wherein 57 pieces of mail were transported; the flight was piloted by German Helmuth von Krohn. This and another aircraft of the same type were completely mechanically constructed monoplane
s, the engines of which had to be modified to be able to efficiently operate in the climatic conditions of the country; there were nine aircraft in the fleet with a total range of 850 km (528 mi) (525 Mi) and could carry up to four passengers and two crewmen. Due to the topographic characteristics of the country and the lack of airports at the time, two seaplane
s were adapted to the Junkers
aircraft, in order for them to accomplish water landing
s in the rivers of different towns. Using these floats, Helmuth von Krohn was able to perform the first inland flight over Colombia on 20 October 1920, following the course of the Magdalena River
; the flight took eight hours and had to make four emergency landings in the water.
Soon after the vision of the founding group had become a reality, German scientist and philanthropist
Peter von Bauer became interested in the airline and contributed general knowledge, capital
and a tenth aircraft for the company, as well as obtaining concessions
from the Colombian government to operate the country's airmail
transportation division using the airline. This new contract allowed SCADTA to thrive in a new frontier of aviation. By the mid 1920s, SCADTA, having overcome many obstacles, inaugurated its first international routes that initially covered destinations in Venezuela
and the United States
. Regretfully, in 1924, the aircraft that both Ernesto Cortissoz and Helmuth von Krohn were piloting, crashed into an area currently known as Bocas de Ceniza in Barranquilla, causing their deaths. Despite this tragedy, the airline continued to thrive under the guidance of German Peter von Bauer until the early 1940s, where circumstances related to the outbreak of World War II
forced him to sell his shares in the airline to the US-owned Pan American World Airways
.
of Servicio Aéreo Colombiano), forming the new Aerovías Nacionales de Colombia S.A. or Avianca. Five Colombians participated in this act: (Rafael María Palacio, Jacobo A. Corea, Cristobal Restrepo, Aristides Noguera) and German
citizens Alberto Teitjen, Werner Kaemerer and Stuart Hosie, while the post of first President of Avianca was filled by Martín del Corral.
There had been decades of dedicated work and contribution to Colombia's development through actions, among which the following may be highlighted:
and the helicopter operator Helicol
, which brought life to Avianca's new system of operations. This system offered specialized services in Cargo (Avianca Cargo
) and postal services, as well as the most modern fleet in Latin America
made up of: Boeing 767-200
, Boeing 767-300
, Boeing 757-200
, McDonnell Douglas MD-83, Fokker 50 and Bell helicopters.
This new system covered the following destinations:
By 1996, Avianca Postal Services
evolved into Deprisa
, providing express mail
services through its products Deprisa and Deprisa Empresarial, traditional mail, certified mail, shipment airport-to-airport and P.O. boxes
.
On 10 December 1998, Avianca announced the inception of a new "connections center" in Bogotá, offering around 6,000 possible weekly connecting flights and an increased number of frequencies, schedules and destinations, taking advantage of the privileged geographical location of the country's capital, for the benefit of Colombian and international travellers between South America
, Europe
and North America
.
In addition to its Avianca Connection, and alliance partnerships, Avianca offers frequent flyer partnerships with the following airlines:
After a rigorous and complex process, the worldwide aviation industry came through after the September 11 attacks. Avianca, the regional carrier SAM Colombia
and its major rival ACES Colombia
, joined efforts to create Alianza Summa, which began merged operations on 20 May 2002. These three airlines decided to strategically merge their strengths, to offer a more efficient service, with concerns to quality, quantity, security and competition in a new struggling marketplace. However, adverse circumstances within the industry and markets, forced the alliance to disband and airline shareholders decided to initiate the liquidation of Alianza Summa in November 2003, to focus in strengthening the Avianca trademark. These decisions resulted in the liquidation of ACES Colombia altogether and the acquisition of SAM Colombia, as a regional carrier under Avianca's system.
' bankruptcy protection, by obtaining confirmation of its reorganization plan, which was financially backed by the Brazil
ian consortium, OceanAir
/Synergy Group
and the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia
, allowing the airline to obtain funds for US$63 million dollars, in the 13 months following withdrawal from C-11.
The plan, with the support of 99.8% of the voting creditors and which obtained the majority endorsement of the Creditors Committee, will enter into force once the Company emerges from bankruptcy. In accordance with United States laws, the administration has the trust obligation to consider any other investment proposal until the final term expiration stipulated. Notwithstanding, such an offer, besides being better than the one that has been approved by Avianca's domestic and international creditors and confirmed today by the Court, must be final, i.e. fully financed and backed with non-reimbursable cash deposits or equivalent mechanisms. Likewise, such proposal must be binding. As known, the only investment that complies with these requirements is that of OceanAir/Synergy Group and the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia, which already makes part of the reorganization plan already voted favorably, by the creditors and confirmed by the Judge.
Synergy Group is an evidenced, credit-worthy Brazilian entrepreneurial conglomerate. Its strength lies in the oil sector, building, installing and offering maintenance to offshore oil platforms; it is currently carrying out exploration work in Brazil, Ecuador
and Colombia. Other businesses include: the extraction of gas in the United States, naval construction, telephony infrastructure, hydroelectric power plants, communications and a hydrocarbons marine exploration company, which extends throughout nine countries, with more than 5,000 workers.
It also owns and operates OceanAir, which services around thirty cities in Brazil, as well as VIP
, an airline in Ecuador, Taxi Aero, a charter airline in Brazil and the recently acquired Wayra
, in Peru
, as well as Turb Serv, dedicated to the maintenance of turbines.
In 2009, OceanAir and VIP Ecuador will be rebranded as Avianca, to consolidate as one airline, following the ambitious expansion plans of the airline.
The newly formed Holdco - which will be controlled jointly by Avianca and TACA - instantly becomes one of the region's largest airlines after Brazil's TAM and GOL , with 129 aircraft and flights to more than 100 destinations.
In November 2009, the airline's Chief Executive Fabio Villegas announced that the airline is looking to replace its Fokker 50 and Fokker 100 aircraft with newer aircraft of 100 seats or less. The 10 Fokker 50s and 15 Fokker 100s are currently operated on flights shorter than one-and-a-half hours. Aircraft manufactured by Brazil's
Embraer
, Canada's
Bombardier Aerospace
and the Airbus A318 are being considered for the replacement.
In December 2010, The airline made the decision to retire the Fokker 100 aircraft in 2011 and replace them with 10 Airbus A318 leased from GECAS from 2011-2018. The aircraft will be delivered during January to February 2011.
announced Avianca (and its subsidiary, TACA
) to become full member in mid-2012. Due to Avianca's entry into Star Alliance it has ended its codeshare agreement with Delta Air Lines
and began a new codeshare agreement with both United Airlines
and Continental Airlines
. TACA has been codesharing with United Airlines for a while now.
at El Dorado International Airport
. Its focus cities are: Medellín
, Santiago de Cali
, Cartagena de Indias and Barranquilla
, as well as Miami, where Avianca is the largest foreign carrier by number of passengers.
In May 2011, Avianca's president Fabio Villegas, announced that the airline's next goal is to finally resume flights to London
, commencing in early 2012. Avianca's fleet should be strong enough for the airline to begin services to Heathrow Airport where it already has secured landing/departure slots.
It was also confirmed that Avianca will also look to expand their limited Spanish routes such as the Medellin-Madrid schedule; it is looking at increasing the number of flights between both cities as per customer demand.
Avianca has applied to the Colombian authority "Aerocivil" for permission to fly a new Bogota
-San Salvador
-Montreal
3 flights per week using a A319 and a Bogota
-San Salvador
-Toronto
route four times per week, also using an A319. Other potential new routes include Bogota
-Panama City
-Tegucigalpa
daily; Bogota
-Havana
twice per week, and a new Cali
-Panama
-San Salvador
route daily.
The airline has also received authorization from Colombian authorities to fly to Guatemala
and El Salvador
via San Jose, Costa Rica
.
At the same time, the president of Avianca announced that the airline is seeking routes to Asia, but flights probably won't start until 2012 or later when the airline receives the 787s.
, South America
and Europe
(January 2011):
Cargo Codeshare Agreements
From 2012 Avianca will have codeshare agreements with all Star Alliance
's members:
The Boeing customer code for Avianca is 59, yielding a model number such as 787–859
, which was bombed in 1989, following orders from Pablo Escobar
to kill presidential candidate César Gaviria Trujillo. In the aftermath, it was found that Gaviria had not boarded the aircraft. Only one successful bombing has occurred in the airline's history, while most other gang related incidents were related to hijackings or shootings on board. In most hijackings, all passengers and crew members, unaffiliated with the hijacker's cause, were immediately released.
Other incidents include:
area of Bogota
. The building is located next to the Gran Estación. The current headquarters, which opened in 2009, is a 46 metres (150.9 ft) tall, 34536 sqm building with a 13800 sqm glass façade and a shading coefficient of 0.71% to allow natural air and lighting in the floors of the building. The first floor has stores and a parking area. Its previous head office was at Avenida El Dorado No. 93-30.
S.A. (corporation)
S.A. designates a particular type of corporation in various countries, mostly those employing the civil law. It originated in Spain during the 16th century. Depending on language, the abbreviation stands for various phrases meaning anonymous society, anonymous company, anonymous partnership, or...
(BVC
Bolsa de Valores de Colombia
The Bolsa de Valores de Colombia, also known as BVC, is the principal stock exchange of Colombia. It was created on July 3, 2001 by the union of three extant stock exchanges in Colombia: Bogotá Stock Exchange , Medellín Stock Exchange and Cali's Western Stock Exchange .The company maintains...
:AVA) (acronym
Acronym and initialism
Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations formed from the initial components in a phrase or a word. These components may be individual letters or parts of words . There is no universal agreement on the precise definition of the various terms , nor on written usage...
in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for Aerovías Nacionales de Colombia S.A., currently Aerovías del Continente Americano S.A.) is the flag carrier
Flag carrier
A flag carrier is a transportation company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given country, enjoys preferential rights or privileges, accorded by the government, for international operations. It may be a state-run, state-owned or private but...
airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
of Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
since December 5, 1919 when it was initially registered under the name SCADTA
SCADTA
The Colombian-German Air Transport Society , or SCADTA, was the world's second airline, and the first airline of the American continent, operating from 1919 until World War II. After the war, SCADTA merged with Colombian regional carrier Colombian Air Service , or SACO. Together, SCADTA and SACO...
. It is headquartered in Bogotá, D.C. with its hub
Airline hub
An airline hub is an airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination. It is part of a hub and spoke model, where travelers moving between airports not served by direct flights change planes en route to their destinations...
at the El Dorado International Airport
El Dorado International Airport
El Dorado International Airport is an international airport located in Bogotá, Colombia. It is the largest Latin America airport in terms of cargo movements with 593,946 tons and the third in terms of passenger traffic, only behind São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport and Mexico City's...
. Avianca is the largest airline in Colombia and a major one in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
: Avianca together with its subsidiaries has the most extended network of (both passenger and cargo) destinations in the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
and one of the largest and most modern aircraft fleet in the continent. It is wholly owned by AviancaTACA S.A., a Latin American holding company
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
established in the Panamá
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
and specialized in air transport. The company is listed in the Colombia Stock Exchange.
On October 7, 2009, it was announced that Avianca would merge with TACA
Grupo TACA
TACA is the trade name "brand" comprising a group of five independently IATA-coded and -owned Central American airlines, whose operations are combined to function as one and a number of other independently owned and IATA-coded regional airlines which code-share and feed the TACA brand system...
but both airlines have stated that each will maintain their own identity and operate separately for the moment. In 2009 Avianca turned 90 (years) making it the second world's oldest airlines still in operation; It is actually the oldest continuously operating airline in the Western Hemisphere
Western Hemisphere
The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...
.
Since April 26, 2010, OceanAir is being rebranded Avianca in the same way as it was done with SAM
SAM Colombia
SAM was a Colombian airline. The airline, with its main hub at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia, is operating domestic and international routes and is a subsidiary airline of Avianca...
years ago and it would do with other subsidiaries (for example, VIP
VIP Ecuador
VIP is an airline based at Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito, Ecuador. This airline forms part of Synergy Group jointly with Avianca in Colombia, AeroGal in Ecuador and Avianca Brazil .- History :The Ecuadorian VIP S.A...
is partially rebranded) to place Avianca as the leading airline in Latin America.
On November 10, 2010, Avianca and Taca were accepted to be part of Star Alliance
Star Alliance
Star Alliance is the world's first and largest airline alliance, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany . The alliance was founded in 1997 by five of the world's leading airlines: Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International and United Airlines...
in a process that will last around 18 months until both airlines fulfill all requirements to be official members of the Alliance . Before that happens (by April 2012), all airlines under AviancaTaca umbrella will be completely unified under an unique single brand.
SCADTA (1919–1940)
Puerto Colombia
Puerto Colombia is a town and municipality in Atlántico Department, Colombia. Famous for its "Pier of Puerto Colombia". Duties were later transferred to the larger and modern Port of Barranquilla in Bocas de Cenizas, the mouth of the Magdalena River in the Caribbean sea.-External links:...
, aboard a Junkers F.13
Junkers F.13
The Junkers F.13 was the world's first all-metal transport aircraft, developed in Germany at the end of World War I. It was an advanced cantilever-wing monoplane, with enclosed accommodation for four passengers. Over 300 were sold...
, wherein 57 pieces of mail were transported; the flight was piloted by German Helmuth von Krohn. This and another aircraft of the same type were completely mechanically constructed monoplane
Monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...
s, the engines of which had to be modified to be able to efficiently operate in the climatic conditions of the country; there were nine aircraft in the fleet with a total range of 850 km (528 mi) (525 Mi) and could carry up to four passengers and two crewmen. Due to the topographic characteristics of the country and the lack of airports at the time, two seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
s were adapted to the Junkers
Junkers
Junkers Flugzeug- und Motorenwerke AG , more commonly Junkers, was a major German aircraft manufacturer. It produced some of the world's most innovative and best-known airplanes over the course of its fifty-plus year history in Dessau, Germany. It was founded there in 1895 by Hugo Junkers,...
aircraft, in order for them to accomplish water landing
Water landing
A water landing is, in the broadest sense, any landing on a body of water. All waterfowl, those seabirds capable of flight, and some human-built vehicles are capable of landing in water as a matter of course....
s in the rivers of different towns. Using these floats, Helmuth von Krohn was able to perform the first inland flight over Colombia on 20 October 1920, following the course of the Magdalena River
Magdalena River
The Magdalena River is the principal river of Colombia, flowing northward about through the western half of the country. It takes its name from the biblical figure Mary Magdalene. It is navigable through much of its lower reaches, in spite of the shifting sand bars at the mouth of its delta, as...
; the flight took eight hours and had to make four emergency landings in the water.
Soon after the vision of the founding group had become a reality, German scientist and philanthropist
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
Peter von Bauer became interested in the airline and contributed general knowledge, capital
Financial capital
Financial capital can refer to money used by entrepreneurs and businesses to buy what they need to make their products or provide their services or to that sector of the economy based on its operation, i.e. retail, corporate, investment banking, etc....
and a tenth aircraft for the company, as well as obtaining concessions
Concession (contract)
A concession is a business operated under a contract or license associated with a degree of exclusivity in business within a certain geographical area. For example, sports arenas or public parks may have concession stands. Many department stores contain numerous concessions operated by other...
from the Colombian government to operate the country's airmail
Airmail
Airmail is mail that is transported by aircraft. It typically arrives more quickly than surface mail, and usually costs more to send...
transportation division using the airline. This new contract allowed SCADTA to thrive in a new frontier of aviation. By the mid 1920s, SCADTA, having overcome many obstacles, inaugurated its first international routes that initially covered destinations in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Regretfully, in 1924, the aircraft that both Ernesto Cortissoz and Helmuth von Krohn were piloting, crashed into an area currently known as Bocas de Ceniza in Barranquilla, causing their deaths. Despite this tragedy, the airline continued to thrive under the guidance of German Peter von Bauer until the early 1940s, where circumstances related to the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
forced him to sell his shares in the airline to the US-owned Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991...
.
National Airways of Colombia (1940–1994)
On 14 June 1940, in the city of Barranquilla, SCADTA, under ownership by United States businessmen, merged with Colombian Air Carrier SACO, (acronymAcronym and initialism
Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations formed from the initial components in a phrase or a word. These components may be individual letters or parts of words . There is no universal agreement on the precise definition of the various terms , nor on written usage...
of Servicio Aéreo Colombiano), forming the new Aerovías Nacionales de Colombia S.A. or Avianca. Five Colombians participated in this act: (Rafael María Palacio, Jacobo A. Corea, Cristobal Restrepo, Aristides Noguera) and German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
citizens Alberto Teitjen, Werner Kaemerer and Stuart Hosie, while the post of first President of Avianca was filled by Martín del Corral.
There had been decades of dedicated work and contribution to Colombia's development through actions, among which the following may be highlighted:
- In September 1920, with Fritz Hammer as pilot, Wilhem Schnurrbush as copilot and Stuart Hosie as a passenger, SCADTA accomplished its first flight between Barranquilla and Puerto BerríoPuerto BerríoPuerto Berrío is a municipality and town in the Colombian department of Antioquia.-Geography:Puerto Berrío is located in a region of Antioquia known as the Middle Magdalena...
. - On 19 October of that same year, Helmuth Von Krohn accomplished the first flight between Barranquilla and GirardotGirardot, CundinamarcaGirardot is a municipality and town of Colombia in the department of Cundinamarca. It is home to a number of recreational and vacational spots, mainly visited by people from Bogotá, as it is located at less than three hours drive from the city but enjoys a tropical climate .Girardot is the second...
and by 1921 routes between Barranquilla, Girardot and Neiva were established. - In 1922, SCADTA began to provide airmail service.
- In August 1922, General Pedro Nel OspinaPedro Nel OspinaPedro Nel Ospina Vázquez was a Colombian general and political figure. He served as president of Colombia between 1922 and 1926.- Biography:...
, then President of ColombiaPresident of ColombiaThe President of Colombia is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Colombia. The office of president was established upon the ratification of the Constitution of 1819, by the Congress of Angostura, convened in December 1819, when Colombia was part of "la Gran Colombia"...
, used a SCADTA aircraft to conduct official business for the first time. - On 19 July 1923, to save the country from bankruptcyBankruptcyBankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
, SCADTA transported a gold and currency load from Puerto BerríoPuerto BerríoPuerto Berrío is a municipality and town in the Colombian department of Antioquia.-Geography:Puerto Berrío is located in a region of Antioquia known as the Middle Magdalena...
to Girardot. - On 12 July 1928, a SCADTA Junkers F.13, commanded by Pilot Herbert Boy, crossed the EquatorEquatorAn equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and containing the sphere's center of mass....
. - On 23 July 1929, regular routes between Girardot and Bogotá were established.
- The cost of the first SCADTA air tickets were as follows: from Bogotá to Barranquilla, COP $75; from Bogotá to CartagenaCartagena, ColombiaCartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
, COP $85; from Bogotá to Cartago, COP $35; and from Bogotá to Santiago de CaliSantiago de CaliSantiago de Cali , simply referred to as Cali, is a city in western Colombia and the capital of the Valle del Cauca Department. With a population of 2.5 million, Cali is the third largest city in the country. It has one of the fastest growing economies and infrastructure in the country because...
, COP $50. - On 16 July 1931, SCADTA established the first mail service between Bogotá and New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. - In 1937, the airline acquired 10 Boeing 247Boeing 247The Boeing Model 247 was an early United States airliner, considered the first such aircraft to fully incorporate advances such as all-metal semi-monocoque construction, a fully cantilevered wing and retractable landing gear...
twin-engine aircraft, extending its domestic routes. - By October 1939, Avianca acquired the first Douglas DC-3Douglas DC-3The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
aircraft arriving in the country, flying at the then-incredible speed of 200 miles per hour. - Beginning in 1946, Avianca inaugurated flights to QuitoQuitoSan Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
, LimaLimaLima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
, Panama CityPanama CityPanama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
, Miami, New York City and finally EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, using Douglas DC-4Douglas DC-4The Douglas DC-4 is a four-engined propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960s in a military role...
and C-54 SkymasterC-54 SkymasterThe Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces and British forces in World War II and the Korean War. Besides transport of cargo, it also carried presidents, British heads of government, and military staff...
aircraft,. - In 1951, Avianca acquired the Lockheed 749 ConstellationLockheed ConstellationThe Lockheed Constellation was a propeller-driven airliner powered by four 18-cylinder radial Wright R-3350 engines. It was built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California, USA, facility. A total of 856 aircraft were produced in numerous models, all distinguished by a...
and the 1049 Super ConstellationLockheed ConstellationThe Lockheed Constellation was a propeller-driven airliner powered by four 18-cylinder radial Wright R-3350 engines. It was built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California, USA, facility. A total of 856 aircraft were produced in numerous models, all distinguished by a...
aircraft, the biggest and fastest at the time. - A grand feat in Colombian commercial aviation was also conducted by Avianca in 1956, when the airline committed to take the Colombian delegation, that was to participate in the MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
Olympic GamesOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
in AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. There were 61 hours of continuous operation, with only one stop for refueling allowed. - Four years later, in 1961, Avianca leased two Boeing 707Boeing 707The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
aircraft, to operate its international routes and on November 2, 1961, it acquired its own Boeing 720Boeing 707The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
s, baptizing them with the names Simón BolívarSimón BolívarSimón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
and Francisco de Paula SantanderFrancisco de Paula SantanderFrancisco José de Paula Santander y Omaña , was a Colombian military and political leader during the 1810–1819 independence war of the United Provinces of New Granada...
.
- 1976 was an important one for Avianca, becoming the first Latin AmericaLatin AmericaLatin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n airline to continuously operate a Boeing 747Boeing 747The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
. Three years later, it started operations with another 747, this time a 747 CombiBoeing 747The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
, mixing cargo and passenger operations. - In 1981, the possibilities for in-ground service for passengers in Bogotá expanded, thanks to the modern air terminal that Avianca commissioned: Avianca's Air BridgeEl Dorado International AirportEl Dorado International Airport is an international airport located in Bogotá, Colombia. It is the largest Latin America airport in terms of cargo movements with 593,946 tons and the third in terms of passenger traffic, only behind São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport and Mexico City's...
. The new terminal originally operated routes to Miami, New York City, Santiago de Cali, MedellínMedellínMedellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
, PastoPastoPasto, officially San Juan de Pasto, is the capital of the department of Nariño, located in southwest Colombia. The city is located in the "Atriz Valley", on the Andes cordillera, at the foot of the Galeras volcano, at an altitude of 8,290 feet above sea level...
and MonteríaMonteríaMontería is a municipality and city located in Northern Colombia and is the capital of the Department of Córdoba. The city is located away from the Caribbean, by the Sinú River. The city and region are famous for their distinct cultural heritages, which include a blend of indigenous Zenú Indians,...
. - By 1990, Avianca had acquired the most modern aircraft in the world: two Boeing 767-200ERsBoeing 767The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
, which were baptized with the names Cristóbal ColónChristopher ColumbusChristopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
and Américo VespucioAmerigo VespucciAmerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer, financier, navigator and cartographer. The Americas are generally believed to have derived their name from the feminized Latin version of his first name.-Expeditions:...
.
Avianca's System (1994–2002)
In 1994, a strategic alliance was established to merge three of the most important enterprises of the aeronautical sector of Colombia: Avianca, the regional carrier SAMSAM Colombia
SAM was a Colombian airline. The airline, with its main hub at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia, is operating domestic and international routes and is a subsidiary airline of Avianca...
and the helicopter operator Helicol
Helicol
Helicol is a helicopter operator based at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia. It is a subsidiary airline of Avianca.- History :...
, which brought life to Avianca's new system of operations. This system offered specialized services in Cargo (Avianca Cargo
Avianca Cargo
Avianca Cargo is a cargo airline based at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia. It is a subsidiary of Avianca operating cargo flights in Colombia, South America, Central America, Caribbean, North America and Europe.- Fleet :...
) and postal services, as well as the most modern fleet in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
made up of: Boeing 767-200
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
, Boeing 767-300
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
, Boeing 757-200
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
, McDonnell Douglas MD-83, Fokker 50 and Bell helicopters.
This new system covered the following destinations:
- In ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
: BogotáBogotáBogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, AraucaArauca, AraucaArauca is a municipality and capital city of the Arauca Department of Colombia. Its full name is Villa de Santa Bárbara de Arauca, it is located at N 07° 05′ 25″ - W 70° 45′ 42″. The Municipality of Arauca has a total population of 82,149 ....
, ArmeniaArmeniaArmenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
, Santiago de CaliSantiago de CaliSantiago de Cali , simply referred to as Cali, is a city in western Colombia and the capital of the Valle del Cauca Department. With a population of 2.5 million, Cali is the third largest city in the country. It has one of the fastest growing economies and infrastructure in the country because...
, MedellínMedellínMedellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
, BarranquillaBarranquillaBarranquilla is an industrial port city and municipality located in northern Colombia, near the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the Atlántico Department, it is the largest industrial city and port in the Colombian Caribbean region with a population of 1,148,506 as of 2005, which makes it Colombia's...
, BucaramangaBucaramangaBucaramanga is a Colombian city, and capital city of the department of Santander, Colombia. Bucaramanga has the fifth largest city economy and sixth largest population in Colombia, with 1,212,656 people in its metropolitan area...
, CartagenaCartagena, ColombiaCartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
, CúcutaCúcutaCúcuta is a Colombian city, capital of Norte de Santander, in the northeast of the country. Due to its proximity to the Colombian-Venezuelan border, Cúcuta is an important commercial center. The city has the constitutional category of Special District. It is located at the most active...
, Santa MartaSanta MartaSanta Marta is the capital city of the Colombian department of Magdalena in the Caribbean Region. It was founded in July 29, 1525 by the Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, which makes it the oldest remaining city in Colombia...
, Leticia, ManizalesManizalesManizales is a city and municipality in central Colombia, capital of Department of Caldas and part of the region of Colombian Coffee-Growers Axis, near the Nevado del Ruiz volcano....
, MonteríaMonteríaMontería is a municipality and city located in Northern Colombia and is the capital of the Department of Córdoba. The city is located away from the Caribbean, by the Sinú River. The city and region are famous for their distinct cultural heritages, which include a blend of indigenous Zenú Indians,...
, PastoPastoPasto, officially San Juan de Pasto, is the capital of the department of Nariño, located in southwest Colombia. The city is located in the "Atriz Valley", on the Andes cordillera, at the foot of the Galeras volcano, at an altitude of 8,290 feet above sea level...
, PereiraPereira, ColombiaPereira is the capital city of the Colombian department of Risaralda. It stands in the center of the western region of the country, located in a small valley that descends from a part of the western Andes mountain chain. Its strategic location in the coffee producing area makes the city an urban...
, PopayánPopayánPopayán is the capital of the Colombian department of Cauca. It is located in southwestern Colombia between Colombia's Western Mountain Range and Central Mountain Range...
, RiohachaRiohachaRiohacha, Rio Hacha or Rio de la Hacha , is a city in the Riohacha Municipality in the northern Caribbean Region of Colombia by the mouth of the Ranchería River and the Caribbean sea, capital city of the La Guajira Department. Founded by conquistador Nikolaus Federmann in 1535, Riohacha was named...
, San Andrés, ValleduparValleduparValledupar is a city and municipality in northeastern Colombia. It is the capital of Cesar Department and was founded in 1550 by the Spanish conquistador Hernando de Santana. Its name, Valle de Upar , was established in honor of the Amerindian cacique who ruled the valley; Cacique Upar...
, ProvidenciaProvidencia, NariñoProvidencia is a town and municipality in the Nariño Department, Colombia....
, Capurganá, Bahía SolanoBahía SolanoBahía Solano is a municipality and town in the Chocó Department, Colombia. Bahia, as it is locally known, is an economic and touristic center of coastal Choco. Bahia is home to an airport as well as seaport, and along with daily flights to and from Medellin, Quibdo, Cali, and Bogota, there are...
, NuquíNuquíNuquí is a municipality and town in the Chocó Department, Colombia....
, CaucasiaCaucasia, AntioquiaCaucasia is a municipality located in the subregion of Bajo Cauca Antioquia department, in Colombia. Bounded on the north by the department of Córdoba, in the east by the municipalities of Antioquia in Nechí and El Bagre, on the south by the municipality of Zaragoza, and west to the town of...
and ChigorodóChigorodóChigorodó is a municipality in Antioquia Department, Colombia....
. - In South AmericaSouth AmericaSouth America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
: QuitoQuitoSan Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
, GuayaquilGuayaquilGuayaquil , officially Santiago de Guayaquil , is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador,with about 2.3 million inhabitants in the city and nearly 3.1 million in the metropolitan area, as well as that nation's main port...
, Buenos AiresBuenos AiresBuenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Santiago, ChileSantiago, ChileSantiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, São PauloSão PauloSão Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, LimaLimaLima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
and CaracasCaracasCaracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
. - In North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
: Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, NewarkNewark, New JerseyNewark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Fort LauderdaleFort Lauderdale, FloridaFort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
, Miami and Mexico CityMexico CityMexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. - In EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
: MadridMadridMadrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Frankfurt am Main and LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. - In Central AmericaCentral AmericaCentral America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and the CaribbeanCaribbeanThe Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
: PanamaPanamaPanama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, San JoséSan José, Costa RicaSan José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley, San José is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and the major transportation hub of this Central American nation.Founded in 1738 by order of Cabildo de León, San...
, San JuanSan Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, CuraçaoCuraçaoCuraçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. The Country of Curaçao , which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao , is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
, Santo DomingoSanto DomingoSanto Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
and ArubaArubaAruba is a 33 km-long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, located 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela and 130 km east of Guajira Peninsula...
.
By 1996, Avianca Postal Services
Avianca Cargo
Avianca Cargo is a cargo airline based at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia. It is a subsidiary of Avianca operating cargo flights in Colombia, South America, Central America, Caribbean, North America and Europe.- Fleet :...
evolved into Deprisa
Avianca Cargo
Avianca Cargo is a cargo airline based at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia. It is a subsidiary of Avianca operating cargo flights in Colombia, South America, Central America, Caribbean, North America and Europe.- Fleet :...
, providing express mail
Express mail
In most postal systems express mail refers to an accelerated delivery service for which the customer pays a surcharge and receives faster delivery. Express mail is a service for domestic mail and is governed by a country's own postal administration...
services through its products Deprisa and Deprisa Empresarial, traditional mail, certified mail, shipment airport-to-airport and P.O. boxes
Post Office box
A post-office box or Post Office box is a uniquely addressable lockable box located on the premises of a post office station....
.
On 10 December 1998, Avianca announced the inception of a new "connections center" in Bogotá, offering around 6,000 possible weekly connecting flights and an increased number of frequencies, schedules and destinations, taking advantage of the privileged geographical location of the country's capital, for the benefit of Colombian and international travellers between South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
In addition to its Avianca Connection, and alliance partnerships, Avianca offers frequent flyer partnerships with the following airlines:
- Delta Air LinesDelta Air LinesDelta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
Summa Alliance (2002–2004)
SAM Colombia
SAM was a Colombian airline. The airline, with its main hub at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia, is operating domestic and international routes and is a subsidiary airline of Avianca...
and its major rival ACES Colombia
ACES Colombia
ACES was an airline with its headquarters in the Edificio del Cafe in Medellín, Colombia and founded on August 30, 1971 by a group of 13 Colombian entrepreneurs, amongst them, most notably Orlando Botero Escobar and German Peñaloza Arias from Manizales and Luis H...
, joined efforts to create Alianza Summa, which began merged operations on 20 May 2002. These three airlines decided to strategically merge their strengths, to offer a more efficient service, with concerns to quality, quantity, security and competition in a new struggling marketplace. However, adverse circumstances within the industry and markets, forced the alliance to disband and airline shareholders decided to initiate the liquidation of Alianza Summa in November 2003, to focus in strengthening the Avianca trademark. These decisions resulted in the liquidation of ACES Colombia altogether and the acquisition of SAM Colombia, as a regional carrier under Avianca's system.
American Continent Airways (2004–present)
On 10 December 2004, Avianca concluded one of the most important and ambitious reorganization processes, undertaken after filing for 'Chapter 11Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to every business, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most...
' bankruptcy protection, by obtaining confirmation of its reorganization plan, which was financially backed by the Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian consortium, OceanAir
OceanAir
Avianca Brazil , trademark of Oceanair Linhas Aéreas S/A, is a Brazilian airline based in São Paulo, Brazil. It operates passenger services from 23 destinations. Its main base is Guarulhos International Airport, São Paulo. Even though the legal name of the airline remains OceanAir, Avianca ...
/Synergy Group
Synergy Group
Synergy Group is a South American conglomerate owned by Bolivian-born Germán Efromovich, an entrepreneur holding dual citizenship of Colombia and Brazil. The group its headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil....
and the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia
Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia
The Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia , often abbreviated Fedecafé, is a non-profit business association, popularly known for its "Juan Valdez" marketing campaign. The federation was founded in 1927 as a business cooperative that promotes the production and exportation of Colombian coffee...
, allowing the airline to obtain funds for US$63 million dollars, in the 13 months following withdrawal from C-11.
Synergy Group is an evidenced, credit-worthy Brazilian entrepreneurial conglomerate. Its strength lies in the oil sector, building, installing and offering maintenance to offshore oil platforms; it is currently carrying out exploration work in Brazil, Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
and Colombia. Other businesses include: the extraction of gas in the United States, naval construction, telephony infrastructure, hydroelectric power plants, communications and a hydrocarbons marine exploration company, which extends throughout nine countries, with more than 5,000 workers.
It also owns and operates OceanAir, which services around thirty cities in Brazil, as well as VIP
VIP Ecuador
VIP is an airline based at Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito, Ecuador. This airline forms part of Synergy Group jointly with Avianca in Colombia, AeroGal in Ecuador and Avianca Brazil .- History :The Ecuadorian VIP S.A...
, an airline in Ecuador, Taxi Aero, a charter airline in Brazil and the recently acquired Wayra
Wayraperú
Wayraperú was an airline based at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Perú.- History :Wayraperú is the result of the joint venture between the Brazilian company OceanAir and Fondo de Inversiones Sustentables, run by entrepreneur Pedro Koechlin....
, in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, as well as Turb Serv, dedicated to the maintenance of turbines.
In 2009, OceanAir and VIP Ecuador will be rebranded as Avianca, to consolidate as one airline, following the ambitious expansion plans of the airline.
AviancaTaca alliance (since 2009)
The merger of Colombia's Avianca and Salvadoran-based TACA is the latest sign that consolidation in the Latin American airline sector is picking up. AviancaTacaThe newly formed Holdco - which will be controlled jointly by Avianca and TACA - instantly becomes one of the region's largest airlines after Brazil's TAM and GOL , with 129 aircraft and flights to more than 100 destinations.
In November 2009, the airline's Chief Executive Fabio Villegas announced that the airline is looking to replace its Fokker 50 and Fokker 100 aircraft with newer aircraft of 100 seats or less. The 10 Fokker 50s and 15 Fokker 100s are currently operated on flights shorter than one-and-a-half hours. Aircraft manufactured by Brazil's
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
Embraer
Embraer
Embraer S.A. is a Brazilian aerospace conglomerate that produces commercial, military, and executive aircraft and provides aeronautical services....
, Canada's
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Bombardier Aerospace
Bombardier Aerospace
Bombardier Aerospace is a division of Bombardier Inc. and is the third-largest airplane manufacturer in the world. It is headquartered in Dorval, Quebec, Canada.- History :...
and the Airbus A318 are being considered for the replacement.
In December 2010, The airline made the decision to retire the Fokker 100 aircraft in 2011 and replace them with 10 Airbus A318 leased from GECAS from 2011-2018. The aircraft will be delivered during January to February 2011.
Star Alliance (from 2012)
On November 10, 2010 Star AllianceStar Alliance
Star Alliance is the world's first and largest airline alliance, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany . The alliance was founded in 1997 by five of the world's leading airlines: Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International and United Airlines...
announced Avianca (and its subsidiary, TACA
Grupo TACA
TACA is the trade name "brand" comprising a group of five independently IATA-coded and -owned Central American airlines, whose operations are combined to function as one and a number of other independently owned and IATA-coded regional airlines which code-share and feed the TACA brand system...
) to become full member in mid-2012. Due to Avianca's entry into Star Alliance it has ended its codeshare agreement with Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
and began a new codeshare agreement with both United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
and Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
. TACA has been codesharing with United Airlines for a while now.
Destinations
Avianca's hub is in BogotáBogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
at El Dorado International Airport
El Dorado International Airport
El Dorado International Airport is an international airport located in Bogotá, Colombia. It is the largest Latin America airport in terms of cargo movements with 593,946 tons and the third in terms of passenger traffic, only behind São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport and Mexico City's...
. Its focus cities are: Medellín
Medellín
Medellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
, Santiago de Cali
Santiago de Cali
Santiago de Cali , simply referred to as Cali, is a city in western Colombia and the capital of the Valle del Cauca Department. With a population of 2.5 million, Cali is the third largest city in the country. It has one of the fastest growing economies and infrastructure in the country because...
, Cartagena de Indias and Barranquilla
Barranquilla
Barranquilla is an industrial port city and municipality located in northern Colombia, near the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the Atlántico Department, it is the largest industrial city and port in the Colombian Caribbean region with a population of 1,148,506 as of 2005, which makes it Colombia's...
, as well as Miami, where Avianca is the largest foreign carrier by number of passengers.
In May 2011, Avianca's president Fabio Villegas, announced that the airline's next goal is to finally resume flights to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, commencing in early 2012. Avianca's fleet should be strong enough for the airline to begin services to Heathrow Airport where it already has secured landing/departure slots.
It was also confirmed that Avianca will also look to expand their limited Spanish routes such as the Medellin-Madrid schedule; it is looking at increasing the number of flights between both cities as per customer demand.
Avianca has applied to the Colombian authority "Aerocivil" for permission to fly a new Bogota
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
-San Salvador
San Salvador
The city of San Salvador the capital and largest city of El Salvador, which has been designated a Gamma World City. Its complete name is La Ciudad de Gran San Salvador...
-Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
3 flights per week using a A319 and a Bogota
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
-San Salvador
San Salvador
The city of San Salvador the capital and largest city of El Salvador, which has been designated a Gamma World City. Its complete name is La Ciudad de Gran San Salvador...
-Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
route four times per week, also using an A319. Other potential new routes include Bogota
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
-Panama City
Panama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
-Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa , and commonly referred as Tegus , is the capital of Honduras and seat of government of the Republic, along with its twin sister Comayagüela. Founded on September 29, 1578 by the Spanish, it became the country's capital on October 30, 1880 under President Marco Aurelio Soto...
daily; Bogota
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
-Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
twice per week, and a new Cali
Calì
Calì, also written in English as Cali, is an Italian surname, widespread mainly in the Ionian side of Sicily.For the surname Calì is assumed the origin of the Greek word kalos , or from its Sanskrit root kali, "time."The surname refers to:...
-Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
-San Salvador
San Salvador
The city of San Salvador the capital and largest city of El Salvador, which has been designated a Gamma World City. Its complete name is La Ciudad de Gran San Salvador...
route daily.
The airline has also received authorization from Colombian authorities to fly to Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
and El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
via San Jose, Costa Rica
San José, Costa Rica
San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley, San José is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and the major transportation hub of this Central American nation.Founded in 1738 by order of Cabildo de León, San...
.
At the same time, the president of Avianca announced that the airline is seeking routes to Asia, but flights probably won't start until 2012 or later when the airline receives the 787s.
Subsidiaries
| Company | № of destinarions | Coming destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avianca | 69 | - | Main article: Avianca destinations Avianca destinations - North America :- Central America :- Caribbean :- South America :- Europe :- Charter Flights :- Former Destinations :: Arauca, Bahía solano, Caucasia, Capurganá, Chigorodó, Nuquí, Providencia, Quibdó, Medellín EOH.: Newark, Los Angeles.: Montevideo.: Amsterdam.: Roma.: Stockholm.: Zurich.- Future... |
| AeroGal Aerogal AeroGal is an airline based in Quito, Ecuador. It operates passenger and cargo flights within Ecuador, between the mainland and the Galápagos Islands, and between Ecuador and New York, Perú and Colombia.- History :AeroGal was established in 1986.Through a commercial agreement between AeroGal and... |
9 | - | Main article: AeroGal destinations |
| Helicol Helicol Helicol is a helicopter operator based at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia. It is a subsidiary airline of Avianca.- History :... |
? | - | Main article: Helicol destinations |
| Avianca Brazil | 22 | - | Main article: Avianca Brazil destinations Avianca Brazil destinations -Destinations:-Former Destinations:Includes destinatinations operated under the former name Oceanair.: Alta Floresta, Ji-Paraná, Manaus: Mexico City... |
| SAM SAM Colombia SAM was a Colombian airline. The airline, with its main hub at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia, is operating domestic and international routes and is a subsidiary airline of Avianca... |
See: Avianca | - | Main article: Avianca destinations Avianca destinations - North America :- Central America :- Caribbean :- South America :- Europe :- Charter Flights :- Former Destinations :: Arauca, Bahía solano, Caucasia, Capurganá, Chigorodó, Nuquí, Providencia, Quibdó, Medellín EOH.: Newark, Los Angeles.: Montevideo.: Amsterdam.: Roma.: Stockholm.: Zurich.- Future... |
| Tampa Cargo Tampa Cargo Transportes Aéreos Mercantiles Panamericanos S.A., operating as Tampa Cargo, is a cargo airline based at José María Córdova International Airport in Medellín, Colombia. It is a specialized all-cargo airline transporting flowers from Latin America to Miami, as well as general cargo throughout the... |
20 | - | Main article: Tampa Cargo destinations |
| VarigLog | 16 | - | Main article: VarigLog destinations |
| VIP VIP Ecuador VIP is an airline based at Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito, Ecuador. This airline forms part of Synergy Group jointly with Avianca in Colombia, AeroGal in Ecuador and Avianca Brazil .- History :The Ecuadorian VIP S.A... |
6 | - | Main article: VIP destinations |
| TACA Grupo TACA TACA is the trade name "brand" comprising a group of five independently IATA-coded and -owned Central American airlines, whose operations are combined to function as one and a number of other independently owned and IATA-coded regional airlines which code-share and feed the TACA brand system... |
26 | - | Main article: TACA destinations TACA destinations This is a list of airports that TACA flies to. Includes destinations served by Aviateca and Lacsa.- Central America :*Belize**Belize City - Philip S. W... |
| Lacsa Lacsa Lacsa , is the national airline of Costa Rica and is based in San José. It operates international scheduled services to over 35 destinations in Central, North and South America. All international services are now operated by Grupo TACA... |
35 | - | Main article: Lacsa destinations Lacsa destinations -Central America:*Costa Rica**San José de Costa Rica - Juan Santamaría International Airport Hub*El Salvador**San Salvador - Cuscatlan International Airport*Guatemala**Guatemala City - La Aurora International Airport*Honduras... |
| TACA Perú TACA Peru TACA Peru is an airline based in Lima, Peru. It operates domestic services and international services. Its main base is Jorge Chávez International Airport , Lima. The airline operates out of 18 airports. It is part of Grupo TACA and operates its flights with TACA's codes.- History :The airline was... |
22 | - | Main article: TACA Perú destinations TACA Peru destinations This is a list of airports that TACA Perú flies to as of February 2011. The airline serve to 29 destinations.- Central America and the Caribbean :*San José de Costa Rica - Juan Santamaría International Airport*Havana - José Martí International Airport... |
| Volaris Volaris Concesionaria Vuela Compañía de Aviación, S.A. de C.V., operating as Volaris, is a low-cost airline from Mexico, and the country's second largest airline after Aeroméxico, thus being a leading competitor in the Mexican domestic market, with a market share of around 13-14% of domestic... |
27 | - | Main article: Volaris destinations Volaris destinations -North America: Mexico Aguascalientes**Aguascalientes - Lic. Jesús Terán Peredo International Airport Baja California**Mexicali - General Rodolfo Sánchez Taboada International Airport**Tijuana - General Abelardo L... |
| Aviateca Aviateca Aviateca was the state-owned flag carrier of Guatemala, headquartered in Guatemala City. It is now a subsidiary of Grupo TACA.- History :The airline was established on 14 March 1945 as Empresa Guatemalteca de Aviación S. A., which was shortened to Aviateca. It was formed as the successor to... |
5 | - | Main article: Aviateca destinations |
| Aeroperlas Aeroperlas Aeroperlas is an airline based in Panama City, Panama. It is a regional airline operating over 50 daily flights to 15 domestic destinations, as well as charter flights. It operates services as part of the Grupo TACA Regional Airlines system. Its main base is Marcos A... |
12 | - | Main article: Aeroperlas destinations |
| Isleña | 10 | - | Main article: Isleña destinations |
| La Costeña La Costeña La Costeña is an airline based in Managua, Nicaragua. It operates passenger services from Managua to eight domestic destinations as part of the Grupo TACA regional system. Its main base is Augusto C. Sandino International Airport, Managua.-History:... |
10 | - | Main article: La Costeña destinations |
| Sansa | 15 | - | Main article: Sansa destinations |
Frequent Flier Program
Avianca launched their new LifeMiles programme in 2011, replacing the old AviancaPlus system for frequent fliers. The levels include Silver, Gold and Diamond, replacing the old AviancaPlus Basic, AviancaPlus Gold, AviancaPlus Platinum, and AviancaPlus Platinum Executive levels. The new LifeMiles system also incorporates TACA passengers' flights, unifying the two rewards systems as a result of Avianca's recent purchase of TACA.Codeshare agreements
Avianca currently maintains codeshare agreements with airlines in North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
(January 2011):
|
Cargo Codeshare Agreements
From 2012 Avianca will have codeshare agreements with all Star Alliance
Star Alliance
Star Alliance is the world's first and largest airline alliance, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany . The alliance was founded in 1997 by five of the world's leading airlines: Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International and United Airlines...
's members:
Fleet
As of February 2011, the Avianca fleet consists of the following aircraft:| Aircraft | In Fleet | Orders | Options | Passengers | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | Y | Total | |||||
| Airbus A318-100 | 10 | - | — | 12 | 88 | 100 | |
| Airbus A319-100 Airbus A320 family The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001... |
10 | 11 | 14 | 12 | 108 | 120 | |
| Airbus A320-200 Airbus A320 family The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001... |
24 | 27 | 16 | 12 | 138 | 150 | |
| Airbus A330-200 | 7 | 3 | 15 | 30 | 222 | 252 | |
| Airbus A350-900 | — | 10 | 10 | First delivery scheduled for 2015. South American Launch customer |
|||
| Boeing 787-8 | — | 12 | 8 | First delivery scheduled for 2012. |
|||
| Fokker 50 | 10 | - | - | - | 52 | 52 | Exit Service 2012 |
| Avianca Cargo Fleet | |||||||
| Airbus A330-200F | — | 4 | — | To be operated by Tampa Cargo | |||
| Boeing 767-200F Boeing 767 The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail... |
4 | — | — | Operated by Tampa Cargo | |||
| Boeing 767-300F Boeing 767 The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail... |
1 | — | — | Operated by Tampa Cargo | |||
| Total | 66 | 68 | |||||
The Boeing customer code for Avianca is 59, yielding a model number such as 787–859
Retired
EWLINE
|
| ||
| Aircraft | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation Lockheed Constellation The Lockheed Constellation was a propeller-driven airliner powered by four 18-cylinder radial Wright R-3350 engines. It was built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California, USA, facility. A total of 856 aircraft were produced in numerous models, all distinguished by a... |
1958 | 1968 | - |
| Lockheed L-749 Constellation Lockheed Constellation The Lockheed Constellation was a propeller-driven airliner powered by four 18-cylinder radial Wright R-3350 engines. It was built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California, USA, facility. A total of 856 aircraft were produced in numerous models, all distinguished by a... |
1956 | 1968 | - |
| Douglas C-54 Skymaster C-54 Skymaster The Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces and British forces in World War II and the Korean War. Besides transport of cargo, it also carried presidents, British heads of government, and military staff... |
1948 | 1975 | - |
| Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar C-60 | ? | ? | - |
| Douglas DC-4 Douglas DC-4 The Douglas DC-4 is a four-engined propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960s in a military role... |
1945 | 1970 | - |
| Douglas DC-3 Douglas DC-3 The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made... |
1939 | 1975 | - |
| Boeing 247 Boeing 247 The Boeing Model 247 was an early United States airliner, considered the first such aircraft to fully incorporate advances such as all-metal semi-monocoque construction, a fully cantilevered wing and retractable landing gear... D |
? | ? | - |
| Junkers Ju 52 Junkers Ju 52 The Junkers Ju 52 was a German transport aircraft manufactured from 1932 to 1945. It saw both civilian and military service during the 1930s and 1940s. In a civilian role, it flew with over 12 air carriers including Swissair and Deutsche Luft Hansa as an airliner and freight hauler... |
? | ? | - |
| Fokker Super Universal Fokker Super Universal |-References:NotesBibliography* Dierikx, Marc. Fokker: A Transatlantic Biography. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1997. ISBN 1-56098-735-9.... |
? | ? | - |
| Ford Trimotor 5-AT-DS Ford Trimotor The Ford Trimotor was an American three-engined transport plane that was first produced in 1925 by the companies of Henry Ford and that continued to be produced until June 7, 1933. Throughout its time in production, a total of 199 Ford Trimotors were produced... |
? | ? | - |
| Sikorsky S-38 Sikorsky S-38 -See also:... |
? | ? | - |
| de Havilland Tiger Moth De Havilland Tiger Moth The de Havilland DH 82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and was operated by the Royal Air Force and others as a primary trainer. The Tiger Moth remained in service with the RAF until replaced by the de Havilland Chipmunk in 1952, when many of the surplus aircraft... |
? | ? | - |
| de Havilland Giant Moth | ? | ? | - |
| Junkers W 34 | ? | ? | - |
| Junkers W 33 Junkers W 33 The Junkers W 33 was a German-built singled-engine transport aircraft. It was aerodynamically and structurally advanced for its time , a clean, low-wing all metal cantilever monoplane. Almost 200 were produced... |
? | ? | - |
| Dornier Do J Dornier Do J The Dornier Do J Wal was a twin-engine German flying boat of the 1920s designed by Dornier Flugzeugwerke. The Do J was designated the Do 16 by the Reich Air Ministry under its aircraft designation system of 1933.... |
? | ? | - |
| Dornier Merkur | ? | ? | - |
| Dornier Komet Dornier Komet -External links:... |
? | ? | - |
| Junkers F.13 Junkers F.13 The Junkers F.13 was the world's first all-metal transport aircraft, developed in Germany at the end of World War I. It was an advanced cantilever-wing monoplane, with enclosed accommodation for four passengers. Over 300 were sold... |
1919 | ? | - |
Incidents and accidents
The airline suffered a few incidents during the 1980s and early 1990s. Many were caused by warring gangs, under the assumption that a member of a rival gang was aboard. The deadliest of those incidents was Avianca Flight 203Avianca Flight 203
Avianca Airlines Flight 203 was a Colombian domestic passenger flight from El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá to Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport in Cali. It was destroyed by a bomb over the municipality of Soacha on November 27, 1989....
, which was bombed in 1989, following orders from Pablo Escobar
Pablo Escobar
Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria was a Colombian drug lord. He was an elusive cocaine trafficker and rich and successful criminal. He owned numerous luxury residences, automobiles, and even airplanes...
to kill presidential candidate César Gaviria Trujillo. In the aftermath, it was found that Gaviria had not boarded the aircraft. Only one successful bombing has occurred in the airline's history, while most other gang related incidents were related to hijackings or shootings on board. In most hijackings, all passengers and crew members, unaffiliated with the hijacker's cause, were immediately released.
Other incidents include:
- On 21 January 1960, Avianca Flight 671Avianca Flight 671Avianca Flight 671 was a flight using a Lockheed Constellation that crashed and burned on landing at Montego Bay, Jamaica, on January 21, 1960, killing 37 people, making it the worst accident in Jamaican aviation history. This was the first accident for the Colombian national airline Avianca...
, a Lockheed L-1049E, crashed and burned on landing at Montego Bay International Airport in Jamaica, killing 37 aboard. - On 15 January 1966, Avianca Flight 4Avianca Flight 4Avianca Flight 4 was a flight from Cartagena, Colombia to Bogotá, Colombia. After takeoff, as soon as the aircraft hit 100 ft, it stalled and crashed into shallow water. After an investigation that lasted 14 months, it was determined that possible engine failure was to blame as well as poor...
crashed shortly after takeoff from Cartagena-CrespoRafael Núñez International AirportRafael Núñez International Airport is an airport located in the city of Cartagena, Colombia. It is the second largest airport on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, and the largest in the region in terms of passenger movement....
. The cause was determined as maintenance problems, possibly compounded by pilot error. - Avianca Flight 011Avianca Flight 011Avianca Flight 011, registration HK-2910 , was a Boeing 747-283B on an international scheduled passenger flight from Frankfurt via Paris, Madrid, and Caracas to Bogotá....
, a Boeing 747-200Boeing 747The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
that crashed onto a mountain, just short of landing at Barajas Airport in MadridMadridMadrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, in November 1983 had 181 fatalities. The cause was determined to be pilot errorPilot errorPilot error is a term used to describe the cause of an accident involving an airworthy aircraft where the pilot is considered to be principally or partially responsible...
. - On 21 May 1970, a Douglas DC-3Douglas DC-3The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
of Avianca was hijackAircraft hijackingAircraft hijacking is the unlawful seizure of an aircraft by an individual or a group. In most cases, the pilot is forced to fly according to the orders of the hijackers. Occasionally, however, the hijackers have flown the aircraft themselves, such as the September 11 attacks of 2001...
ed to Yariguíes AirportYariguíes Airport-Accidents and incidents:*On 21 May 1970, a Douglas DC-3 of Avianca was hijacked to Yariguíes Airport whilst on a flight from El Alcaraván Airport, Yopal to Alberto Lleras Carmargo Airport, Sogamoso. The hijackers had demanded to be taken to Cuba....
, BarrancabermejaBarrancabermejaBarrancabermeja is a city and municipality in Santander Department, in northeastern Colombia. It is located on the banks of the Magdalena River in the Middle Magdalena region, 110 km west of Bucaramanga. Founded in 1536, Barrancabermeja is home of the biggest petroleum refinery in Colombia,...
whilst on a flight from El Alcaraván AirportEl Alcaraván Airport- Airlines and destinations :-Accidents and incidents:*On 25 October 1976, Douglas C-47 HK-149 of Taxi Aéreo El Venado crashed on approach. The aircraft was on a domestic scheduled passenger flight. Shortly after take-off, the port engine failed and the decision was made to return to El Alcaraván....
, YopalYopalYopal is a municipality and capital city of the department of Casanare in Colombia.- Geographic information :*Population: 84 293 inhabitants*Elevation: 350 m*Extensión: 2,771 km²*Distance from Bogotá: 387 km*Median temperature: 26 °C-External links:...
to Alberto Lleras Carmargo Airport, SogamosoSogamosoSogamoso is a city in the Boyacá department of Colombia.The origin of Sogamoso goes back in the cosmogony, Chibcha, to the creation of the Sun. In the valley of Iraca the Sun was born...
. The hijackers had demanded to be taken to CubaCubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. - On 29 July 1972, Douglas C-53s HK-107 and HK-1341 were involved in a mid-air collision over the Las Palomas Mountains. Both aircraft crashed, killing 21 people on HK-107 and 17 people on HK-1341. Both aircraft were operating domestic scheduled passenger flights from La Vanguardia AirportLa Vanguardia Airport-Accidents and incidents:*On 6 June 1985, Douglas C-53D HK-1340 of LACOL Colombia crashed shortly after take-off after the starboard engine failed while the aircraft was on a cargo flight. The aircraft was probably overloaded and it caught fire after crashing into trees...
, VillavicencioVillavicencioVillavicencio is a city and municipality in Colombia, capital of the Department of Meta, with 361,058 inhabitants. The city is located at 4°08S, 73°40W, 75 km southeast of the Colombian capital city of Bogotá by the Guatiquía river...
to El Yopal Airport. - On 22 August 1973, Douglas DC-3ADouglas DC-3The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
HK-111 crashed into a hill near Casanare, Colombia, killing 16 of the 17 people on board. The aircraft was operating a domestic scheduled passenger flight from La Vanguardia AirportLa Vanguardia Airport-Accidents and incidents:*On 6 June 1985, Douglas C-53D HK-1340 of LACOL Colombia crashed shortly after take-off after the starboard engine failed while the aircraft was on a cargo flight. The aircraft was probably overloaded and it caught fire after crashing into trees...
, VillavicencioVillavicencioVillavicencio is a city and municipality in Colombia, capital of the Department of Meta, with 361,058 inhabitants. The city is located at 4°08S, 73°40W, 75 km southeast of the Colombian capital city of Bogotá by the Guatiquía river...
to El Alcaraván AirportEl Alcaraván Airport- Airlines and destinations :-Accidents and incidents:*On 25 October 1976, Douglas C-47 HK-149 of Taxi Aéreo El Venado crashed on approach. The aircraft was on a domestic scheduled passenger flight. Shortly after take-off, the port engine failed and the decision was made to return to El Alcaraván....
, YopalYopalYopal is a municipality and capital city of the department of Casanare in Colombia.- Geographic information :*Population: 84 293 inhabitants*Elevation: 350 m*Extensión: 2,771 km²*Distance from Bogotá: 387 km*Median temperature: 26 °C-External links:...
. - On 12 August 1974, Douglas C-47 HK-508 flew into Trujillo Mountain killing all 27 people on board. The aircraft was on a domestic scheduled passenger flight from El Dorado AirportEl Dorado International AirportEl Dorado International Airport is an international airport located in Bogotá, Colombia. It is the largest Latin America airport in terms of cargo movements with 593,946 tons and the third in terms of passenger traffic, only behind São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport and Mexico City's...
, BogotáBogotáBogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
to La Florida AirportLa Florida Airport (Colombia)La Florida Airport is an airport in Tumaco, Colombia....
, TumacoTumacoTumaco is a port city and municipality in the Nariño Department, Colombia, by the Pacific Ocean. It is located on the southwestern of Colombia, near to border with Ecuador, and enjoys of hot tropical climate...
. - On 17 March 1988, Avianca Flight 410Avianca Flight 410Avianca Flight 410 was a flight that crashed at 13:17 on March 17, 1988, near Cúcuta, Colombia. The aircraft was a Boeing 727-21 operated by Avianca, the national airline of Colombia. Flight 410 was a regular scheduled domestic passenger flight from Cúcuta-Camilo Daza International Airport to...
, a Boeing 727Boeing 727The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
domestic flight, crashed into low mountains near Cúcuta - Norte de Santander, Colombia, after take-off, killing all 143 on board. It was determined that pilot error was also the cause of this crash, in a situation similar to that of Avianca Flight 011Avianca Flight 011Avianca Flight 011, registration HK-2910 , was a Boeing 747-283B on an international scheduled passenger flight from Frankfurt via Paris, Madrid, and Caracas to Bogotá....
, five years earlier. - On 25 January 1990, Avianca Flight 52Avianca Flight 52Avianca Flight 52 was a regularly scheduled flight from Bogotá to New York via Medellín, Colombia. On Thursday, January 25, 1990, the aircraft performing this flight, a Boeing 707-321B registered as , crashed into the village of Cove Neck, Long Island, New York after running out of fuel...
, a Boeing 707-320Boeing 707The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
jet en route from Bogotá to New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
via MedellínMedellínMedellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
, crashed in the town of Cove Neck, New YorkCove Neck, New YorkThe Village of Cove Neck is a village located within the town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 286 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, after running out of fuel while in a holding patternHolding (aviation)In aviation, holding is a maneuver designed to delay an aircraft already in flight while keeping it within a specified airspace.-Implementation:...
, awaiting landing at New York's Kennedy Airport, killing 73 of the 158 people aboard. There was much controversy surrounding this crash. - On 26 April 1990, 19th of April Movement19th of April MovementThe 19th of April Movement or M-19, was a Colombian guerrilla movement. After its demobilization it became a political party, the M-19 Democratic Alliance , or AD/M-19.The M-19 traced its origins to the allegedly fraudulent presidential elections of 19 April 1970...
presidential candidate Carlos Pizarro was gunned down during a domestic Avianca flight.
Headquarters
Avianca's current headquarters is on Avenida El Dorado and between Avenida la Esmeralda and Gobernación de Cundinamarca, located in the Ciudad SalitreCiudad Salitre
Ciudad Salitre is a neighborhood of Bogotá, Colombia.The Avianca headquarters are located in the neighborhood....
area of Bogota
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
. The building is located next to the Gran Estación. The current headquarters, which opened in 2009, is a 46 metres (150.9 ft) tall, 34536 sqm building with a 13800 sqm glass façade and a shading coefficient of 0.71% to allow natural air and lighting in the floors of the building. The first floor has stores and a parking area. Its previous head office was at Avenida El Dorado No. 93-30.
Popular culture
- Footage of the wreckage of Avianca Flight 052 was used in the 2004 film2004 in filmThe year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
The Day After TomorrowThe Day After TomorrowThe Day After Tomorrow is a 2004 American science-fiction disaster film that depicts the catastrophic effects of global warming in a series of extreme weather events that usher in global cooling which leads to a new ice age. The film did well at the box office, grossing $542,771,772 internationally...
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