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TAME (airline)
Encyclopedia
TAME Línea Aérea del Ecuador, commonly referred to as Tame, is the Ecuadorian airline
with its headquarters located in Quito
, Ecuador
. The airline was founded on December 17, 1962. One of its objectives is to offer air transport for people and freight services to various cities in Ecuador as well as in one city in Colombia, Cali
and one in Panama, Panama City
. Moreover, TAME offers charter flights to: Cartagena, San Andres, Punta Cana, Jamaica, Havana, Varadero and Curaçao, TAME works alongside several tour operators: Decameron, Viamerica, Feritur, PGV and Maxitravel. The company has expanded its domestic routes and renovated its fleet with new models, such as Airbus A320 and A319, as well as Embraer 170 and 190, with this new fleet TAME covers various routes in Ecuador and at an international level, the airline offers scheduled flights as well as charter flights.
to finance itself and the decision to offer transport services to the most remote regions of the country.
There was a pressing need to achieve a high standard in the training skills of the Air Force pilots, which also meant great expenses in the training. Another important reason was that national integration was essential, especially in the most remote regions of the country, where the communication channels were minimal or nonexistent.
Therefore, these factors inspired Colonel Luis A. Ortega to propose the creation of an Ecuadorian Air Force Airline. The dissertation he wrote in order to obtain his promotion to Mayor included the organizational outline, operation costs, routes and the objectives of the airline.
The Colonel’s proposal had the complete support of the Commanding General of the Ecuadorian Air Force, Colonel Guillermo Freile Posso, who gave the authorization to start the creation of TAME. As Colonel Ortega recalls “Our goals have always been ambitious, we want to work with energy and dedication in order to place TAME as the most important airline in Ecuador.”
Gradually, TAME grew both in infrastructure and clients. The resources obtained from the most profitable routes were invested in the improvement of the fleet, facilities and other necessary elements needed in order to have an adequate operation of the airline.
When the retired General Jose Montesinos talks about TAME’s first years, he remembers with nostalgia how “In 1960, we held the rank of Major, we were pilots of the Dakota C-47 plane, it had lateral seats and the noncommissioned officers worked as flight attendants.”
On December 4, 1962; Majors Luis A. Ortega, Hector Granja, Eduardo Sandoval, Alfredo Barreiro, Oswaldo Lara, Julio Espinosa, Teodoro Malo and Jose Montesinos were young pilots at the Ecuadorian Air Force when they flew TAME’s inauguration flights.
It seems quite surreal now to remember that the first reception lounge was made up of furniture which belonged to the officers' mess
of the 1st air area. Likewise, the uncomfortable seats of the Dakota C-47 had to be adapted in order to provide comfort to the passengers. These limited beginnings in the infrastructure, now create a great contrast with the progress TAME has made throughout the years. Now TAME is a modern airline, it offers a good service and has a complete and efficient fleet.
TAME has consolidated its service and image throughout the years. TAME replaced the DC-3 and DC-6 planes and later on the Avro and Electra planes.
At the beginning, passengers’ attention was precarious, the airline could not print tickets and the Ecuadorian Air Force Paymaster only gave a receipt at the moment of boarding the plane. There has been so many changes in the last 46 years; nowadays, TAME is the pioneering airline in matters of pre-check in, thus, relieving the passengers from waiting in the endless lines that are formed in front of the counters.
TAME, given the growing demand for its service, found itself in the situation where they had to buy 4 Lockheed L 188 Electra Jet Prop, a four-engine plane. These planes allowed TAME to take a great leap forward in its development and thus, being able to direct the necessary financial resources in order to capitalize its progress in the future. The L-188 Electra had previously been owned by Ecuatoriana de Aviación, the now non-existing Ecuadorian airline.
By the end of the 70s and beginnings of the 80s, TAME added to its fleet 3 Boeing 727-100. During mid-80s and up until 1992, Tame was able to acquire 4 Boeing 727-200 through a strategic internal expansion and service.
In 1986, TAME added to its fleet 3 Fokker F28 Fellowship 4000.
Once TAME had these planes in its fleet, plus all the experience the pilots and crew were able to obtain from the charter flights they offered to various cities around the world, TAME started to take a peek into the International air service.
In December 1998, TAME, in an unimaginable effort, gave a great leap forward in matters of quality and quantity proportions, through the rental of the Boeing 757-200. This new equipment allowed TAME to confront the following years of constant demand with innovative systems. TAME, Ecuador’s airline started a renovation process of its fleet in 2000.
The first step taken towards this goal was in the incorporation of two Airbus A320 planes that TAME rented for a five-year period. These planes were delivered at the European Corporation Assemble factory, in Toulouse, they are the manufacturers of these modern planes. The main roof these planes are: Quito
, Guayaquil
and Galapagos, starting September 24, 2003. At the same time these planes were acquired, TAME started the gradual withdrawal of the Boeing 727-100 and 200, given that these planes had already worked their productive lives.
Finally, after a long process that took 35 months, TAME has completed 75% of the renovation process of its fleet. This process took such an extensive period of time due to the fact that there were 10 months where the company studied, analyzed and compared various types of planes that would meet all the requirements needed to fly through the difficult routes that the company offers. These studies lead to the decision of the Board of Directors to acquire Embraer’s 170/190 planes. This decision implied a letter of intent of purchase of 2 models of the 170 series and 1 of the 190 series, while at the same time keeping open the possibility to acquire 4 more planes of the 190 series, all of these from the Brazilian manufacturer.
The following two years were the time needed in order to carry out all the legal dispositions applicable to the state-owned airline.
TAME now has 9 brand new planes: 3 Airbus A 320-233Y and 1 Airbus A 319. In March 2006, the first 2 Embraer ERJ-170 arrived, then in June 2006, the first Embraer ERJ-190. Later that year, on December 2007, two more models of the ERJ-190 arrived to the country..
In 2008, 3 A320 were returned to the lesser due to the increase of the lease of the planes. In replacement for these planes, TAME received two Airbus A320.
On August 25, 2008, one Airbus A319 was incorporated into the fleet, which increased the TAME’s fleet capacity. Two months later, TAME received an Airbus A320, which replaced one of the original A320. On August 25, 2009; TAME received a brand new Airbus A320, with this plane; TAME finished its fleet renovation process. This plane came with TAME’s new colors and logo, this is proof of TAME’s image of modernization.
TAME currently serves 13 cities in Ecuador,(Cali), in Colombia, (Havana) in Cuba and one city (Panama City) in Panama All destinations are served from the main hub in Quito (UIO) and the secondary hub in Guayaquil (GYE), except the flight to Cali which stops at Tulcan.
Domestic
International
Past
TAME, the Ecuadorian Airline started its regular international flights on April 30, 1966 by flying to the following destinations: Havana, Panama and Santiago de Chile. In 1997, TAME transported passengers to Los Angeles, Taipei and Hong Kong through Panama, these flights were possible due to an agreement signed between TAME and EVA AIR from Taiwan. In 1995, TAME flew connecting flights: Quito-Bogotá-Quito, 3 days a week, for Air France passengers.
On December 1992, the governments of Ecuador and Colombia signed the Frontier Integration Agreement and they established the following route: Quito-Esmeraldas (Tachina)-Cali-Esmeraldas (Tachina)-Quito. This route was important because it meant a great leap in the route expansion.
As of December 1, 2010 TAME began regular flights from Quito - Panama - Quito and Guayaquil - Panama - Guayaquil on board its new Airbus A320 at the frequency of 6 flights per week (3 from Quito and 3 from Guayaquil)
TAME has a quite an extensive space in the International Airport “Mariscal Sucre” in order to provide maintenance for its planes.
This space is especially designed for planes that require routine inspections or have mechanical or electronic problems, plane that may require engineer repairs, internal modifications, motor change, etc.
The fleet renewal was an important step at improving the safety record of the airline. It was determined that the aging Boeing 727 jets were best replaced by the Airbus A320 family, and the Fokker F28 aircraft by Embraer E-170 and E-190 jets. On June 30, 2009, HC-BZS operated its last revenue flight between Guayaquil and Quito, ending the era of the Boeing 727[3]. The replacement, Airbus A320 HC-CID began operations on August 27, 2009, as a consequence TAME now operates a fleet of 4 A320 family and 5 Embraer jets.
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...
with its headquarters located in Quito
Quito
San 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...
, 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...
. The airline was founded on December 17, 1962. One of its objectives is to offer air transport for people and freight services to various cities in Ecuador as well as in one city in Colombia, 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:...
and one in Panama, 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...
. Moreover, TAME offers charter flights to: Cartagena, San Andres, Punta Cana, Jamaica, Havana, Varadero and Curaçao, TAME works alongside several tour operators: Decameron, Viamerica, Feritur, PGV and Maxitravel. The company has expanded its domestic routes and renovated its fleet with new models, such as Airbus A320 and A319, as well as Embraer 170 and 190, with this new fleet TAME covers various routes in Ecuador and at an international level, the airline offers scheduled flights as well as charter flights.
History
The creation of TAME is the result of a clever fusion between the need for the Ecuadorian Air ForceEcuadorian Air Force
The Ecuadorian Air Force is the Air arm of the Military of Ecuador and responsible for the protection of the Ecuadorian airspace.-Mission:To develop the military air wing, in order to execute institutional objectives which guarantee sovereignty and contribute towards the nation's security and...
to finance itself and the decision to offer transport services to the most remote regions of the country.
There was a pressing need to achieve a high standard in the training skills of the Air Force pilots, which also meant great expenses in the training. Another important reason was that national integration was essential, especially in the most remote regions of the country, where the communication channels were minimal or nonexistent.
Therefore, these factors inspired Colonel Luis A. Ortega to propose the creation of an Ecuadorian Air Force Airline. The dissertation he wrote in order to obtain his promotion to Mayor included the organizational outline, operation costs, routes and the objectives of the airline.
The Colonel’s proposal had the complete support of the Commanding General of the Ecuadorian Air Force, Colonel Guillermo Freile Posso, who gave the authorization to start the creation of TAME. As Colonel Ortega recalls “Our goals have always been ambitious, we want to work with energy and dedication in order to place TAME as the most important airline in Ecuador.”
Gradually, TAME grew both in infrastructure and clients. The resources obtained from the most profitable routes were invested in the improvement of the fleet, facilities and other necessary elements needed in order to have an adequate operation of the airline.
First flights
The memories of that first flight in December, 1962 are still present in the minds of those who have closely followed TAME’s trajectory, the commercial airline that in its 46 years has become the most prestigious representative of airfreight of Ecuador at an international standard. The first flight was directed by Teodoro Malo, the route was Quito-Esmeraldas-Bahía-Manta- Guayaquil-Cuenca-Quito.When the retired General Jose Montesinos talks about TAME’s first years, he remembers with nostalgia how “In 1960, we held the rank of Major, we were pilots of the Dakota C-47 plane, it had lateral seats and the noncommissioned officers worked as flight attendants.”
On December 4, 1962; Majors Luis A. Ortega, Hector Granja, Eduardo Sandoval, Alfredo Barreiro, Oswaldo Lara, Julio Espinosa, Teodoro Malo and Jose Montesinos were young pilots at the Ecuadorian Air Force when they flew TAME’s inauguration flights.
It seems quite surreal now to remember that the first reception lounge was made up of furniture which belonged to the officers' mess
Mess
A mess is the place where military personnel socialise, eat, and live. In some societies this military usage has extended to other disciplined services eateries such as civilian fire fighting and police forces. The root of mess is the Old French mes, "portion of food" A mess (also called a...
of the 1st air area. Likewise, the uncomfortable seats of the Dakota C-47 had to be adapted in order to provide comfort to the passengers. These limited beginnings in the infrastructure, now create a great contrast with the progress TAME has made throughout the years. Now TAME is a modern airline, it offers a good service and has a complete and efficient fleet.
TAME has consolidated its service and image throughout the years. TAME replaced the DC-3 and DC-6 planes and later on the Avro and Electra planes.
At the beginning, passengers’ attention was precarious, the airline could not print tickets and the Ecuadorian Air Force Paymaster only gave a receipt at the moment of boarding the plane. There has been so many changes in the last 46 years; nowadays, TAME is the pioneering airline in matters of pre-check in, thus, relieving the passengers from waiting in the endless lines that are formed in front of the counters.
Logo
TAME’s colors are blue, light blue and gold, which is a decorative element. The former logo symbolized the flight of a bird, it had a sun as its background and the design used to be located in the planes’ tail. The logo was created by Luis A. Ortega, who created and developed the logo at the beginning of TAME’s life. Over a year ago, TAME decided to renovate its image, it was due to this reason that TAME decided to undergo an extension branding program with the help of the advertising companies LAFACULTAD and ALMA. This program integrates all the processes for the projection of the brand, from the smallest details, such as stickers, to the implementation of the logo in the planes such renovation will be implemented gradually. The renovation of the graphic design was in charge of the advertising agency “La Facultad”. The agency was able to conceptualize the new emblem; it is the representation of a bird in an ascending flight. A new light blue color replaced the formerly used dark blue, thus, symbolizing the renovation of the airline’s fleet.Fleet History
TAME is a successful company, which is visible in its infrastructure growth. During its early beginnings, they conducted domestic air flights with C-47 planes. Over the next couple of years, DC-3 and DC-6 planes were incorporated, and then in 1970, two HS-748 Avro were acquired.TAME, given the growing demand for its service, found itself in the situation where they had to buy 4 Lockheed L 188 Electra Jet Prop, a four-engine plane. These planes allowed TAME to take a great leap forward in its development and thus, being able to direct the necessary financial resources in order to capitalize its progress in the future. The L-188 Electra had previously been owned by Ecuatoriana de Aviación, the now non-existing Ecuadorian airline.
By the end of the 70s and beginnings of the 80s, TAME added to its fleet 3 Boeing 727-100. During mid-80s and up until 1992, Tame was able to acquire 4 Boeing 727-200 through a strategic internal expansion and service.
In 1986, TAME added to its fleet 3 Fokker F28 Fellowship 4000.
Once TAME had these planes in its fleet, plus all the experience the pilots and crew were able to obtain from the charter flights they offered to various cities around the world, TAME started to take a peek into the International air service.
In December 1998, TAME, in an unimaginable effort, gave a great leap forward in matters of quality and quantity proportions, through the rental of the Boeing 757-200. This new equipment allowed TAME to confront the following years of constant demand with innovative systems. TAME, Ecuador’s airline started a renovation process of its fleet in 2000.
The first step taken towards this goal was in the incorporation of two Airbus A320 planes that TAME rented for a five-year period. These planes were delivered at the European Corporation Assemble factory, in Toulouse, they are the manufacturers of these modern planes. The main roof these planes are: Quito
Quito
San 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...
, Guayaquil
Guayaquil
Guayaquil , 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...
and Galapagos, starting September 24, 2003. At the same time these planes were acquired, TAME started the gradual withdrawal of the Boeing 727-100 and 200, given that these planes had already worked their productive lives.
Finally, after a long process that took 35 months, TAME has completed 75% of the renovation process of its fleet. This process took such an extensive period of time due to the fact that there were 10 months where the company studied, analyzed and compared various types of planes that would meet all the requirements needed to fly through the difficult routes that the company offers. These studies lead to the decision of the Board of Directors to acquire Embraer’s 170/190 planes. This decision implied a letter of intent of purchase of 2 models of the 170 series and 1 of the 190 series, while at the same time keeping open the possibility to acquire 4 more planes of the 190 series, all of these from the Brazilian manufacturer.
The following two years were the time needed in order to carry out all the legal dispositions applicable to the state-owned airline.
TAME now has 9 brand new planes: 3 Airbus A 320-233Y and 1 Airbus A 319. In March 2006, the first 2 Embraer ERJ-170 arrived, then in June 2006, the first Embraer ERJ-190. Later that year, on December 2007, two more models of the ERJ-190 arrived to the country..
In 2008, 3 A320 were returned to the lesser due to the increase of the lease of the planes. In replacement for these planes, TAME received two Airbus A320.
On August 25, 2008, one Airbus A319 was incorporated into the fleet, which increased the TAME’s fleet capacity. Two months later, TAME received an Airbus A320, which replaced one of the original A320. On August 25, 2009; TAME received a brand new Airbus A320, with this plane; TAME finished its fleet renovation process. This plane came with TAME’s new colors and logo, this is proof of TAME’s image of modernization.
Destinations
Domestic
- Baltra (Seymour AirportSeymour AirportSeymour Airport is an airport serving the island of Baltra, one of the Galápagos Islands in Ecuador.- Facilities :The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level...
) - CocaCocaCoca, Erythroxylum coca, is a plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. The plant plays a significant role in many traditional Andean cultures...
(Francisco de Orellana AirportFrancisco de Orellana AirportFrancisco de Orellana Airport is an airport serving Puerto Francisco de Orellana , a city in the province of Orellana in Ecuador.- Facilities :...
) - CuencaCuenca, EcuadorCuenca is the capital of the Azuay Province. It is located in the highlands of Ecuador at about 2500 m above sea level...
(Mariscal Lamar AirportMariscal Lamar AirportMariscal Lamar International Airport is an airport serving Cuenca, a city in the province of Azuay in Ecuador.- Facilities :The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 05/23 with an asphalt surface measuring ....
) - EsmeraldasEsmeraldasEsmeraldas is the Spanish word for 'emeralds'. It is a toponym that may refer to the following:*Brazil**Esmeraldas, Minas Gerais*Ecuador**Esmeraldas, Ecuador**Esmeraldas River**Esmeraldas Province**Esmeraldas Canton*Special:Allpages/Esmeraldas...
(General Rivadeneira AirportGeneral Rivadeneira AirportGeneral Rivadeneira Airport is an airport in Esmeraldas, Ecuador....
) - 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...
(José Joaquín de Olmedo International AirportJosé Joaquín de Olmedo International AirportJosé Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport is an airport serving Guayaquil, a city in the province of Guayas in Ecuador. The airport was named after José Joaquín de Olmedo, a notable Ecuadorian poet, first mayor of the city of Guayaquil and former president of Ecuador. It was formerly known as...
) - Lago Agrio (Lago Agrio AirportLago Agrio AirportLago Agrio Airport is an airport serving Nueva Loja , the capital city of the canton of Lago Agrio and the province of Sucumbíos in Ecuador.- Facilities :...
) - LojaLoja, EcuadorLoja is the capital of Ecuador's Loja Province. It is located in the Cuxibamba valley in the south of the country, sharing borders with the provinces of Zamora-Chinchipe and El Oro, and with Peru in the south...
(Camilo Ponce Enríquez AirportCamilo Ponce Enriquez AirportCamilo Ponce Enriquez Airport is an airport in Loja, Ecuador.-Accidents and incidents:*On 14 July 1980, Vickers Viscount HC-BHB of Aerolíneas Cóndor was damaged beyond economic repair in a landing accident....
) - Macas (Coronel Edmundo Carvajal Airport)
- Santa RosaSanta RosaSanta Rosa is the Spanish and Portuguese name for Saint Rose. It may also refer to:-Places: Argentina:*Santa Rosa, La Pampa*Santa Rosa de Calamuchita *Santa Rosa de Calchines *Santa Rosa de Río Primero...
(Regional del Sur Airport) - 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...
(Mariscal Sucre International AirportMariscal Sucre International AirportMariscal Sucre International Airport is the international airport serving Quito, the capital city of Ecuador. It is named after Venezuelan born Antonio José de Sucre, known as the "Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho" , a hero of Ecuadorian and Latin American independence...
) Hub - Galapagos IslandsGalápagos IslandsThe Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator in the Pacific Ocean, west of continental Ecuador, of which they are a part.The Galápagos Islands and its surrounding waters form an Ecuadorian province, a national park, and a...
(San Cristóbal AirportSan Cristóbal AirportSan Cristóbal Airport is an airport on the island of San Cristóbal, on the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador....
) - MantaMantaManta is a mid-sized city in Manabí Province, Ecuador. It is the second most populous city in the province, the fifth most populous in the country and, economically, the third most important city of Ecuador. Manta has existed since Pre-Columbian times. It was a trading post for the Mantas....
(Eloy Alfaro International Airport)
International
-
- San Andres Island (Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International AirportGustavo Rojas Pinilla International AirportGustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport is the leading airport in the archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina, which has enough capacity to receive large aircraft, due to a number of charter flights and seasonal in different parts of America and Europe.- Description :The...
) [charter] - Cartagena de IndiasCartagena, 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...
(Rafael Núñez International AirportRafael 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....
) [charter] - CaliCalìCalì, 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:...
(Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International AirportAlfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport-Cargo airlines:-Accidents and incidents :*On 3 May, Douglas C-47B FAC-1126 of SATENA was damaged beyond repair in an accident at Palmaseca Airport.*On 21 January 1974, a Vickers Viscount of Aeropesca Colombia was hijacked and diverted to Cali....
)
- San Andres Island (Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport
-
- HavanaHavanaHavana 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...
(José Martí International AirportJosé Martí International AirportJosé Martí International Airport , sometimes known by its former name Rancho-Boyeros Airport, is located southwest of Havana, Cuba, and is a hub for Cubana de Aviación, Aerogaviota and Aero Caribbean, and former Latin American hub for Aeroflot Soviet Airlines...
) - VaraderoVaraderoVaradero is a resort town in the province of Matanzas, Cuba, and one of the largest resort areas in the Caribbean. Varadero is also called Playa Azul, which means "blue beach" in Spanish.-Geography:...
[charter]
- Havana
-
- Punta CanaPunta CanaPunta Cana is part of the newly created Punta Cana-Bávaro-Veron-Macao municipal district in La Altagracia, the easternmost province of the Dominican Republic. The area is best known for its beaches and balnearios, which face both the Caribbean and Atlantic, and it has been a popular tourist...
(Punta Cana International AirportPunta Cana International AirportPunta Cana International Airport is a privately owned commercial airport in Punta Cana, eastern Dominican Republic. The airport is built in a traditional Dominican style with open-air terminals with their roofs covered in palm fronds. built the Punta Cana International Airport in 1984. A number...
) [charter]
- Punta Cana
-
- 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...
(Tocumen International AirportTocumen International AirportTocumen International Airport is an international airport located from Panama City, Panama. In 2006, it underwent a major expansion and renovation program in order to modernize and improve its facilities...
)
- Panama city
-
- CancunCancúnCancún is a city of international tourism development certified by the UNWTO . Located on the northeast coast of Quintana Roo in southern Mexico, more than 1,700 km from Mexico City, the Project began operations in 1974 as Integrally Planned Center, a pioneer of FONATUR Cancún is a city of...
(Cancun International AirportCancún International AirportCancún International Airport is located in Cancún, Quintana Roo, on the Caribbean coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. It is Mexico's second busiest airport, after Mexico City International Airport in Mexico City, but the biggest in Mexico and Latin America for International passengers...
) [charter]
- Cancun
-
- Montego BayMontego BayMontego Bay is the capital of St. James Parish and the second largest city in Jamaica by area and the fourth by population .It is a tourist destination with duty free shopping, cruise line terminal and the beaches...
(Sir Donald Sangster International Airport.) [charter]
- Montego Bay
Past
- Bogota
- Manaus
- Santiago de Chile
TAME, the Ecuadorian Airline started its regular international flights on April 30, 1966 by flying to the following destinations: Havana, Panama and Santiago de Chile. In 1997, TAME transported passengers to Los Angeles, Taipei and Hong Kong through Panama, these flights were possible due to an agreement signed between TAME and EVA AIR from Taiwan. In 1995, TAME flew connecting flights: Quito-Bogotá-Quito, 3 days a week, for Air France passengers.
On December 1992, the governments of Ecuador and Colombia signed the Frontier Integration Agreement and they established the following route: Quito-Esmeraldas (Tachina)-Cali-Esmeraldas (Tachina)-Quito. This route was important because it meant a great leap in the route expansion.
As of December 1, 2010 TAME began regular flights from Quito - Panama - Quito and Guayaquil - Panama - Guayaquil on board its new Airbus A320 at the frequency of 6 flights per week (3 from Quito and 3 from Guayaquil)
Fleet
This space is especially designed for planes that require routine inspections or have mechanical or electronic problems, plane that may require engineer repairs, internal modifications, motor change, etc.
The fleet renewal was an important step at improving the safety record of the airline. It was determined that the aging Boeing 727 jets were best replaced by the Airbus A320 family, and the Fokker F28 aircraft by Embraer E-170 and E-190 jets. On June 30, 2009, HC-BZS operated its last revenue flight between Guayaquil and Quito, ending the era of the Boeing 727[3]. The replacement, Airbus A320 HC-CID began operations on August 27, 2009, as a consequence TAME now operates a fleet of 4 A320 family and 5 Embraer jets.
| Aircraft | In Fleet | Orders | Passengers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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... |
1 | — | 135 | |
| 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... |
3 | — | 180 | |
| ATR42-500 ATR 42 -Civil operators:The largest operators of the ATR-42 are FedEx Express, Airlinair, TRIP Linhas Aéreas,and Mexico City-based Aeromar respectively. Number of aircraft as of 2010:Some 70 other airlines operate smaller numbers of the type.... |
1 | 2 | ||
| Embraer E170-100LR | 2 | — | 76 | |
| Embraer E190-100LR | 3 | — | 104 | |
| Total | 10 | 2 | ||
Incidents and accidents
- September 6, 1969: Twelve men and one woman, armed with machine guns, hijacked two TAME Douglas C-47s at Quito Mariscal Sucre Airport. The hijackers shot and killed one crewman and wounded another. The hijackers told the passengers that the hijacking was in retaliation for the deaths of several students during anti-government rioting at the University of GuayaquilUniversity of GuayaquilThe University of Guayaquil , known colloquially as the Estatal, is a public university located in Guayaquil, Guayas Province, Ecuador. It is the oldest university in the city and has the largest student body. It also operates six extension universities throughout the country.-External links:* ,...
in May 1969. Both aircraft flew to 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...
, 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...
for refueling. One aircraft was left behind as the hijackers continued on to Panama's Tocumen International AirportTocumen International AirportTocumen International Airport is an international airport located from Panama City, Panama. In 2006, it underwent a major expansion and renovation program in order to modernize and improve its facilities...
. After a thirty-minute refueling stop, the aircraft continued to KingstonKingston, JamaicaKingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
, JamaicaJamaicaJamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. After a 71-minute refueling stop, the plane left Kingston at 21:00, finally landing in 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...
. - January 20, 1976: A TAME Hawker Siddeley HS-748-246 Srs. 2A with registration HC-AUE crashed while flying over mountainous terrain at 10,000 feet. The aircraft struck trees with its right wing, lost control and crashed into the side of the mountain. The plane was en route from Loja to Guayaquil's Simón Bolívar International AirportJosé Joaquín de Olmedo International AirportJosé Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport is an airport serving Guayaquil, a city in the province of Guayas in Ecuador. The airport was named after José Joaquín de Olmedo, a notable Ecuadorian poet, first mayor of the city of Guayaquil and former president of Ecuador. It was formerly known as...
. Six crewmembers and 28 passengers died, while eight passengers survived the crash. - May 22, 1981: A TAME de Havilland CanadaDe Havilland CanadaThe de Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. company was an aircraft manufacturer with facilities based in what is now the Downsview area of Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 with registration HC-BAX crashed into a fog-shrouded mountain near ZumbaZumbaZumba is the largest dance fitness program in the world, based on a Latin-inspired dance fitness program created by dancer and choreographer Alberto "Beto" Perez in Colombia during the 1990s....
while flying in formation with a Beech 200 (HC-BHG), which also crashed into the mountain. Fifteen passengers and three crewmembers on the Twin Otter died. - July 11, 1983:A TAME Boeing 737-200 with registration HC-BIG crashed while on final approach to Mariscal Lamar AirportMariscal Lamar AirportMariscal Lamar International Airport is an airport serving Cuenca, a city in the province of Azuay in Ecuador.- Facilities :The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 05/23 with an asphalt surface measuring ....
in CuencaCuencaCuenca may refer to:In Ecuador:* Cuenca, Ecuador, capital of the Azuay Province and named in honor to the spanish city.** Cuenca basin , the drainage basin** Cuenca basin , a geologic structural basinIn the Philippines:...
. The investigation concluded that the accident occurred due to the crew's inexperience with the aircraft type. All 119 people on board were killed making it the worst accident in the history of Ecuadorian aviation. (See TAME 737-200 crashTAME 737-200 crashThe 1983 TAME Boeing 737-200 crash was an aviation incident in which a Boeing 737-200 Advanced, operated by the Ecuadorian national airline TAME, which was making a domestic route from Mariscal Sucre International Airport to Mariscal Lamar Airport, came down to a hill during final approach just one...
). - November 20, 1984: A TAME de Havilland CanadaDe Havilland CanadaThe de Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. company was an aircraft manufacturer with facilities based in what is now the Downsview area of Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 crashed into a hill while flying between LojaLojaLoja may refer to:*Loja, Granada, Spain*Loja Province, Ecuador*Loja Canton, Ecuador*Loja, Ecuador, capital of Loja province*Loja, Latvia, capital of Sēja municipality*Loja, Estonia, village in Pühalepa Parish, Hiiu County, Estonia...
and ZumbaZumbaZumba is the largest dance fitness program in the world, based on a Latin-inspired dance fitness program created by dancer and choreographer Alberto "Beto" Perez in Colombia during the 1990s....
. Twelve passengers and two crewmembers died. - April 20, 1998: Air France Flight 422Air France Flight 422Air France Flight 422 was a scheduled flight on 20 April 1998 by Air France from Bogotá, Colombia, to Quito, Ecuador. The Boeing 727 was destroyed, killing all 53 people on board, when it crashed into the mountains east of Bogotá because of foggy weather and low visibility after taking off from...
, a TAME Boeing 727-200 with registration HC-BSU, crashed into the “El Cable” cerroCerroCerro may refer to:in Bolivia:* Cerro Rico, the "Rich Mountain" containing silver ore near Potosi, Boliviain Italy:*Cerro , a subdivision of Bottanuco in the province of Bergamo*Cerro al Lambro, in the province of Milano...
minutes after taking off from Bogota's El Dorado International 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...
. The flight was being operated by Air FranceAir FranceAir France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
to transport passengers who arrived in 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...
from Paris to Quito. The cause of the accident was determined to be a combination of bad weather and human error: the crew failed to execute the proper departure procedure immediately after takeoff, instead continuing in a straight line until impacting the hill. Fifty-three passengers and crew members died. - September 12, 1988: A TAME Lockheed L-188 ElectraLockheed L-188 ElectraThe Lockheed Model 188 Electra is an American turboprop airliner built by Lockheed. First flying in 1957, it was the first large turboprop airliner produced in the United States. Initial sales were good, but after two fatal crashes which prompted an expensive modification program to fix a design...
with registration HC-AZY took off from Lago Agrio airport on a ferry flight to Quito with the number 2 engine inoperative. Immediately after takeoff, the number 1 engine exploded in flames, causing the aircraft to veer left and crash. Six crewmembers and one passenger died. - January 28, 2002: Flight 120TAME Flight 120TAME Flight 120 was a Boeing 727-134 airliner, registration HC-BLF, named El Oro, operating as a scheduled international passenger flight between Quito, Ecuador and Cali, Colombia, with a scheduled stopover at the Ecuadorian border town of Tulcán. The aircraft crashed while on approach to Tulcán's...
, a Boeing 727-100Boeing 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...
with registration HC-BLF, departed from Mariscal Sucre Airport in Quito on a flight to CaliCalìCalì, 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:...
, Colombia with a stopover in TulcánTulcánTulcán is the capital of the province of Carchi in Ecuador. The population of Tulcán is approximately 83,000. Tulcán is known for its hot springs, deep wells, and a topiary garden cemetery created by José Franco...
, Ecuador. Several minutes before the aircraft was due to land in Tulcán, the control tower lost contact with the airport. The 727 collided with the Cumbal VolcanoCumbal VolcanoCumbal is a stratovolcano located in Nariño Department, Colombia. It is the southernmost historically active volcano of Colombia.The volcano was the crash site of TAME Flight 120, which crashed in one of its hills while approaching Tulcán on January 28, 2002. There were no survivors....
. All 94 passengers and crew died. The cause of the accident was determined to be human error, the captain having ordered the final turn at a speed that exceeded the maximum limit for the maneuver. - September 16, 2011: TAME flight 148 from Loja an Embraer E-Jet family with registration HC-CEZ, with 97 passengers & 6 crew on board, slipped off the runway at 19:11. There were no lives lost.