Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Avianca shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Avianca offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Avianca at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Avianca? Wrong! If the Avianca is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Avianca then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Avianca? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Avianca and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Avianca wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Avianca then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Avianca site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Avianca, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Avianca, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
{{Infobox_Airline|airline = Avianca
Aerovías del Continente Americano|logo = Avianca logo.png|logo_size = 250px|fleet_size = Avianca#Current|destinations =
Avianca destinations|IATA = AV|ICAO = AVA|callsign = AVIANCA|parent = Synergy Group Corp.],
1919 as SCADTA, [Colombia|hubs = [El Dorado International Airport
[Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport
Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport
Rafael Nuñez International AirportMatecaña International Airport|frequent_flyer = Avianca#Affinity programs|lounge = Avianca#VIP lounges|alliance =|subsidiaries =
Avianca Cargo Capital Airlines (Nigeria) Helicol
OceanAir SAM Colombia
VIP Ecuador|website = www.avianca.com-->
Avianca (
Spanish language acronym:
Aerovías del Continente Americano, formerly
Aerovías Nacionales de Colombia) has been the national
flag carrier of
Colombia since 1919, making it the second oldest airline in the world behind
KLM. Likewise it is the largest airline in the country. Avianca was founded in
Barranquilla, but its main operation base and headquarters are in
Bogotá adjacent to El Dorado International Airport where it operates domestic and international scheduled and chartered flights to cities in Europe,
North America,
Central America, the Caribbean and South America.
Avianca operates five subsidiary
airlines: SAM and Helicol in Colombia, OceanAir in Brazil, VIP Ecuador in Ecuador and Capital Airlines (Nigeria) in Nigeria. It has three important business units:
Avianca Cargo (Deprisa), Avianca Services and the tour operator Avianca#DesKubra.
History
SCADTA (1919 - 1940)
was established in 1919
The airline traces its history back to
December 5, 1919, in the city of Barranquilla,
Colombia.
Germans Werner Kämerer, Stuart Hosie, Alberto Tietjen, and
Colombians Ernesto Cortissoz (the first President of the Airline), Rafael Palacio, Cristóbal Restrepo, Jacobo Correa, and Aristides Noguera 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
monoplanes, the engines of which had to be modified in order 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 (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 were adapted to the
Junkers (Aircraft) aircraft in order for them to accomplish water landings in the rivers of different towns. Using these floats Helmuth Von Krohn was able to perform the first inland flight over Colombia on
October 20,
1920, following the course of the Magdalena River; the flight took eight hours and had to make four emergency landings in the water.
baggage sticker
Soon after the vision of the founding group had become a reality, German
scientist and philanthropy 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 Cortizzos 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 Braun 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 United States owned
Pan American World Airways.
National Airways of Colombia (1940 - 1994)
On June 14,
1940, in the city of Barranquilla, SCADTA, under ownership by
United States businessmen merged with
Colombian Air Carrier
SACO (
acronym 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 Germany citizens Alberto Teitjen, Werner Kaemerer, and Stuart Hosie, while the post of first President of Avianca was acquired by Martín del Corral. There had been decades of dedicated work and contribution to Colombia development through actions among which the following may be highlighted:
- In September of 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 Berrío.
- On October 19 of that same year, Helmuth Von Krohn accomplished the first flight between Barranquilla and Girardot, and by 1921 routes between Barranquilla, Girardot, and Neiva were established.
- In 1922 Avianca began to provide airmail service.
- On July 19, 1923, to save the country from bankruptcy, SCADTA transported a gold and currency load from Puerto Berrío to Girardot.
- On July 12, 1928, a SCADTA Junkers F.13, commanded by Pilot Herbert Boy crossed the Equator.
- On July 23, 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 Cartagena, Colombia, COP $85; from Bogotá to Cartago, Colombia, COP $35; from Bogotá to Cali, COP $ 50.
of Avianca at Zurich Airport, 1976
- In 1937, the airline acquired 10 Boeing 247 twin-engine aircraft, extending its domestic routes.
- By October 1939, Avianca acquired the first Douglas DC-3 aircraft arriving in the country, flying then at the incredible speed of 200 miles per hour.
- In 1951, Avianca acquired the Lockheed Constellation and the Lockheed Constellation aircraft, the biggest and fastest of 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 Melbourne Olympic Games in Australia. There were 61 hours of continuous operation, with only one stop for refueling allowed.
- The year 1976 was an important one for Avianca becoming the first Latin American airline to continuously operate a Boeing 747. Three years later it started operations with another 747, this time a Boeing 747 mixed 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: El Dorado International Airport. The new terminal originally operated routes to Miami, New York City, Cali, Medellín, Pasto, and Montería.
- By 1990 Avianca had acquired the most modern aircraft in the world: two Boeing 767s, which were baptized with the names of Christopher Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci
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
SAM Colombia 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, Boeing 767, Boeing 757, McDonnell Douglas MD-83, Fokker 50 and
Bell Helicopter Helicopters. This new system covered the following destinations:
- In Colombia: Bogotá, Arauca, Armenia, Cali, Medellín, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, Cartagena, Colombia, Cúcuta, Santa Marta, Leticia, Manizales, Montería, Pasto, Pereira, Popayán, Riohacha, San Andrés, Valledupar, Providencia, Capurganá, Bahía Solano, Nuquí, Caucasia and Chigorodó.
By 1996,
Avianca Cargo evolved into Avianca Cargo, providing express mail services through its products Deprisa and Deprisa Empresarial, Traditional Mail, Certified Mail, shipment Airport-to-Airport, and Post office box.
On December 10, 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.
Alianza Summa (2002 - 2004)
After a rigorous and complex process the worldwide aviation industry came through after the 9/11, Avianca, the regional carrier
SAM Colombia and its major rival
ACES Colombia joined efforts to create Alianza Summa, which began merged operations on
May 20, 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 of 2003, to focus in streghtening 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
December 10, 2004, Avianca concluded one of the most important and ambitious reorganization processes undertaken after filing for
Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection by obtaining confirmation of its Reorganization Plan which was financially backed by the Brazilian 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.
flying over Quito, Ecuador in 2003, with
Pichincha (volcano) in the background.
The Plan, which counted 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 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 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 Ecuador, an airline in
Ecuador, Taxi Aero, a charter airline in Brazil, and the recently acquired
Wayraperú in Peru, as well as Turb Serv dedicated to the maintenance of turbines. Avianca, as part of its amitious expansion plan, plans to join
SkyTeam in
2008 or
2009, sponsored by its longtime partner Delta Airlines.
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 203, which was bombed in 1989 following orders from Pablo Escobar to kill a politician. In the aftermath, it was found that the politician had not boarded the plane. 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.
On
April 26,
1990,
M-19 presidential candidate Carlos Pizarro was gunned down during a domestic Avianca flight.
Other incidents include:
- Avianca Flight 011, a Boeing 747 that crashed onto a mountain just short of landing at Barajas International Airport in Madrid in September 1983 and had 181 fatalities . The cause was determined as pilot error.
- Avianca Flight 410, a Boeing 727 domestic flight which crashed into low mountains after take-off on March 17, 1988, 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 011 five years earlier at Santander, Colombia.
- On January 25, 1990, Avianca Flight 52, a Boeing 707 jet en route from Bogotá to New York City via Medellín, crashed in the town of Cove Neck, New York after running out of fuel while in a hold (aviation) awaiting landing at New York's Kennedy Airport, killing 73 of the 158 people aboard. There was much controversy surrounding this crash. The Spanish-speaking pilots appeared not to know how to indicate the urgency of their situation in English. Also, air traffic controllers may have contributed to the disaster by not providing sufficient information regarding poor weather conditions around John F. Kennedy International Airport and the time, and maintaining the jet in a holding pattern for too long despite being told that Flight 52 was low on fuel.
Destinations
Avianca's hub is Bogotá's
El Dorado International Airport. Its focus cities are Medellín, Cali, Cartagena and Barranquilla.
Avianca have also applied for permission to resume service to the following European cities by 2008.
All of the above are to be served separately, nonstop from Bogotá.
VIP lounges
Avianca have their own VIP lounges at the following airports.
Colombia
at Matecaña International Airport in
Pereira, Colombia
Ecuador
- Mariscal Sucre International Airport (Quito)
- José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport (Guayaquil)
DesKubra Tours
Boeing 767-200ER parked at the El Dorado Terminal
DesKubra is Avianca’s commercial division specialized in the design and offer of tourist packages for destinations in
Colombia and abroad.
Deskubra offers plans to:
Alliances
Affinity programs
AviancaPlus is Avianca's frequent flyer program. Avianca offers frequent flyer partnerships the following:
{||- valign="top"||
|
|}
Codeshare partners
Presently, Avianca has codeshare agreements with:
Subsidiaries
Former subsidiaries
- Wayraperú was an airline based at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Peru. It stopped operating due to internal administrative problems between the societs, Avianca decided to finish the society and the company was absorved by Avianca, including it's fleet.
Fleet
=== Current ===
Avianca
{| class="toccolours" border="1" style="border-collapse:collapse"|colspan="6" bgcolor="#FFC8C8" |
Avianca Fleet|- bgcolor="#EAEAEA"! Aircraft || Total || Passengers
Economic/Executive || Routes || Notes || Photo|-||
Boeing 787-8n launch customer in 2010|| B787-8|-|| [Airbus A330-200|| 60 orders|| 179|| Medium and short-haul domestic and international flights|| Entry into service in february 2008|| A320|-|| [Boeing 767-300ER in 2008|| B767-300ER|-|| [Boeing 767-200ER in 2008|| B767-200ER|-|| [Boeing 757-200|| 17|| 147|| Medium and short-haul domestic and international flights|| Out of service in 2008|| MD-83|-|| [Fokker F100 OP by SAM COLOMBIA]|| 8|| 52|| Short-haul domestic flights|| Out of service in 2012|| F50|-|colspan="6" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" |
Size fleet: 51 aircraft (80 orders + 10 options)
Updated: June 2007
Source: CH-Aviation - Avianca - SAM Boeing Airbus 70 Airbus for Avianca (es)|}
OceanAir
{| class="toccolours" border="1" style="border-collapse:collapse"|colspan="6" bgcolor="#FFC8C8" |
OceanAir Fleet|- bgcolor="#EAEAEA"! Aircraft || Total || Passengers
Economic/Executive || Routes || Notes || Photo|-|| Boeing 767-300ER|| 16|| 98|| Short-haul domestic flights|| -|| F100|-|| [Fokker F50|| 7|| 30|| Short-haul domestic flights|| -|| EMB-120|-|| [Bombardier Aerospace|| -|| 9|| Short-haul domestic flights|| -|| L45|-||
Bombardier Aerospace|| -|| 8|| Short-haul domestic flights|| -|| L35|-|| [King Air|| -|| 4|| Short-haul domestic flights|| -|| B407|-|colspan="6" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" |
Size fleet: 30 aircraft
Updated: June 2007
Source: CH-Aviation - OceanAir|}
Helicol
{| class="toccolours" border="1" style="border-collapse:collapse"|colspan="6" bgcolor="#FFC8C8" |
Helicol Fleet|- bgcolor="#EAEAEA"! Aircraft || Total || Passengers
Economic/Executive || Routes || Notes || Photo|-|| [Bell 212|| 1|| 39|| Short-haul domestic flights|| -|| -|-|colspan="6" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" |
Size fleet: - aircraft
Updated: June 2007
Source: CH-Aviation - Helicol|}
Capital Airlines
{| class="toccolours" border="1" style="border-collapse:collapse"|colspan="6" bgcolor="#FFC8C8" |
Capital Airlines Fleet|- bgcolor="#EAEAEA"! Aircraft || Total || Passengers
Economic/Executive || Routes || Notes || Photo|-||
Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia|| 3|| 30|| Short-haul domestic flights|| -|| EMB-120|-|colspan="6" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" |
Size fleet: 3 aircraft
Updated: June 2007
Source: CH-Aviation - Capital Airlines|}
Retired
{| class="toccolours sortable" border="1" style="border-collapse:collapse"|- bgcolor="#91C8FF"!
Aircraft ||
Year retired ||
Replacement ||
Photo|-| Junkers F.13 ] || J.13|-| Boeing 247 || - || Douglas DC-3 || -|-|
Douglas DC-3 ] || DC-3|-| Douglas DC-4 ] and
Lockheed Constellation || DC-4|-| C-54 Skymaster || - ||
Lockheed Constellation and Lockheed Constellation || DC-54|-|
Lockheed Constellation || - || Boeing 707 and
Boeing 720 || L-749|-| Lockheed Constellation || - || Boeing 707 and
Boeing 720 || L-1049|-| Boeing 707 || 1992 || Boeing 757#757-300 || B707|-|
Boeing 737 || 1971 || - || B737|-|
Boeing 720 || 1984 || Boeing 757#757-300 || B720|-|
Boeing 747 || 1995 || Boeing 767-300 || B747|-|
McDonnell Douglas MD-11 ] || MD-11|-| Boeing 727 || 1998 ||
McDonnell Douglas MD-83 ] || Avianca as SCADTA ] || - || |-| April 1973 ||
Boeing 727 || - || |-| June 1977 || Boeing 747 ||
Latin America launch costumer ] || - || |-| March 1980 || Boeing 737 || - || |-| Mid 1980's ||
Boeing 747 ||
American Airlines colors ] ||
Pan Am colors ] || Eastern Airlines colors ] || Eastern Airlines colors ] || - || |-| Mid 1990's ||
Boeing 747 || Air Atlanta Icelandic colors ], 1993 ] || Ambassador Airlines colors || |-| April 1995 || Boeing 727 || - || |-| February 1998 || Boeing 727 || Bancoquia Bank colors || |-|
August 16, 1998 ] ||
Spanish language:
Tómese ya unas Aviancaciones. Usted se las merece.English language:
Take some Aviancations now. You deserve it. || |-| January 1999 || McDonnell Douglas MD-11ER ] colors || |-| September 1999 || Boeing 767 || Grupo TACA colors ] 2000 ] || 1960's colors || |-| August 15, 2002 ] || Summa Alliance colors ], 2002 ] || Spanish language: 80 años
English language: 80 years
|| |-| October 24, 2003 ] || AeroMar colors ], 2003 ] || TransMeridian Airlines colors ], 2005 ] || Icelandair colors ], 2005 ] || Spanish language: 85 años
English language: 85 years
|| |-| October 22, 2005 ] || Current livery || |-| December 30, 2005 ] || North American Airlines colors ], 2006 ] || Spanish language: Colombia es pasión
English language: Colombia is passion
], 2007 ] || Juan Valdez livery ]|}
Awards and nominations
Awards
- Avianca VIP Lounge at El Dorado Int'l Airport - Latin America & Caribbean - 2006 Priority Pass Lounge of the Year Awards
Nominations
2007
- South America's Leading Airline - 14th World Travel Awards
- South America's Leading Airline Website - 14th World Travel Awards
- (OceanAir) South America's Leading Budget / No Frills Airline - 14th World Travel Awards
- South America's Leading Business Class Airline - 14th World Travel Awards
2006
- South America's Leading Airline - 13th World Travel Awards
- South America's Leading Business Class Airline - 13th World Travel Awards
2005
- South America's Leading Airline - 12th World Travel Awards
- South America's Leading Business Class Airline - 12th World Travel Awards
== External links ==
Web sites around the world
{||- valign="top"||
- Avianca Benelux - www.avianca.be
- Avianca Argentina - www.avianca.com.ar
- Avianca Brazil - www.avianca.com.br
- Avianca Chile - www.avianca.cl
- Avianca Colombia (principal) -
- Avianca Ecuador - www.avianca.com
- Avianca Europe - www.aviancaeuropa.com
|
- Avianca France - www.avianca.net
- Avianca Panamá - www.avianca.com.pa
- Avianca Spain - www.avianca.es
- Avianca Venezuela - www.avianca.com.ve
- Avianca United Kingdom - www.avianca.co.uk
- Avianca United States - www.avianca.us
|}
Other links
{||- valign="top"||
- Avianca Cargo
- AviancaPlus
- Avianca VIP lounges
- Avianca Services
- Deskubra
- Avianca's fleet age
- Avianca's aircraft photos by Airliners.Net
|
- Avianca's aircraft photos by JetPhotos.Net
- Avianca's aircraft photos by MyAviation.Net
- Avianca's domestic route map
- Avianca's international route map
- OceanAir
- OceanAir Express
- Helicol
- VIP
|}
{{Infobox_Airline|airline = Avianca
Aerovías del Continente Americano|logo = Avianca logo.png|logo_size = 250px|fleet_size = Avianca#Current|destinations = Avianca destinations|IATA = AV|ICAO = AVA|callsign = AVIANCA|parent =
Synergy Group Corp.], 1919 as
SCADTA, [Colombia|hubs = [El Dorado International Airport
[Ernesto Cortissoz International AirportAlfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport
Rafael Nuñez International Airport
Matecaña International Airport|frequent_flyer =
Avianca#Affinity programs|lounge =
Avianca#VIP lounges|alliance =|subsidiaries =
Avianca Cargo Capital Airlines (Nigeria)
Helicol
OceanAir SAM Colombia VIP Ecuador|website = www.avianca.com-->
Avianca (Spanish language acronym:
Aerovías del Continente Americano, formerly
Aerovías Nacionales de Colombia) has been the national flag carrier of
Colombia since 1919, making it the second oldest
airline in the world behind KLM. Likewise it is the largest
airline in the country. Avianca was founded in
Barranquilla, but its main operation base and headquarters are in Bogotá adjacent to
El Dorado International Airport where it operates domestic and international scheduled and chartered flights to cities in
Europe, North America,
Central America, the Caribbean and South America.
Avianca operates five subsidiary
airlines:
SAM and
Helicol in Colombia,
OceanAir in
Brazil,
VIP Ecuador in
Ecuador and
Capital Airlines (Nigeria) in Nigeria. It has three important business units: Avianca Cargo (Deprisa), Avianca Services and the tour operator
Avianca#DesKubra.
History
SCADTA (1919 - 1940)
was established in 1919
The airline traces its history back to December 5, 1919, in the city of
Barranquilla, Colombia. Germans Werner Kämerer, Stuart Hosie, Alberto Tietjen, and Colombians Ernesto Cortissoz (the first President of the Airline), Rafael Palacio, Cristóbal Restrepo, Jacobo Correa, and Aristides Noguera 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
monoplanes, the engines of which had to be modified in order 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 (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 were adapted to the
Junkers (Aircraft) aircraft in order for them to accomplish water landings in the rivers of different towns. Using these floats Helmuth Von Krohn was able to perform the first inland flight over Colombia on
October 20, 1920, following the course of the Magdalena River; the flight took eight hours and had to make four emergency landings in the water.
baggage sticker
Soon after the vision of the founding group had become a reality, German
scientist and
philanthropy 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 Cortizzos 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 Braun 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 United States owned
Pan American World Airways.
National Airways of Colombia (1940 - 1994)
On June 14,
1940, in the city of Barranquilla,
SCADTA, under ownership by United States
businessmen merged with Colombian Air Carrier
SACO (acronym 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
Germany citizens Alberto Teitjen, Werner Kaemerer, and Stuart Hosie, while the post of first President of Avianca was acquired by Martín del Corral. There had been decades of dedicated work and contribution to Colombia development through actions among which the following may be highlighted:
- In September of 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 Berrío.
- On October 19 of that same year, Helmuth Von Krohn accomplished the first flight between Barranquilla and Girardot, and by 1921 routes between Barranquilla, Girardot, and Neiva were established.
- In 1922 Avianca began to provide airmail service.
- In August of 1922, General Pedro Nel Ospina, then President of Colombia, used for the first time a SCADTA aircraft to conduct official business.
- On July 19, 1923, to save the country from bankruptcy, SCADTA transported a gold and currency load from Puerto Berrío to Girardot.
- On July 12, 1928, a SCADTA Junkers F.13, commanded by Pilot Herbert Boy crossed the Equator.
- On July 23, 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 Cartagena, Colombia, COP $85; from Bogotá to Cartago, Colombia, COP $35; from Bogotá to Cali, COP $ 50.
of Avianca at Zurich Airport, 1976
- On July 16, 1931, SCADTA established the first mail service between Bogotá and New York City.
- In 1937, the airline acquired 10 Boeing 247 twin-engine aircraft, extending its domestic routes.
- By October 1939, Avianca acquired the first Douglas DC-3 aircraft arriving in the country, flying then at the incredible speed of 200 miles per hour.
- In 1951, Avianca acquired the Lockheed Constellation and the Lockheed Constellation aircraft, the biggest and fastest of 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 Melbourne Olympic Games in Australia. There were 61 hours of continuous operation, with only one stop for refueling allowed.
- The year 1976 was an important one for Avianca becoming the first Latin American airline to continuously operate a Boeing 747. Three years later it started operations with another 747, this time a Boeing 747 mixed 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: El Dorado International Airport. The new terminal originally operated routes to Miami, New York City, Cali, Medellín, Pasto, and Montería.
- By 1990 Avianca had acquired the most modern aircraft in the world: two Boeing 767s, which were baptized with the names of Christopher Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci
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
SAM Colombia 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, Boeing 767,
Boeing 757, McDonnell Douglas MD-83,
Fokker 50 and
Bell Helicopter Helicopters. This new system covered the following destinations:
- In Colombia: Bogotá, Arauca, Armenia, Cali, Medellín, Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, Cartagena, Colombia, Cúcuta, Santa Marta, Leticia, Manizales, Montería, Pasto, Pereira, Popayán, Riohacha, San Andrés, Valledupar, Providencia, Capurganá, Bahía Solano, Nuquí, Caucasia and Chigorodó.
- In Europe: Madrid, Paris, Frankfurt and London.
By 1996, Avianca Cargo evolved into
Avianca Cargo, providing
express mail services through its products Deprisa and Deprisa Empresarial, Traditional Mail, Certified Mail, shipment Airport-to-Airport, and Post office box.
On December 10,
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.
Alianza Summa (2002 - 2004)
After a rigorous and complex process the worldwide aviation industry came through after the 9/11, Avianca, the regional carrier SAM Colombia and its major rival ACES Colombia joined efforts to create Alianza Summa, which began merged operations on
May 20,
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 of 2003, to focus in streghtening 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 December 10, 2004, Avianca concluded one of the most important and ambitious reorganization processes undertaken after filing for
Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection by obtaining confirmation of its Reorganization Plan which was financially backed by the Brazilian 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.
flying over
Quito,
Ecuador in 2003, with
Pichincha (volcano) in the background.
The Plan, which counted 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 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 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 Ecuador, an airline in Ecuador, Taxi Aero, a charter airline in Brazil, and the recently acquired Wayraperú in Peru, as well as Turb Serv dedicated to the maintenance of turbines. Avianca, as part of its amitious expansion plan, plans to join
SkyTeam in
2008 or 2009, sponsored by its longtime partner
Delta Airlines.
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 203, which was bombed in 1989 following orders from Pablo Escobar to kill a politician. In the aftermath, it was found that the politician had not boarded the plane. 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.
On April 26,
1990, M-19 presidential candidate Carlos Pizarro was gunned down during a domestic Avianca flight.
Other incidents include:
- Avianca Flight 011, a Boeing 747 that crashed onto a mountain just short of landing at Barajas International Airport in Madrid in September 1983 and had 181 fatalities . The cause was determined as pilot error.
- Avianca Flight 410, a Boeing 727 domestic flight which crashed into low mountains after take-off on March 17, 1988, 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 011 five years earlier at Santander, Colombia.
- On January 25, 1990, Avianca Flight 52, a Boeing 707 jet en route from Bogotá to New York City via Medellín, crashed in the town of Cove Neck, New York after running out of fuel while in a hold (aviation) awaiting landing at New York's Kennedy Airport, killing 73 of the 158 people aboard. There was much controversy surrounding this crash. The Spanish-speaking pilots appeared not to know how to indicate the urgency of their situation in English. Also, air traffic controllers may have contributed to the disaster by not providing sufficient information regarding poor weather conditions around John F. Kennedy International Airport and the time, and maintaining the jet in a holding pattern for too long despite being told that Flight 52 was low on fuel.
Destinations
Avianca's hub is Bogotá's El Dorado International Airport. Its focus cities are Medellín, Cali, Cartagena and Barranquilla.
Avianca have also applied for permission to resume service to the following European cities by 2008.
All of the above are to be served separately, nonstop from Bogotá.
VIP lounges
Avianca have their own VIP lounges at the following airports.
Colombia
at
Matecaña International Airport in
Pereira, Colombia
Ecuador
DesKubra Tours
Boeing 767-200ER parked at the El Dorado Terminal
DesKubra is Avianca’s commercial division specialized in the design and offer of tourist packages for destinations in
Colombia and abroad.
Deskubra offers plans to:
Alliances
Affinity programs
AviancaPlus is Avianca's frequent flyer program. Avianca offers frequent flyer partnerships the following:
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|}
Codeshare partners
Presently, Avianca has codeshare agreements with:
- Aerolineas Argentinas
- Air China
- Conviasa
- Delta Air Lines
- Mexicana de Aviación
- Iberia Airlines
- Air Canada
- Grupo TACA
- Satena
Subsidiaries
Former subsidiaries
- Wayraperú was an airline based at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Peru. It stopped operating due to internal administrative problems between the societs, Avianca decided to finish the society and the company was absorved by Avianca, including it's fleet.
Fleet
=== Current ===
Avianca
{| class="toccolours" border="1" style="border-collapse:collapse"|colspan="6" bgcolor="#FFC8C8" |
Avianca Fleet|- bgcolor="#EAEAEA"! Aircraft || Total || Passengers
Economic/Executive || Routes || Notes || Photo|-|| Boeing 787-8n launch customer in 2010|| B787-8|-|| [Airbus A330-200|| 60 orders|| 179|| Medium and short-haul domestic and international flights|| Entry into service in february 2008|| A320|-|| [Boeing 767-300ER in 2008|| B767-300ER|-|| [Boeing 767-200ER in 2008|| B767-200ER|-|| [Boeing 757-200|| 17|| 147|| Medium and short-haul domestic and international flights|| Out of service in 2008|| MD-83|-|| [Fokker F100 OP by SAM COLOMBIA]|| 8|| 52|| Short-haul domestic flights|| Out of service in 2012|| F50|-|colspan="6" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" |
Size fleet: 51 aircraft (80 orders + 10 options)
Updated: June 2007
Source: CH-Aviation - Avianca - SAM Boeing Airbus 70 Airbus for Avianca (es)|}
OceanAir
{| class="toccolours" border="1" style="border-collapse:collapse"|colspan="6" bgcolor="#FFC8C8" |
OceanAir Fleet|- bgcolor="#EAEAEA"! Aircraft || Total || Passengers
Economic/Executive || Routes || Notes || Photo|-|| Boeing 767-300ER|| 16|| 98|| Short-haul domestic flights|| -|| F100|-|| [Fokker F50|| 7|| 30|| Short-haul domestic flights|| -|| EMB-120|-|| [Bombardier Aerospace|| -|| 9|| Short-haul domestic flights|| -|| L45|-|| Bombardier Aerospace|| -|| 8|| Short-haul domestic flights|| -|| L35|-|| [King Air|| -|| 4|| Short-haul domestic flights|| -|| B407|-|colspan="6" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" |
Size fleet: 30 aircraft
Updated: June 2007
Source: CH-Aviation - OceanAir|}
Helicol
{| class="toccolours" border="1" style="border-collapse:collapse"|colspan="6" bgcolor="#FFC8C8" |
Helicol Fleet|- bgcolor="#EAEAEA"! Aircraft || Total || Passengers
Economic/Executive || Routes || Notes || Photo|-|| [Bell 212|| 1|| 39|| Short-haul domestic flights|| -|| -|-|colspan="6" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" |
Size fleet: - aircraft
Updated: June 2007
Source: CH-Aviation - Helicol|}
Capital Airlines
{| class="toccolours" border="1" style="border-collapse:collapse"|colspan="6" bgcolor="#FFC8C8" |
Capital Airlines Fleet|- bgcolor="#EAEAEA"! Aircraft || Total || Passengers
Economic/Executive || Routes || Notes || Photo|-||
Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia|| 3|| 30|| Short-haul domestic flights|| -|| EMB-120|-|colspan="6" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" |
Size fleet: 3 aircraft
Updated: June 2007
Source: CH-Aviation - Capital Airlines|}
Retired
{| class="toccolours sortable" border="1" style="border-collapse:collapse"|- bgcolor="#91C8FF"!
Aircraft ||
Year retired ||
Replacement ||
Photo|-| Junkers F.13 ] || J.13|-| Boeing 247 || - || Douglas DC-3 || -|-| Douglas DC-3 ] || DC-3|-| Douglas DC-4 ] and Lockheed Constellation || DC-4|-| C-54 Skymaster || - ||
Lockheed Constellation and
Lockheed Constellation || DC-54|-|
Lockheed Constellation || - ||
Boeing 707 and
Boeing 720 || L-749|-| Lockheed Constellation || - ||
Boeing 707 and Boeing 720 || L-1049|-|
Boeing 707 || 1992 || Boeing 757#757-300 || B707|-|
Boeing 737 || 1971 || - || B737|-|
Boeing 720 || 1984 ||
Boeing 757#757-300 || B720|-|
Boeing 747 || 1995 ||
Boeing 767-300 || B747|-|
McDonnell Douglas MD-11 ] || MD-11|-|
Boeing 727 || 1998 ||
McDonnell Douglas MD-83 ] || Avianca as SCADTA ] || - || |-| April 1973 ||
Boeing 727 || - || |-| June 1977 || Boeing 747 || Latin America launch costumer ] || - || |-| March 1980 || Boeing 737 || - || |-| Mid 1980's ||
Boeing 747 ||
American Airlines colors ] ||
Pan Am colors ] || Eastern Airlines colors ] ||
Eastern Airlines colors ] || - || |-| Mid 1990's || Boeing 747 ||
Air Atlanta Icelandic colors ],
1993 ] || Ambassador Airlines colors || |-| April 1995 || Boeing 727 || - || |-| February 1998 || Boeing 727 || Bancoquia Bank colors || |-|
August 16,
1998 ] || Spanish language:
Tómese ya unas Aviancaciones. Usted se las merece.English language:
Take some Aviancations now. You deserve it. || |-| January 1999 || McDonnell Douglas MD-11ER ] colors || |-| September 1999 || Boeing 767 || Grupo TACA colors ] 2000 ] || 1960's colors || |-| August 15, 2002 ] || Summa Alliance colors ], 2002 ] || Spanish language: 80 años
English language: 80 years
|| |-| October 24, 2003 ] || AeroMar colors ], 2003 ] || TransMeridian Airlines colors ], 2005 ] || Icelandair colors ], 2005 ] || Spanish language: 85 años
English language: 85 years
|| |-| October 22, 2005 ] || Current livery || |-| December 30, 2005 ] || North American Airlines colors ], 2006 ] || Spanish language: Colombia es pasión
English language: Colombia is passion
], 2007 ] || Juan Valdez livery ]|}
Awards and nominations
Awards
- Avianca VIP Lounge at El Dorado Int'l Airport - Latin America & Caribbean - 2006 Priority Pass Lounge of the Year Awards
Nominations
2007
- South America's Leading Airline - 14th World Travel Awards
- South America's Leading Airline Website - 14th World Travel Awards
- (OceanAir) South America's Leading Budget / No Frills Airline - 14th World Travel Awards
- South America's Leading Business Class Airline - 14th World Travel Awards
2006
- South America's Leading Airline - 13th World Travel Awards
- South America's Leading Business Class Airline - 13th World Travel Awards
2005
- South America's Leading Airline - 12th World Travel Awards
- South America's Leading Business Class Airline - 12th World Travel Awards
== External links ==
Web sites around the world
{||- valign="top"||
- Avianca Benelux - www.avianca.be
- Avianca Argentina - www.avianca.com.ar
- Avianca Brazil - www.avianca.com.br
- Avianca Chile - www.avianca.cl
- Avianca Colombia (principal) -
- Avianca Ecuador - www.avianca.com
- Avianca Europe - www.aviancaeuropa.com
|
- Avianca France - www.avianca.net
- Avianca Panamá - www.avianca.com.pa
- Avianca Spain - www.avianca.es
- Avianca Venezuela - www.avianca.com.ve
- Avianca United Kingdom - www.avianca.co.uk
- Avianca United States - www.avianca.us
|}
Other links
{||- valign="top"||
- Avianca Cargo
- AviancaPlus
- Avianca VIP lounges
- Avianca Services
- Deskubra
- Avianca's fleet age
- Avianca's aircraft photos by Airliners.Net
|
- Avianca's aircraft photos by JetPhotos.Net
- Avianca's aircraft photos by MyAviation.Net
- Avianca's domestic route map
- Avianca's international route map
- OceanAir
- OceanAir Express
- Helicol
- VIP
|}
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