Aserca Airlines C.A. (legally Aero Servicios Carabobo C.A.) was an airline based in Valencia, Venezuela. It operated domestic and regional scheduled services to destinations in the Caribbean and Central America. Its main hub was at Arturo Michelena International Airport.[2]
The airline was established on March 6, 1968, as a private air transport company. Subsequently, on July 27, 1990, the Valencian businessman Simeón García acquired all the shares and decided to direct it to passenger air transport. The airline started commercial operations on September 14, 1992, in the domestic scheduled market with a couple of leased Douglas DC-9-30s. Aserca's operations were centered on Valencia, but it managed to develop Caracas as a hub after 1994 which, combined with the demise of flag carrier Viasa in January 1997, made Aserca experience significant growth in its market share, expanding its network to Bogotá, Lima and Miami, via Aruba. Between October 1998 and 2000, Aserca had a controlling interest in Air Aruba, forming an alliance between both airlines.[3]
In September 2008, the airline created a commercial alliance with SBA Airlines,[4] also from Venezuela with whom it undertook international expansion through, unifying the corporate image of both airlines and coordinating their respective itineraries to improve their connection times between the flights of both airlines, to facilitate connections between the national destinations of Aserca with international destinations of SBA. The alliance, named Grupo Cóndor C.A., also collaborated with the Dominican airline PAWA Dominicana.
On February 21, 2018, it was announced that INAC had withdrawn the airline's operating license until further notice. The country's newspapers attribute the lack of proof of insurance for the aircraft in the fleet to this. The airline planned to restart operations, but on May 22, 2018, Aserca announced it had ceased all operations due to financial bankruptcy after returning its air operator's certificate.[6][7][8]
On February 12, 2008, a Douglas DC-9-31 (registered YV298T) crashed on one of the runways of the Simón Bolívar International Airport. The aircraft left the hangar with its engines running and could not brake or turn. It crossed runway 09 when it fell into a channel in the area before reaching runway 10L.[12]
On March 6, 2012, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (registered YV348T) struck five cows that were on the runway during landing at Mayor Buenaventura Vivas Airport, generating minor damage to the jet on the left main gear and left hand flaps. All 125 passengers and 6 crew were uninjured, and the aircraft was repaired.[13][14]
On August 24, 2012, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (registered YV493T) ran off the runway on landing at Mayor Buenaventura Vivas Airport during heavy storms, sustaining minor damage. No injuries were reported. The aircraft, however, was withdrawn from service.[15]
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