Avianca Guatemala

Last updated
Avianca Guatemala
Avianca Logo.svg
IATA ICAO Call sign
GUGUGAVIATECA
Founded1929 (as Aerovías de Guatemala)
March 14, 1945 (as Aviateca)
Hubs La Aurora International Airport
Focus cities Mundo Maya International Airport
Frequent-flyer program LifeMiles
Alliance Star Alliance (affiliate)
Fleet size1
Destinations9
Parent company Avianca Group
Headquarters Guatemala City, Guatemala
Key peopleFrederico Pedreira (CEO)
FounderAlfredo Denby Chattfield
Website avianca.com

Aviateca S.A. branded Avianca Guatemala is a regional airline headquartered in Guatemala City that serves as the flag carrier of Guatemala. [1] Aviateca was under government ownership and remained so until 1989 when it joined the Grupo TACA alliance of Central America and was privatized. It was fully integrated into TACA, operating under the TACA Regional banner, which later merged with Avianca.

Contents

History

A Douglas DC-6A of Aviateca at Miami International Airport in 1971 Douglas DC-6A TG-ANA Aviateca MIA 08.02.71 edited-2.jpg
A Douglas DC-6A of Aviateca at Miami International Airport in 1971

The airline was established in 1929 as Aerovías de Guatemala and was founded by Alfredo Denby Chattfield. In March 14, 1945, the airline was nationalized during the government of Juan José Arevalo and established as Empresa Guatemalteca de Aviación S.A. which was shortened to Aviateca. One of the original founders was Alfredo Castaneda Duarte who also served as a pilot. Aviateca started operations in March 1946 and early aircraft operated by the carrier including the Douglas DC-3.

In 1961, service to Miami was originated with four-engined Douglas DC-6 airliners. The airline later operated the Douglas DC-6B version as well. Convair CV-240 family airliners were also acquired to replace some of the DC-3s on short-haul routes in Latin America.

Aviateca introduced jet service as a customer for the BAC One-Eleven medium twin jet in 1970. In 1974, the airline was operating the stretched BAC One-Eleven series 500 version of the British-manufactured jet on international flights to Miami, New Orleans, Mexico City, Mérida and San Jose, Costa Rica. [2] The airline's fleet was referred to by locals as "Las Papayas Voladoras" (The Flying Papayas) due to the paint scheme used during the 1970s, in which the underbelly was painted a reddish orange. It also temporarily leased a Fokker F28 Fellowship, some Boeing 720s and a Douglas DC-8-61. Aviateca later acquired two Boeing 727-100s, which operated for the airline in the 1980s. From 1989 on, Aviateca's fleet consisted of several Boeing 737-200 and Boeing 737-300 jetliners, including a full cargo 737-300 that operated for a few months.

Between 2006 and 2007, Aviateca operated a few Airbus A319s with the TACA-style Aviateca logo on the engines. Five of TACA's ATR 42-300s were registered for Aviateca in Guatemala. Due to reorganization measures at Avianca Holdings, Aviateca was renamed Avianca Guatemala in 2013.

In March 2021, the airline terminated all destinations and transferred its operations to Avianca. However, in October 2022, Avianca Group announced that it would reactivate Avianca Guatemala's operations by December 2022. [3] [4]

Destinations

The "Flying Papaya" livery, shown on a Boeing 727-100 in 1980 AVIATECA Guatemala Boeing 727-173C; TG-AYA, June 1980 DSG (5164281080).jpg
The "Flying Papaya" livery, shown on a Boeing 727-100 in 1980
A hybrid Aviateca/TACA Boeing 737-200 in the late 90s livery, photographed in January 1999 N127GU B737-242 AVIATECA IAH 26JAN99 (6155535543).jpg
A hybrid Aviateca/TACA Boeing 737-200 in the late 90s livery, photographed in January 1999

This is a list of destinations of served by both Aviateca and Avianca Guatemala throughout their existence. [5]

CountryCityAirportNotesRefs
Belize Belize City Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport Terminated
Colombia Bogotá El Dorado International Airport
San Andrés Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport Terminated
El Salvador San Salvador El Salvador International Airport [3]
Ilopango International Airport Terminated
Guatemala Flores Mundo Maya International Airport Focus city [ citation needed ]
Guatemala City La Aurora International Airport Hub
Puerto Barrios Puerto Barrios Airport Terminated
Quetzaltenango Quetzaltenango Airport Terminated
Uaxactun Uaxactun Airport Terminated
Honduras Comayagua Comayagua International Airport [3]
Roatán Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport Terminated
San Pedro Sula Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport [3]
Tegucigalpa Toncontín International Airport Terminated
Mexico Cancún Cancún International Airport [6]
Merida Mérida-Rejón Airport Terminated
Mexico City Mexico City International Airport Terminated
Nicaragua Managua Augusto C. Sandino International Airport Terminated
Panama Panama City Tocumen International Airport Terminated
United States Chicago O'Hare International Airport [7]
Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport Terminated
Los Angeles Los Angeles International Airport
Miami Miami International Airport Terminated
New Orleans Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport Terminated

Fleet

Current fleet

A former Avianca Guatemala ATR 72-600 landing at Toncontin International Airport in 2018 Avianca Guatemala (TG-TRF) ATR 72-600 at Toncontin International Airport.jpg
A former Avianca Guatemala ATR 72-600 landing at Toncontín International Airport in 2018

As of June 2023, the Avianca Guatemala fleet will consist of the following aircraft: [8]

Avianca Guatemala fleet
AircraftIn
service
OrdersPassengersNotes
WY+YTotal
Airbus A320-200 11260108180
Total1

Former fleet

Throughout its operations, the airline operated these aircraft: [9] [10] [11]

Aviateca former fleet
AircraftTotalIntroducedRetiredNotes
Airbus A319-100 220062007Operated by TACA Airlines
ATR 42-300QC 320062017
ATR 72-600 420142021
BAC One-Eleven Series 500 419701980
Boeing 720 319771979
Boeing 727-100C 419791989
Boeing 737-200 1219902004One written off as Flight 901
Boeing 737-300 919891996
Convair CV-440 419541979
Curtiss C-46 Commando 619491975
Douglas C-47 Skytrain 1119451981
Douglas C-54 Skymaster 219541970
Douglas DC-2 219451952
Douglas DC-6 1019651984
Douglas DC-8-61 119881989Leased from Trans International Airlines
Fairchild C-82 Packet 519571961
Fokker F-27 Friendship 319781987
Fokker F-28 Fellowship 119741976Leased from Fokker
Hawker Siddeley HS 748 119751975Leased from Midwest Aviation
Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation 119721972

Accidents and incidents

N125GU, the aircraft that crashed as Flight 901 in 1995 MIAMI MARCH 1995 AVIATECA BOEING 737 N125GU.jpg
N125GU, the aircraft that crashed as Flight 901 in 1995

See also

References

  1. World Airline Directory. Flight International. March 22–28, 1995. 46.
  2. http://www.timetableimages.com, May 12, 1974 Aviateca system timetable
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Avianca reactiva la operación de Aviateca y aumenta sus vuelos en Guatemala". Aviacionline.com (in Spanish). 5 October 2022. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  4. "Aviateca Guatemala to resume flight ops in 4Q22". Ch-aviation.com. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  5. "Airline memorabilia: Aviateca (1993)". 26 August 2009.
  6. "Avianca began flights between Guatemala City and Cancún". Aviacionline.com. 8 September 2023. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  7. "Avianca Airlines Debuts Chicago-Guatemala Nonstop Route". Airwaysmag.com. December 15, 2023.
  8. "Avianca Guatemala Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  9. "Global Airline Guide 2019 (Part One)". Airliner World (October 2019): 15.
  10. "Global Airline Guide 2018 (Part One)". Airliner World (October 2018): 15.
  11. "Aviateca fleet". aerobernie.bplaced.net. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  12. "TC-AMA Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  13. "TG-AGA Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
  14. "TG-AKA Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  15. "TG-AFA Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  16. "Photo: Aviateca, Douglas DC-3 TG-AFA". Airline Fan. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
  17. 1995 Crash report
  18. Aviation Safety report

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