Avianca S.A.(acronymin Spanish forAerovias del Continente Americano S.A.,"Airways of the American Continent", and stylized asaviancasince October 2023), is the largest airline inColombia.It has been theflag carrierof Colombia[4][5]since December 5, 1919, when it was initially registered under the nameSCADTA.[6][7]It is headquartered in Colombia, with itsregistered officeinBarranquillaand itsglobal headquartersinBogotáand mainhubatEl Dorado International Airport.Avianca is the flagship of agroup of airlines of the Americas,which operates as one airline using a codesharing system. Avianca is thelargest airline in Colombiaand second largest inSouth America,afterLATAMofChile.Avianca and its subsidiaries have the most extensive network of destinations in the Americas.[8]Before the merger with TACA in 2010, it was wholly owned bySynergy Group,a South Americanholding companyestablished byGermán Efromovichand specializing inair transport.It is listed on the Colombia Stock Exchange.[9]
| |||||||
Founded | December 5, 1919(asSCADTA) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Commenced operations | June 14, 1940(asAvianca) | ||||||
AOC # | ANCF173C[1] | ||||||
Hubs | Bogotá | ||||||
Secondary hubs | |||||||
Focus cities | |||||||
Frequent-flyer program | LifeMiles | ||||||
Alliance | Star Alliance | ||||||
Subsidiaries | Helicol | ||||||
Fleet size | 128[citation needed] | ||||||
Destinations | 74[2] | ||||||
Parent company | Avianca Group | ||||||
Headquarters | |||||||
Key people | |||||||
Operating income | COP100.3B[3](FY 2019 Q3) | ||||||
Total assets | COP2.403.632M(FY 2008) | ||||||
Website | www |
Through SCADTA, Avianca is theworld's second oldest extant airlineafterKLMand celebrated its 100th anniversary in December 2019. It is the oldestairlinein theWestern Hemisphere.[10]It became an official member ofStar Allianceon June 21, 2012, after a process that lasted approximately 18 months from the initial announcement[11]of its invitation to join the alliance.[12]On May 10, 2020, Avianca filed forChapter 11 bankruptcyin a court in New York City, and liquidated its subsidiaryAvianca Perú,due to theCOVID-19 pandemiccrisis.[13][14][15]
History
editSCADTA (1919–1940)
editThe airline traces its history back to December 5, 1919, in the city ofBarranquilla,Colombia. Colombians Ernesto Cortissoz Alvarez-Correa (the first President of the airline), Rafael María Palacio, Cristóbal Restrepo, Jacobo Correa and Aristides Noguera andGermansWerner Kämmerer, Stuart Hosie and Albert Tietjen founded the Colombo-German Company, calledSociedad Colombo-Alemana de Transportes AéreosorSCADTA.The company accomplished its first flight on September 5, 1920, between Barranquilla and the nearby town ofPuerto Colombiausing aJunkers F.13,transporting 57 pieces of mail. The flight was piloted by German Helmuth von Krohn. This and another aircraft of the same type were completely mechanically constructedmonoplanes,the engines of which had to be modified to efficiently operate in the climate of the country. There were nine aircraft in the fleet with a total range of 850 km (528 mi) which 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, floats were adapted for two of theJunkersaircraft to makewater landingsin the rivers near 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 theMagdalena River;the flight took eight hours and required four emergency landings in the water.
Soon after the airline was founded, German scientist andphilanthropistPeter von Bauer became interested in the airline and contributed general knowledge,capitaland a tenth aircraft for the company, as well as obtainingconcessionsfrom the Colombian government to operate the country'sairmailtransportation division using the airline, which began in 1922. This new contract allowed SCADTA to thrive in a new frontier of aviation. By the mid-1920s, SCADTA started its first international routes covering destinations in Venezuela and the United States. In 1924, the aircraft that both Ernesto Cortissoz and Helmuth von Krohn were flying crashed into an area currently known as Bocas de Ceniza in Barranquilla, killing them. In the early 1940s, Peter von Bauer sold his shares in the airline to the US-ownedPan Am.
National Airways of Colombia (1940–1994)
editOn June 14, 1940, in the city of Barranquilla, SCADTA, under ownership by United States businessmen, merged with regional Colombian airlineSACO,forming the newAerovíasNacionales deColombiaS.A.orAvianca.Five Colombians participated in this: Rafael María Palacio, Jacobo A. Correa, Cristobal Restrepo, and Aristides Noguera, as well asGermancitizens Albert Teitjen, Werner Kämerer, and Stuart Hosie, while the post of first President of Avianca was filled by Martín del Corral. Avianca claims SCADTA's history as its own.
In 1946, Avianca began flights toQuito,Lima,Panama City,Miami,New York Cityand Europe, usingDouglas DC-4sandC-54 Skymasters.In 1951, Avianca acquiredLockheed ConstellationsandSuper Constellations.[citation needed]In 1956, the company transported the Colombian delegation to theMelbourne Olympicson a 61-hour trip, stopping only to refuel.[16]
During the 1960s, the company built theAvianca Buildingin Bogotá, designed by the architect Germán Samper, which was inaugurated in 1969 on the south side ofSantander Park.In 1961, Avianca leased twoBoeing 707sto operate its international routes, and on November 2, 1961, it acquired its ownBoeing 720s.In 1976, Avianca became the firstLatin Americanairline to continuously operate theBoeing 747-100.Three years later, it started operations with more 747s, including two Combi aircraft, mixing cargo and passenger operations.[citation needed]
In 1981, Avianca undertook the construction of a new exclusive terminal called theTerminal Puente Aéreo,which was eventually inaugurated by President Julio César Turbay Ayala. Avianca's original purpose for the terminal was for flights serving Cali, Medellín, Miami, and New York.[17]
Merger system (1994–2002)
editIn 1994, Avianca, the regional carrierSAMand the helicopter operatorHelicolmerged, beginning Avianca's new system of operations. This arrangement allowed for specialized services in cargo (Avianca Cargo) and postal services, as well as a more modern fleet, made up ofBoeing 767s,Boeing 757s,MD-83s,Fokker 50s,andBellhelicopters. In 1996, Avianca Postal Services becameDeprisa,which provided various mail services.
On December 10, 1998, Avianca officially opened its new hub in Bogotá, offering around 6,000 possible connections per week, 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 travelers between South America, Europe, and North America.
Summa Alliance (2002–2004)
editAfter theSeptember 11 attacks,Avianca, SAM, and their major rivalACESjoined efforts to create theAlianza Summa,which began merged operations on May 20, 2002, 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. In November 2003, the Alianza Summa was disbanded, ACES was liquidated altogether and SAM was acquired to be a regional carrier under Avianca's brand.
American Continent Airways (2004–2009)
editOn December 10, 2004, Avianca concluded a major reorganization process, undertaken after filing forChapter 11bankruptcy protection, by obtaining confirmation of its reorganization plan, which was financially backed by the Brazilian consortium,Synergy Groupand theNational Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia,allowing the airline to obtain funds for US$63 million, in the 13 months following withdrawal from bankruptcy.
Under this plan, Avianca was bought by Synergy Group and was consolidated with its subsidiariesOceanAirandVIP.The company's full legal name was changed fromAerovías Nacionales de Colombia(National Airways of Colombia) toAerovías del Continente Americano(Airways of the American Continent), retaining the acronym Avianca. On February 28, 2005, Avianca presented its new logo and livery.
Avianca-TACA merger (2009–2013)
editIn October 2009, it was announced that Avianca would merge withTACA Airlines.[18][19]This createdAviancaTaca Holding,which instantly became one of the region's largest airlines, with 129 aircraft and flights to more than 100 destinations.
In November 2009, the airline's Chief Executive Fabio Villegas announced that the airline was looking to replace itsFokker 50andFokker 100with newer aircraft of 100 seats or less.[20]On January 1, 2011, the airline decided to retire the Fokker 100 in 2011 and replace them with 10Airbus A318sleased fromGECAS.The aircraft were delivered from February to April 2011.
Star Alliance
editOn November 10, 2010,Star Allianceannounced that Avianca (and its merger counterpart, TACA) were full members in 2012. Due to Avianca's entry into Star Alliance, it ended itscodeshare agreementwithDelta Air Linesand began a new codeshare agreement withUnited Airlines.TACA has been codesharing with United Airlines since 2006.[21]On June 21, 2012, Avianca and TACA were both officially admitted into Star Alliance.
Avianca Holdings (2013–2019)
editOn March 21, 2013, at the annual general meeting, the shareholders approved the change of corporate name fromAviancaTaca HoldingtoAvianca Holdings.[22]TACA and all other AviancaTaca airlines changed their brand to Avianca on May 28, 2013.
As of 2017, Avianca operates the second-most daily international flights from Miami with 16, second only toAmerican Airlines.
In August 2018, Avianca had some operational difficulties due to problems with the platform it used to assign crew schedules. This resulted in the cancellation of several flights within Colombia. Likewise, due to the stoppage of ACDAC pilots in 2017, only in October 2018 were all flight itineraries managed by the airline restored.
On March 1, 2019, Avianca launched a subsidiary namedAvianca Express,which operatedATR-72son short regional flights within Colombia.[citation needed]
2020 bankruptcy (2020-2021)
editAvianca had significant financial liabilities in 2019. Because of this, they issued more debt to cover short-term liabilities and concluded a debt exchange on December 31, 2019. In response to the global outbreak ofCOVID-19,the Colombian government'slockdownsuspended Avianca's domestic and international operations; most of the company’s 20,000 employees went without pay throughout this period, and the airline operated no scheduled passenger flights between late March and May outside of repatriation missions. As a result of this temporary cessation of business, the company had seen 80% of its revenue stopped.
Avianca Holdingsand 23 affiliated debtors filed forChapter 11 bankruptcyin theUnited States District Court for the Southern District of New Yorkon May 10, 2020, as a direct result of theCOVID-19 pandemicand subsequent global shutdown, and their financial situation before and during the crisis. The airline holding liquidated their subsidiaryAvianca Perúthe same day. The debtors were granted joint administration of the cases under Case No. 20-11133. The airline had accumulated a total debt of USD 7.3 billion at the end of 2019.[23]
Avianca implemented numerous cost-reduction plans during and following their bankruptcy including increasing the passenger capacity and redesigning the cabin of theirAirbus A320s,simplifying their fleet to only the A320 family andBoeing 787,the latter of which will also feature an economy class cabin redesign, and introducing new, cheaper, and more competitive fares with increased options for flexibility including checked and carry-on bags, seat selection, and priority boarding.[24][25]
In November 2021, Avianca Holdings announced they would move their legal address fromPanamato theUnited Kingdom,and that they would change their name toAvianca Group.[26]Their globalheadquartersremains inBogotá.On November 2, 2021, Avianca's reorganization plan was approved by the court,[27]and on December 1, 2021, more than a year and a half after filing, Avianca emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in its history.[28]
Abra Group and Viva Air merger (2022-present)
editOn April 29, 2022, Avianca announced plans to acquire low-cost competitorViva Air Colombiaand its subsidiaryViva Air Perú.[29][30]On May 11, 2022, it was announced that Avianca planned to merge with Viva Air, andGol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentesto form the Abra Group, and that Avianca would be the acquiring company.[31][32]The merger was rejected by theColombian Civil Aviation Authorityin November 2022.[citation needed]Avianca stated that the rejection of the merger would not affect the plans for the Abra Group.[citation needed]
In September 2022,Ecuador's Superintendency for the Control of Market Power became the first government body to approve the merger.[citation needed]In December 2022, Avianca stated that they had reached all necessary agreements for the group bar "certain financing", and that they had obtained approval from regulatory bodies inBraziland theUnited States.Avianca also stated that they do not need regulatory approval in Colombia because GOL has no presence in the country, and hence there would be no overlap in Colombia.[citation needed]
On January 19, 2023, theMinistry of TransportandAerocivilformally annulled the November 2022 decision to reject the Avianca-Viva Air merger, citing "procedural irregularities" found within the first review process. A second review is due to take place in "an urgent manner", because the merger proposal was filed under "exception for a company in crisis", referencing Viva Air's financial situation.[33]
On March 21, 2023, Aerocivil announced that it would approve the Avianca-Viva merger conditionally if the new entity complied with the following: to either refund or honor passengers' cancelled bookings made before Viva Air suspended operations; to return some in-demand slots atBogotá's El Dorado Airportpreviously held by Viva Air; to maintain Viva Air's low-cost model for consumers within Colombia; to reinstate flights betweenBogotáandBuenos Aires;to maintain a fare cap on routes where the entity is the only operator; and, as the new entity would hold a majority of the market share in Colombia, to ensure that the market remains dynamic.[34]
On May 13, 2023, after analyzing the "financial and technical implications" of the merger under these conditions, Avianca withdrew its plans for the acquisition of Viva Air, given the strict requirements of Aerocivil and the damage that these would have on the airline's economy.[35][36]
In October 2023, the company announced a rebrand and changes to its business model. Avianca changed its name from Avianca toavianca,adjusting its operating model to a more low-cost-friendly one.
Corporate affairs
editAvianca's headquarters are onAvenida El Doradoand between Carrera 60 and Gobernación de Cundinamarca, located in theCiudad Salitrearea of Bogotá. The building is located next to theGran Estación.[37]Its previous head office was at Avenida El Dorado No. 93-30.[38]
Destinations
editAvianca's hub is inBogotá,with its focus cities inMedellín,Cali,Barranquilla,San José,andMiami,in the latter of which Avianca is the largest foreign carrier by number of passengers.
Codeshare agreements
editAvianca hascodeshare agreementswith the following airlines:[39]
- Aeroméxico
- Air Canada
- Air China
- Air India
- All Nippon Airways
- Austrian Airlines
- Avianca El Salvador
- Azul Brazilian Airlines
- Brussels Airlines
- Clic Air
- Copa Airlines
- Cubana de Aviación
- Etihad Airways
- EVA Air
- Gol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes
- Iberia
- ITA Airways[40]
- Lufthansa
- Scandinavian Airlines
- Silver Airways
- Singapore Airlines
- Star Perú
- Swiss International Air Lines
- TAP Air Portugal
- Thai Airways International
- Turkish Airlines
- United Airlines
Interline agreements
editAvianca has an interline agreement withBoliviana de Aviación.[41]
LifeMiles
editThefrequent-flyer programof Avianca and its subsidiaries isLifeMiles.This program is designed to reward customer loyalty in the airline, travel, and retail sectors. LifeMiles members can earn miles every time they fly with Avianca,Star Alliancemember airlines, as well asGOL Airlines,AeromexicoandIberia.
The program was launched in 2011 with the merger of Avianca and TACA, replacing its formerAviancaPlusprogram. LifeMiles has been awarded 14Freddie Awardsfor its outstanding performance and promotions in the Americas during the last 9 years.
LifeMiles has four elite tiers:
- Red Plus (Star Alliance Silver)
- Silver (Star Alliance Silver)
- Gold (Star Alliance Gold)
- Diamond (Star Alliance Gold)
Fleet
editCurrent fleet
editAs of November 2024[update],Avianca operates the following aircraft:
Aircraft | In service |
Orders | Passengers | Notes | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
C | W | Y+ | Y | Total | ||||
Airbus A319-100 | 7 | — | – | 12 | 48 | 84 | 144 | To be retired by 2024.[42] |
Airbus A320-200 | 67 | — | – | 12 | 60 | 108 | 180 | |
Airbus A320neo | 24 | 50[43] | – | 12 | 60 | 108 | 180 | Order with 50 options.[44] Some orders to be split with its subsidiaries. |
14 | – | – | 188 | 188 | FormerViva Air Colombiaaircraft.[45] | |||
Boeing 787-8 | 13 | — | 28 | – | – | 222 | 250 | |
20 | 271 | 291 | ||||||
3 | 32 | 259 | 291 | FormerNorwegian Long Haulaircraft.[46] | ||||
Total | 128 | 50 |
Fleet development
editIn March 2007 the airline ordered 10Boeing 787 Dreamliner.[47]The first delivery of that aircraft type was on December 17, 2014, and its first service was on January 16, 2015, between Bogotá and New York City.[48][49]
In 2015, Avianca signed an order for 100 A320neo family aircraft. At the beginning of March 2019, the airline had 20 A319neos, 92 A320neos, and 15 A321neos on order. In March 2019 the delivery of 17 Airbus A320neo family aircraft was cancelled, and deliveries of another 35 jets were rescheduled to 2026 to 2028, instead of 2020 to 2022.[50]
In March 2022 the airline confirmed an order for 88 new A320neo with deliveries between 2025 and 2031.[51]
In June 2023, it was reported that Avianca leased eight A320neos that belonged to the bankrupt airline Viva Air for delivery in 2023.[45]
In September 2023 the airline disclosed to lease 14 Airbus A320neo planes and two A320ceo planes.[52]
In February 2024, Avianca received one of the 3 Boeing 787-8s from Norwegian Air Shuttle. The airline said it wants to deviate from wet leases such as the one from Wamos Air and its A330, in addition, it wants to do it only with 787-8s owned by the company itself.[46]
Former fleet
editSince its founding, Avianca has operated a wide variety of aircraft:[53][54][55]
Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Airbus A318-100 | 10 | 2011 | 2019 | Purchased fromMexicana[56] |
Airbus A321-200 | 9 | 2014 | 2021 | |
Airbus A321neo | 2 | 2017 | 2020 | [57] |
Airbus A330-200 | 12 | 2008 | 2023 | |
Airbus A330-300 | 2 | 2018 | 2020 | Purchased fromTransAsia Airways |
ATR 72-600 | 9 | 2013 | 2019 | Transferred toAvianca Express |
Beechcraft 17 | 2 | 1941 | 1943 | |
Boeing 247D | 18 | 1936 | 1948 | |
Boeing 707-120 | 1 | 1960 | 1961 | Leased fromPan Am |
Boeing 707-320C | 8 | 1968 | 1994 | One written off asFlight 052 |
Boeing 720B | 7 | 1961 | 1984 | |
Boeing 727-100 | 33 | 1966 | 1992 | |
Boeing 727-200 | 18 | 1978 | 1999 | |
Boeing 737-100 | 2 | 1968 | 1971 | First 737 operator in Latin America |
Boeing 747-100 | 3 | 1976 | 1996 | |
Boeing 747-100SF | 2 | 1981 | 1988 | |
Boeing 747-200M | 2 | 1979 | 1995 | One written off asFlight 011 |
Boeing 757-200 | 21 | 1992 | 2010 | |
Boeing 767-200ER | 5 | 1990 | 2011 | |
Boeing 767-300ER | 5 | 1994 | 2011 | |
1 | 2014 | 2015 | Leased fromOmni Air International | |
Boeing 787-9 | 1 | 2019 | 2023 | Never entered service[citation needed] |
Consolidated PBY Catalina | 4 | 1946 | 1956 | |
Curtiss T-32 Condor II | 2 | Unknown | Unknown | |
Curtiss C-46 Commando | 5 | 1949 | 1955 | |
de Havilland DH.60 Moth | 7 | 1929 | 1939 | |
Dornier Do J Wal | 3 | 1925 | 1932 | |
Dornier Merkur | 2 | 1927 | 1932 | |
Douglas C-47 Skytrain | 52 | 1939 | 1974 | |
Douglas C-54 Skymaster | 26 | 1946 | 1975 | |
Douglas DC-2 | 2 | 1944 | 1947 | |
Douglas DC-3 | 4 | 1939 | 1973 | |
Douglas DC-4 | 2 | 1953 | 1974 | |
Fokker 50 | 10 | 1993 | 2014 | One involved in a1999 hijacking |
Fokker 100 | 15 | 2006 | 2011 | Operated bySAMuntil 2010 |
Fokker Universal | 2 | 1929 | 1934 | |
Ford 5-AT-DS Trimotor | 19 | 1929 | 1946 | |
General Aviation GA-43 | 1 | 1934 | Unknown | |
Hawker Siddeley HS 748 | 2 | 1968 | 1978 | |
IAI 1124 Westwind | 1 | 1978 | 1995 | Operated byHelicol |
Junkers F 13 | 31 | 1920 | 1940 | |
Junkers W 33 | 1 | 1929 | 1932 | |
Junkers W 34 | 13 | 1928 | 1947 | |
Lockheed L-749A Constellation | 6 | 1951 | 1967 | |
Lockheed L-1049E Super Constellation | 4 | 1954 | 1969 | |
McDonnell Douglas MD-11ER | 1 | 1998 | 1999 | Leased fromWorld Airways |
McDonnell Douglas MD-83 | 18 | 1992 | 2011 | |
Sikorsky S-38 | 7 | 1929 | 1940 | |
Sikorsky S-41 | 1 | 1930 | 1936 |
Accidents and incidents
editThis sectionneeds additional citations forverification.(May 2023) |
The airline suffered a few incidents during the 1980s and early 1990s. The deadliest of those incidents wasAvianca Flight 011,which crashed in 1983.
- On January 22, 1947, aDouglas C-53B (registered C-108), crashed in the Magdalena River valley, killing all 17 people on board.[58]
- On August 9, 1954, aLockheed L-749A(registered HK-163), crashed three minutes after takeoff fromLajes Field,Azores,after it flew left into the hills instead of right towards the sea. All 30 on board died.[59]
- On March 9, 1955, aDouglas C-47A(registered HK-328), crashed atTrujillo, Colombia,killing all eight on board. The wreckage was found a month later, but some of the gold and cargo were missing.[60]
- On June 23, 1959, aDouglas DC-4(registered HK-135), operating as Flight 667, struck Cerro Baco mountain while en route toLima,Peru,killing all 14 aboard.[61]
- On January 21, 1960,Avianca Flight 671,aLockheed L-1049E, crashed and burned on landing atSangster International Airportin Jamaica, killing 37 aboard.[62]
- On March 22, 1965, aDouglas C-47DL, (registered HK-109), operating Flight 676, struck Pan de Azucar at an elevation of 7,200 feet (2,200 m), killing all 29 on board. The cause was the decision of the pilot to fly VFR in conditions that required IFR.[63]
- On January 15, 1966,Avianca Flight 4crashed shortly after takeoff fromRafael Núñez International Airport.The cause was determined to be maintenance problems, possibly compounded by pilot error.
- On September 22, 1966, aDouglas DC-4(registered HK-174), operating Flight 870, crashed while attempting to return to Eldorado Airport due to engine problems, killing both pilots. The cause was traced to a failure in the governor control unit. Improper supervision by the company was a contributing factor, as the pilot was briefed to make a night flight while he was in conversion training for the L-749.[64]
- On December 24, 1966, aDouglas C-47A,(registered HK-161), operating Flight 729, struck Cerro Las Animas at an elevation of 11,600 feet (3,500 m) while approaching Pasto, killing all 29 on board. A combination of poorCRM,pilot intoxication, deviation from route, and pilot error was cited as the cause.[65]
- On May 21, 1970, aDouglas DC-3,(registered HK-121), washijackedtoYariguíes Airport,Barrancabermejawhilst on a flight fromEl Alcaraván Airport,YopaltoAlberto Lleras Camargo Airport,Sogamoso.The hijackers had demanded to be taken toCuba.[66]
- On July 29, 1972, twoDouglas C-53s,registered HK-107 and HK-1341, were involved in a mid-air collision over theLas Palomas Mountains.Both aircraft crashed, killing 21 people on HK-107 and 17 people on HK-1341. Both aircraft were operating domestic scheduled passenger flights fromLa Vanguardia Airport,VillavicenciotoEl Alcaraván Airport,Yopal.[67][68]
- On August 22, 1973, aDouglas DC-3A(registered HK-111), crashed into a hill near theCasanare Department,killing 16 of the 17 people on board. The aircraft was operating a domestic scheduled passenger flight fromLa Vanguardia Airport,VillavicenciotoEl Alcaraván Airport,Yopal.[69]
- On August 12, 1974, aDouglas C-47(registered HK-508), flew into Trujillo Mountain, killing all 27 people on board. The aircraft was on a domestic scheduled passenger flight fromEl Dorado Airport,Bogotá toLa Florida Airport,Tumaco.[70]
- On November 27, 1983,Avianca Flight 011(1983), aBoeing 747-200M(registered HK-2910X) crashed into a mountain just short of landing atMadrid Barajas AirportinMadrid,killing 181 of the 192 people aboard. The cause was determined to bepilot error.[citation needed]
- On March 17, 1988,Avianca Flight 410,aBoeing 727-100(registered HK-1716) crashed into low mountains nearCúcuta-Norte de Santander Departmentafter take-off, killing all 143 on board. It was determined that pilot error was also the cause of this crash, in a situation similar to Flight 011.[citation needed]
- On November 27, 1989, a bomb destroyedAvianca Flight 203.All 107 passengers and crew and 3 people on the ground were killed. The bombing had been ordered byPablo Escobarto kill presidential candidateCésar Gaviria Trujillo.In the aftermath, it was discovered that Gaviria had not boarded the aircraft.[citation needed]
- On January 25, 1990,Avianca Flight 052,aBoeing 707-320C(registered HK-2016) en route from Bogotá toNew York CityviaMedellíncrashed inCove Neck, New York,after running out of fuel while in aholding patternfor at New York'sJohn F. Kennedy International Airport,killing 73 of the 158 people aboard.
- On April 26, 1990,19th of April Movementpresidential candidateCarlos Pizarrowas gunned down during a domestic Avianca flight.[71][72]
- On April 12, 1999,Avianca Flight 9463,aFokker 50(registered PH-MXT), from Bogotá toBucaramangawas hijacked by sixELNmembers, who forced the plane to make an emergency landing on a clandestine runway in theBolívar Department.One passenger died during captivity, the rest were eventually liberated a year after the hijacking.[73]
Awards and recognitions
editIn its recent history, the company has won different awards:[74]
- 2010: E-Commerce Company of the Year –eCommerce Awards Colombia.
- 2012: Best Company in Customer Service Labor and Management –Ibero-American Social Media Awards.
- 2013: Best Company in Customer Service Labor and Management –Ibero-American Social Media Awards.
- 2013: South American Airlines with Best Onboard Service –SkytraxWorld Airline Awards.
- 2014: Best E-commerce Initiative in Colombia –Colombia Online Awards.
- 2015: Best Airline in South America –World Travel Awards.
- 2016: Best Airline in South America and Latin America –Business Traveler North America Magazine.
- 2017: Best Airline in South America –Business Traveler Awards.
- 2017: Best Airline in South America and Best Regional Airline in South America –SkytraxWorld Airline Awards.
- 2017: Best Mobile Initiative for eCommerce –eCommerce Awards.
- 2017: Second-best airline in the world –Consumers and Users Organization.
- 2018: Best Airline in South America –SkytraxWorld Airline Awards.
- 2018: Best Regional Airline in South America –Airline Passenger Experience APEX.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Regulations.gov".Archived fromthe originalon 2023-06-01.Retrieved2023-06-01.
- ^"avianca airlines on ch-aviation".ch-aviation.Retrieved2023-11-09.
- ^"Avianca Holdings S.A., Investor Relations - Financial Information".Archived fromthe originalon 2020-03-01.Retrieved2020-02-20.
- ^Álvaro Uribe Vélez; Jorge Humberto Botero Angulo (7 March 2005)."Decreto número 604 de 2005 por el cual se concede la Orden del Mérito Comercial en la Categoría de Gran Oficial a Avianca"[Decree number 604 of 2005 which grants to Avianca the Order of Commercial Merit in the Category of Great Officer](PDF)(in Spanish). Bogotá, D.C. (Colombia): Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo de la República de Colombia.
- ^Álvaro Uribe Vélez (7 March 2005)."Discurso de entrega de la Orden del Mérito Comercial en la Categoría de Gran Oficial a Avianca"[Presidential address on the Order of Commercial Merit in the Category of Great Officer to Avianca](.htm)(in Spanish). Bogotá, D.C. (Colombia): Presidencia de la República de Colombia.
Nosotros no podemos perder la oportunidad de tener en Bogotá ese gran centro de conexiones. Y por supuesto, que lo haga la compañía bandera de Colombia, que es Avianca. Eso lo tiene que explicar el Gobierno a la opinión pública clara y paladinamente, sin malicias, sin cartas escondidas, y salir a defenderlo y decir por qué hay que hacerlo.
- ^Simón Rodríguez Rodríguez (21 September 1989)."Sentencia del Honorable Consejo de Estado de la República de Colombia con relación al proceso número 132 que reposa en el expediente del año 1989 (ce-sec1-exp1989-n132)"[Sentence of the Honourable Council of State of the Republic of Colombia in relation to process number 132 which rests on the record of 1989 (ce-sec1-exp1989-n132)] (in Spanish). Bogotá, D.C. (Colombia): Consejo de Estado de la República de Colombia. pp. 10, 16, 5th paragraph. Archived fromthe original(.doc)on 2011-07-04.
Desde ningún punto de vista puede abrigarse duda alguna acerca del carácter eminentemente privado de la empresa Aerovías Nacionales de Colombia AVIANCA S. A. La prueba por excelencia en este caso, como es el certificado expedido por el Secretario de la Cámara de Comercio de Barranquilla así lo determina (fls. 2 a 10). En él se lee que la empresa se constituyó por escritura pública número 2374, otorgada ante Notaría Segunda de Barranquilla, el día 5 de diciembre de 1919, registrada en el Juzgado Tercero del mismo Circuito, llamada inicialmente Sociedad Colombo – Alemana de Transportes Aéreos -SCADTA-.
- ^Friedman, Max Paul (April 2000). "Specter of a Nazi Threat: United States-Colombian Relations, 1939–1945".The Americas.56(4). Washington, D.C. (United States): Catholic University of America Press on behalf of Academy of American Franciscan History: 563–589 [566 2nd paragraph].doi:10.1017/S0003161500029849.JSTOR1008173.S2CID147077020.
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SCADTA Junkers F 13, one of the first commercial airlines in Colombia. SCADTA (now known as AVIANCA) is the oldest, continuously operating airline in the Western Hemisphere.
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{{cite web}}
:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^"Avianca signs agreement with Easyfly and farewells its ATR fleet".Aviaciononline.4 November 2021.Retrieved5 December2021.
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- ^Buitrago, Alejandra. "Avianca tendrá nueva sede administrativa a comienzos del 2009 en Eje Empresarial del Salitrem, portafolio.co, retrieved on 6 December 2015. "Será un edificio con 13.800 metros cuadrados de vidrio en sus fachadas, con un coeficiente de sombra de solo el 0,71% en diseño bioclimático que permitirá luz y aire naturales incluso en los sótanos." and "Su altura será de 46 metros y tres sótanos, para un área construida de 34.536 metros cuadrados. El primer piso tendrá locales comerciales y una amplia zona de parqueaderos."
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{{cite web}}
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External links
editMedia related toAviancaat Wikimedia Commons
- Official website(in Spanish)
- September 2012 Issue of Explore Taca