Avianca El Salvador: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox Airline | |
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airline=TACA International Airlines| |
airline=TACA International Airlines<br><small>Transportes Aéreos del Continente Americano S.A.</small>| |
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logo= TACA 2008 logo.svg| |
logo= TACA 2008 logo.svg| |
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logo_size=| |
logo_size=300px| |
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fleet_size=47 (16 orders)| |
fleet_size=47 (16 orders)| |
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destinations=42 destinations in 22 countries| <!-- Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNr0tcxOonA --> |
destinations=42 destinations in 22 countries| <!-- Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNr0tcxOonA --> |
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Revision as of 16:55, 14 November 2010
| File:TACA 2008 logo.svg | |||||||
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| Founded | 1931 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hubs | |||||||
| Secondary hubs | |||||||
| Frequent-flyer program | Distancia | ||||||
| Alliance | Star Alliance website= http://www.taca.com | ||||||
| Fleet size | 47 (16 orders) | ||||||
| Destinations | 42 destinations in 22 countries | ||||||
| Holding company#Parent company | Avianca-TACA Ltd. | ||||||
| Headquarters | San Salvador | ||||||
| Key people | Fabio Villegas (President), Roberto Kriete (Chairperson) | ||||||
TACA is the trade name "brand" comprising a group of five independently IATA-coded and -owned Central American airlines, whose operations are combined to function as one and a number of other independently owned and IATA-coded regional airlines which code-share and feed the TACA brand system. TACA, originally an acronym of Transportes Aéreos Centroamericanos (Central American Air Transport), now stands for Transportes Aéreos del Continente Americano (Air Transport of the American Continent), reflecting its expansion to North, Central, South America and the Caribbean. It flies to 44 destinations in 22 different countries. In 2009 TACA received three Skytrax World Airline Awards crowning the airline as "Best Airline in Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean", "Best Crew in Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean", "Best Regional Airline in Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean".
The five airlines are:
- TACA International (TA) (El Salvador)
- Aviateca (GU) (Guatemala)
- Regional (GU) - Formerly Inter, it operates under Aviateca's code.
- Lacsa (LR) (Costa Rica)
- Lacsa is the only airline of the group that still operates international flights with its own flight numbers. Its hub is at Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José, Costa Rica.
- SANSA (RZ)
- Islena Airlines (WC).
- Nicaragüense de Aviación (6Y) (Nicaragua)
- Regional - La Costeña
Avianca-TACA
In October 2009 it was announced that TACA would merge its assets in a strategic alliance with Colombian airline Avianca, in which case each will maintain their own trademark and operations. Avianca and TACA currently operate a combined fleet of 129 aircraft, serving over 100 destinations in the Americas and Europe.[1] In December 2009 approval for the merger was given by the Colombian Civil Aeronautical Agency.[2]
Ecuadorian airline Aerogal also announced its merger into Avianca-TACA by the end of October 2009.[3]
The Brazilian OceanAir will soon be incorporated to the alliance.
Service
TACA has three flight hubs or "Centros de Conexiones":[4]
- TACA hub at Comalapa International Airport in San Salvador, El Salvador
- TACA Perú hub at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Peru
- Lacsa hub at Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José, Costa Rica.
TACA's headquarters are in San Salvador, El Salvador.[5]
TACA's regional airlines system includes the following airlines:
- Aeroperlas
- Regional Operating under Aviateca's code
- Islena Airlines
- La Costeña
- SANSA
History
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (January 2010) |
TACA was founded in 1931 by New Zealander Lowell Yerex. TACA was once the "world's largest cargo carrier."[citation needed]. The idea of its founder was to establish one airline in each Latin-American country, such as Aerovias Brasil in Brazil and other TACAs in Mexico, Venezuela, and Colombia.[citation needed]Out of all the TACA franchise airlines created, only TACA International of El Salvador survived, and has now ventured in acquisitions and has helped launch airlines such as the Mexican Volaris and has 49% shares in TACA Peru.
Until 1980 TACA was owned by a United States company and had its corporate headquarters in New Orleans, Louisiana (due to the civil war raging in El Salvador) in 1980 the Kriete Family of El Salvador who owned a minority stock completed buying all the shares. Today the headquarters returned to San Salvador, El Salvador to a new building which was inaugurated in 2008.
Between 1989 and 1995, TACA bought the majority shares of the flag airlines of Guatemala (AVIATECA), Costa Rica (Lacsa), and Nicaragua (NICA), consolidating operations under a new brand name, Grupo TACA. In 2008, Roberto Kriete and the board of directors decided to revert back to the original name; TACA International Airlines since the consolidation of the acquired airlines was completed.
Lacsa
Lacsa is the only airline of the merger that has current operations.Lacsa operates with its own aircraft, crew, service, and hubs. Its main hub is Juan Santamaría International Airport
Destinations
Main Article: TACA destinations, Lacsa destinations, TACA Perú destinations
TACA has a total of 50 destinations around the world and continues to grow.
The hub at Comalapa International Airport makes connections between all of Central America and North America (Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, New York, Orlando, San Francisco, Toronto, Washington), as well as Lima, Perú.
- The Lacsa hub at Juan Santamaría International Airport is the focus of the Caribbean routes (Havana and Santo Domingo), South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, Venezuela), as well as three US cities (Los Angeles, Miami and New York) and all of Central America.
- The hub at Jorge Chavez International Airport handles all connections to the South American routes and serves Costa Rica, El Salvador, Havana and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
- TACA has developed a Secondary hub in La Aurora International Airport, serving North American Destinations (Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami), Central American Destinations (El Salvador, Managua, San Jose (CR), San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa), Mexican Destinations (Cancun, Mexico City) . Most of its flights connect in either SAL or SJO.
TACA's Evolution
On September 24, 2008, TACA Chairman and CEO Roberto Kriete introduced a new brand of identity by unveiling a new Airbus aircraft painted in TACA's new colour scheme. The event also included a fashion show featuring the new uniforms for TACA staff designed by Colombian designer Isabel Henao.[citation needed]
SkyTrax
TACA Airlines won the Skytrax award in the following categories: [6]
2009
- Best Airline Central America
- Best Regional Airline
- Best Cabin Staff Central America and the Caribbean
2010
- Best Airline Central America
- Best Regional Airline
- Best Cabin Staff Central America and the Caribbean
Fleet
The TACA fleet consists of the following aircraft (at 16 August 2010):[7][8][9]
| Aircraft | Total | Orders | Options | Passengers | Leases[10] | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Y | Total | ||||||
| Airbus A319-100 | 11 | 4 | — | 12 | 108 | 120 | 3 to TACA Peru 2 to Grupo TACA 2 to Volaris |
|
| Airbus A320-200 | 16 | 9 | — | 12 | 138 | 150 | 5 to Grupo TACA 1 to TACA Peru 2 operated for Cubana |
|
| Airbus A321-200 | 5 | — | — | 12 | 182 | 194 | 2 to Grupo TACA 1 to TACA Peru |
|
| Airbus A330-243 | — | 2 | — | 30 | 222 | 252 | ||
| Embraer 190 | 9 | 4 | 15 | 8 | 88 | 96 | 4 to Grupo TACA | |
The A330's are expected to have the same configuration as Avianca's.
The average fleet age is 4.3 years old in August 2010. The A321s are used in the higher density routes including these destinations: San Salvador-Los Angeles, San Salvador-Miami, San Salvador-Washington, D.C., San Salvador-Guatemala City, San Salvador-Mexico City, Managua-Miami, San Jose-San Salvador, San Jose-Panama, San Jose-Bogotá, Lima-Caracas, Lima-Buenos Aires.[11]
Historic fleet
Taca has operated the following types:
- Stinson Reliant
- Bellanca CH-400 Skyrocket ref>The Smithsonian keeps a photo of TACA's Bellanca</ref>
- Ford 5-AT Tri-Motor (The Smithsonian has preserved one of TACA's Fords) [12]
- Douglas DC-4
- Lockheed 18 Lodestar (The Houston Aeronautical Heritage Society has preserved one of TACA's Lockheeds[13])
- Vickers Viscount 768
- BAC One-Eleven
- Airbus A300 (For Cargo Only)[14]
- Boeing 737
- Boeing 767-200ER
- Boeing 767-300ER
- Metal Aircraft Flamingo[15]
Reciprocal Frequent Flyer Agreements
Distancia is TACA's frequent flyer program. It also has a corporate incentive program called Avancia that can be converted 1-to-1 to "Distancia" miles.
In addition to earning miles on TACA and TACA Regional flights, Taca has partnerships with the following airlines:
Joining of a Major "Airline Alliance"
TACA was not a part of a formal airline alliance prior to November 2008, although it did exchange frequent flyer incentives to other airlines customers prior to this.
In November 2008 the chief executive of TACA Roberto Kriete revealed on the ALTA airline leaders forum in Cancun that TACA has submitted an application to join the Star Alliance.[2]
On Wednesday November 10, 2010 it was announced that TACA Airlines along with Avianca Airlines together part of Avianca-TACA Ltd. had chosen to join the Star Alliance. Both to be accepted in the year 2012.
Accidents and incidents
- On March 5, 1959, Vickers Viscount YS-09C crashed shortly after take-off from Managua Airport, Nicaragua when both port engines failed. Fifteen of the 19 people on board were killed.[16]
- On May 24, 1988, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, Boeing 737-300: TACA Flight 110: A double engine flameout due to water ingestion, a result of an in-flight encounter with an area of very heavy rain and hail. The design of the engines and FAA water ingestion certification standards did not take into account the higher water volume of strong or severe thunderstorms. NTSB Report
- On April 6, 1993, Guatemala City, Guatemala, Boeing 767-200, TACA Flight 510, Overran the runway after not being able to brake on flooded landing field.
- On May 30, 2008, Toncontín International Airport, Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Airbus A320 EI-TAF: TACA Flight 390, from San Salvador overran a rain-soaked runway in approach to Tegucigalpa Airport. There were five fatalities, three of which were occupants.[17]
References
- ^ "Latin American airlines to merge". BBC Online. BBC. 2009-10-09. p. 1. Retrieved 2009-10-08.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ http://www.poder360.com/dailynews_detail.php?blurbid=4034
- ^ http://www.laprensagrafica.com/economia/internacional/69906-la-fusion-avianca-taca-aerogal-puede-generar-planes-similares-en-america-latina.html
- ^ Map of routes - TACA.COM
- ^ World Airline Directory. Flight International. March 20, 1975. 504.
- ^ http://www.worldairlineawards.com/Awards-2010/camerica.htm
- ^ TACA Official Fleet page
- ^ TACA Fleet at Planespotters.net
- ^ TACA Fleet
- ^ Lease Information from CH-Aviation.ch
- ^ TACA Fleet Age
- ^ Smithsonian
- ^ Houston Aeronautical Heritage Society
- ^ Airliners.net
- ^ Cincinnati Aviation Heritage Society & Museum Shows a photo inside the Metal Aircraft Factory in Cincinnati
- ^ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 11 September 2009.
- ^ "Plane skids off runway in Honduras, 5 dead". Reuters. May 30, 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-30.
External links
Members of Star Alliance | |||||
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| Current members |  | ||||
| Joint partners |
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| Former members | |||||
