Category: Airlines Of S America

Savage Capitalism: AVENSA 1985-1994

16/10/2023

By the mid-1980s the good times for Venezuela were well and truly over. The currency had been devalued in 1983 unleashing an economic crisis, the nation was deep in debt and corruption was on the rise. The national airlines, VIASA and Aeropostal, were struggling but AVENSA, under the leadership of Henry Lord Boulton, used the situation to unleash his own brand of 'savage capitalism' which would enable AVENSA to thrive, at least for a short time.

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Teague 737: PLUNA's First Jet

20/5/2020

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South American nations are no strangers to turbulent histories, replete with dictators and revolutions, and yet Uruguay has been one of the more stable examples. Even so, as with many of its neighbours, it finds itself in 2020 with no national airline. PLUNA collapsed in 2012 but had a rich history including a short-lived first jet whose service coincided with one of the more tempestuous episodes in the nation's history.

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Lan Tens: DC-10s in Chile

2/7/2019

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The 1980s were a time of crisis and transition at Chile's national airline Lan Chile. During that period the airline acquired its first widebodies and although the DC-10s were ultimately just a temporary addition five aircraft served at times across a six year period. Here's the story of Lan's long-haul ambitions.

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Constant Crisis: AVENSA 1994-2004

6/5/2019

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Nowadays Venezuela is in a sorry state, wracked by economic collapse, hyper-inflation and a dictatorial regime. The pathway to this has been long and complex and has gradually taken a toll of the airline’s once rich aviation scene, so that only a handful of airlines survive and connections with international destinations are sporadic. One of the highest profile failures was that of AVENSA who had started operations in 1943.

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Lunarejo’s Courier: Aero Continente

10/7/2018

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There is a ‘fine’ tradition of dodgy airlines in Africa and Latin America but few have had the success that Peru’s Aero Continente managed. This is all the more impressive when it appears that the airline’s operations were strictly a secondary consideration, with its primary reason for existing being to act as a carrier for drug cartel Cocaine! From a fresh startup in 1992 it became Peru’s largest airline only for it all to come finally crashing down in 2004.

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Silent Giants: A300s in Brasil

15/12/2017

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The A300 was an excellent product and yet Airbus really struggled to sell the type at first. Eventually it gave them their break however and also made a significant inroad into the Brasilian market, albeit one that was relatively short-lived. It wouldn't be until the 2000s that Airbuses would be seen in large numbers in Brasil and by then the last of the 'Silent Giants' was coming to the end of its service.

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All Around the World: Lan's Air Cruises

29/7/2017

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Round the world flights were a feature of several major airlines route networks (Pan Am for example) and at times some airlines had also operated round the world charters to more obscure destinations (TWA did at least one using a 707), however nobody can match the impressive series of Cruceros del Aire (“Air Cruises”) run by Lan Chile between 1985 and 1989.

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El Grandioso: VIASA 1970-1986

6/7/2017

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By 1971 VIASA had been in operation for eleven years and had built up an excellent regional and long haul network that connected Venezuela to the world and made it one of the premier airlines of South America. It was also strongly profitable and ready to take the leap into the widebody era that its agreement with KLM offered it. The 1970s would prove to be the heyday of the airline as Venezuela boomed so did its national airline. Unfortunately the 1980s would bring some painful times for both country and flag carrier.

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Pride of Venezuela: VIASA 1960-1970

4/7/2017

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Venezolana Internacional de Aviación Sociedad Anónima (VIASA) was for many years one of the most well known and well run airlines in South America. It had a close working relationship with KLM, which enabled it to grow sustainably and leverage the Dutch flag carrier's know how and equipment. The airline grew strong during the 1960s blessed with the democratic stability brought about following the collapse of the military dictatorship of Perez Jimenez in 1958.

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Sud Stars: Lan Chile in the 1960s

16/6/2017

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Lan Chile (nowadays LATAM Chile) has a long and impressive history befitting a country that is rather isolated from the rest of the world and at the same time long, thin and mountainous. Its operations go as far back as 1929 and was known as Lan Chile (a shortening of Línea Aérea Nacional de Chile) from 1932 onwards. Seemingly rather short of funds Lan Chile soldiered on with piston liners well into the 1960s and when their first jets arrived they were not the expected 707s or DC-8s.

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Peruvian Tristars in the 90s: Faucett/AeroPerú's L-1011s

6/5/2017

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As Peru entered the 1990s both its largest airlines, AeroPerú and Faucett Perú, had serious financial problems. These forced the competitors together, albeit briefly, before they went there separate ways again. Both would use the Lockheed Tristar but neither would be able to survive the changing political and competitive landscape of the 90s.

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Unshining Path: AeroPerú in the 1980s

4/5/2017

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During the 1970s the Peruvian military government had successfully built up its new flag carrier AeroPerú into a seemingly well run airline reconnecting Peru with the world after APSA's failure. Unfortunately it is almost impossible to keep an airline operating profitably if it must operate in a competitive environment with both economic and civil discord at home. Sadly AeroPerú would have to contend not only with economic instability but also growing civil war as it entered its second decade.

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Covering Peru Like the Sun: AeroPerú in the 1970s

1/5/2017

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The collapse of APSA in 1971 was rather humiliating for the Peruvian military government and left the country without a national carrier. This led to the creation of AeroPerú, which built a bright 1970s image and valiantly attempted to compete against the big US airlines for traffic to and from Lima. The airline built up its network and intoduced widebodies reaching its peak as the 1970s closed. In part 1 of this series we look at AeroPerú in its formative years.

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Suriname's Trusted Wings: SLM's 747-300

28/8/2016

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Ask someone to name a South American nation and few would name Suriname, however the former Dutch colony has much to recommend itself. It also has a long aviation history with its national airline providing an all important connection to the Netherlands. This was interrupted during the 1990s but in 2004 Surinam Airways reinstated long-haul services in its own right with a colourful Boeing 747-300.

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Colombian Peril: Avianca's Tragic 727-021s

24/6/2016

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Few nations can stake a claim to the dubious honour of being the least peaceful and most dangerous places to live, however unfortunately for Colombia it could lay claim to be a contender for much of the past 70 years. Even without the country's ongoing conflict operating in its relatively low technology and challenging environment was difficult enough. These factors have as you'd expect had an impact on the operations of Colombia's airlines and can be seen in the history of a select batch of Avianca's 727s.

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<<Previous

Savage Capitalism: AVENSA 1985-1994

Teague 737: PLUNA's First Jet

Lan Tens: DC-10s in Chile

Constant Crisis: AVENSA 1994-2004

Lunarejo’s Courier: Aero Continente

Silent Giants: A300s in Brasil

All Around the World: Lan's Air Cruises

El Grandioso: VIASA 1970-1986

Pride of Venezuela: VIASA 1960-1970

Sud Stars: Lan Chile in the 1960s

Peruvian Tristars in the 90s: Faucett/AeroPerú's L-1011s

Unshining Path: AeroPerú in the 1980s

Covering Peru Like the Sun: AeroPerú in the 1970s

Suriname's Trusted Wings: SLM's 747-300

Colombian Peril: Avianca's Tragic 727-021s

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