Avianca (Guatemala)

AVIATECA is the national and international airline of Guatemala, later renamed Avianca Guatemala, part of the Avianca Group. At the beginning of the 1990s, AVIATECA was added to the TACA Group of El Salvador, an alliance between several Central American airlines, which merged in February 2010 with Avianca into what is now called Avianca Internacional Group. The main connection center for AVIATECA (AVIANCA Guatemala) is La Aurora International Airport, Guatemala City. Since the beginning of 2013, the aircraft, promotion and marketing are organized by the Avianca group.

History

The airline was established on March 14, 1945 as Empresa Guatemalteca de Aviación S.A., abbreviated Aviateca. It succeeded Aerovías de Guatemala, which had been founded in 1929. Aviateca began operations in March 1946 with a Douglas DC-2. In 1961, they began to cover the Guatemala City-Miami, Florida route with a Douglas DC-6. Soon after, 2-engine Convair 340/440s were purchased to replace the DC-3s on routes in Latin America.

It was the flag airline of Guatemala, until its absorption by TACA in 1990, with 49% of the shares, when it was privatized by the government of Vinicio Cerezo. However, TACA had the right to vote and veto Aviateca, because Florence Kriette, a Guatemalan but part of the Kriette family, TACA's majority partner, owns about 15% of Aviateca's shares. It is also important to note that the airline ceded traffic rights to TACA, including the 5th freedom, and also take into account what it meant for Guatemala (cabotage rights and unlimited exploitation).

Currently, the group of airlines that make up Avianca make it the second largest and most important airline in all of Latin America, with a presence in the vast majority of the countries of the American and European continents. Avianca's main hub is in the city of Bogotá, it has other connection centers in Lima and El Salvador.

In May 2022, Avianca, as a consequence of the Covid-19 Pandemic in 2020 and the subsequent decrease in income due to the closure of international airspace, opted to reorganize itself economically by Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Law. In December 2021, the Colombian airline completed the financial restoration process, which is why it changed its business model to one similar to a "Low Cost" or low-cost airline, although they have publicly admitted that they would not continue this line of commerce; in turn, in the renewal process, the airline simplified its fleet, staying only with Airbus A320 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, slowly eliminating other aircraft from its fleet. types of aircraft such as the Airbus A330 and the ATR 72, the latter used on regional routes.

During the time they were bankrupt, they lost one of the most significant routes in terms of history for the airline, which is GUA-FRS, with the latter, in addition to the loss of ATR-type regional aircraft, the almost disappearance of the airline that comes from the legacy of the original Aviateca. When Avianca Guatemala ceased operations, without fleet or routes, flights to other countries from Guatemala could be made through Avianca Colombia and Avianca El Salvador. At the end of 2022, Avianca Guatemala restarts national and international operations with an Airbus A320-200 with registration Guatemalan N538AV.

Fleet

Destinations

Avianca Guatemala serves the following destinations:

Destinations of Avianca Guatemala

Countries	Destinations	Airports
Central America
El SalvadorEl Salvador	San Salvador	International Airport of El Salvador
GuatemalaGuatemala	Guatemala City	La Aurora International Airport (HUB)
	Flowers	International Airport Maya World
HondurasHonduras	San Pedro Sula	Ramon Villeda Morales International Airport
	Tegucigalpa	Comayagua International Airport
South America
ColombiaColombia	Bogotá	El Dorado International Airport
Total: 6 destinations, 4 countries.

Boeing 737-300 TG-AMA in 1992

Historical fleet

Boeing 727-173C - Aviateca 1980

ATR 72-600 de Avianca Guatemala (TG-TRF) landing at Tegucigalpa International Airport, Honduras (2018)

Accidents

• 17 February 1975, a Douglas C-47A TG-AMA set fire at the Petén Airport, Tikal.
• November 18, 1975, Douglas C-47 TG-AGA crashed into the Petén Department by flight from Uaxactun to Flores International Airport.
• April 27, 1977, Convair 240 TG-ACA, crashed near Guatemala City, died 28 aboard.
• September 30, 1977, Douglas C-47A TG-AKA had considerable damage when landing at Saint Helena, El Petén International Airport. A member of the crew died.
• July 26, 1978, Douglas DC-3 TG-AFA went off the track during taking off at Flores International Airport, due to a blow with birds causing severe damage to the aircraft. The aircraft was repaired and returned to service.
• 9 August 1995, at approximately 20:14 local time, the Boeing 737-200 (N125GU) was destroyed by crashing with the Chichontepec volcano, 15 miles northeast of El Salvador International Airport. Flight 901 Aviateca (GU901), the 58 passengers and crew died. Due to bad weather and storms the aircraft was diverted to another route. The aircraft was owned by CIT Leasing Corporation and was rented to Aviateca.