Avensa
Encyclopedia
Avensa was a Venezuela
n airline
headquartered in Caracas
. It is in the process of financial restructuring, after it went into bankruptcy
due to poor management in 2002. It operated from its hub at Simon Bolivar International Airport
in Maiquetía
.
Technically Avensa still exists, with a single Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
aircraft keeping the name alive. But for all intents and purposes the company is defunct. Around Venezuela's airports, Avensa relics can be seen everywhere: old check-in signs, rusted luggage carts, derelict airplane stairways, the name still visible through cracked blue paint.
by Venezuelan businessman, Andres Boulton Pietri, and Pan American World Airways
. Their first flights occurred in December 1943, flying cargo to Venezuela's oil-rich Carteru region with Ford Tri-Motors and Stinson Reliants. By 1944, Avensa had started passenger flights with Lockheed 10A twins. After World War II
, DC-3 Dakotas were added to the fleet. These were the backbone of the fleet until 1955 when Convair 340
twins were introduced for a new service to Miami. Avensa had set up an extensive domestic route network by the beginning of the 1960s. The airline also flew internationally to Miami, Aruba
, Jamaica
, and New Orleans. Avensa merged its international routes with the international routes of LAV (Aeropostal) and the resulting network was the basis for a new international Venezuelan airline called Viasa
. Avensa held a 45% holding in this new carrier. Avensa purchased jet equipment in the form of a single Sud Caravelle
jet in 1964. Turboprop aircraft were introduced in 1966 when the airline purchased Convair
580s. Douglas DC9s
were also introduced to give the airline a more competitive edge. Pan Am sold its 30% holding of Avensa to the Venezuelan government in 1976, making it completely state-owned. Later, Avensa introduced Boeing 727-100
and 727-200
jets. A couple of Boeing 737-200s
were later introduced. A fleet renewal program was set in motion at the end of the 1980s and new Boeing 737-300s
were added. Boeing 757
s were also introduced as part of the renewal program. These new aircraft were returned during the 1990s when Avensa flew into financial difficulties and had to make cut backs. This left the fleet with 11 aging Boeing 727s, 5 Douglas DC9s and a couple of Boeing 737-200s at the end of the 1990s. Avensa overtook many of the international routes formerly flown by Viasa
after that airline collapsed in 1997. Avensa operated a smaller low-cost airline
called Servivensa
, which operated mainly Boeing 727 aircraft. Avensa is currently serving only a domestic network of three cities as they attempt to re-structure due to continuing financial difficulties.
At one time it had its headquarters in the Torre Humboldt in Caracas.
Avensa (Aerovías Venezolanas Sociedad Anonima) was a Venezuela
n airline
headquartered in Caracas
."World Airline Directory." Flight International
. March 21-27, 2000. 71. "Avenida Universidad, Caracas, 101, Venezuela." It is in the process of financial restructuring, after it went into bankruptcy
due to poor management in 2002. It operated from its hub at Simon Bolivar International Airport
in Maiquetía
.
Technically Avensa still exists, with a single Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
aircraft keeping the name alive. But for all intents and purposes the company is defunct. Around Venezuela's airports, Avensa relics can be seen everywhere: old check-in signs, rusted luggage carts, derelict airplane stairways, the name still visible through cracked blue paint.BootsnAll Travel retrieved 7 April 2007
by Venezuelan businessman, Andres Boulton Pietri, and Pan American World Airways
. Their first flights occurred in December 1943, flying cargo to Venezuela's oil-rich Carteru region with Ford Tri-Motors and Stinson Reliants. By 1944, Avensa had started passenger flights with Lockheed 10A twins. After World War II
, DC-3 Dakotas were added to the fleet. These were the backbone of the fleet until 1955 when Convair 340
twins were introduced for a new service to Miami. Avensa had set up an extensive domestic route network by the beginning of the 1960s. The airline also flew internationally to Miami, Aruba
, Jamaica
, and New Orleans. Avensa merged its international routes with the international routes of LAV (Aeropostal) and the resulting network was the basis for a new international Venezuelan airline called Viasa
. Avensa held a 45% holding in this new carrier. Avensa purchased jet equipment in the form of a single Sud Caravelle
jet in 1964. Turboprop aircraft were introduced in 1966 when the airline purchased Convair
580s. Douglas DC9s
were also introduced to give the airline a more competitive edge. Pan Am sold its 30% holding of Avensa to the Venezuelan government in 1976, making it completely state-owned. Later, Avensa introduced Boeing 727-100
and 727-200
jets. A couple of Boeing 737-200s
were later introduced. A fleet renewal program was set in motion at the end of the 1980s and new Boeing 737-300s
were added. Boeing 757
s were also introduced as part of the renewal program. These new aircraft were returned during the 1990s when Avensa flew into financial difficulties and had to make cut backs. This left the fleet with 11 aging Boeing 727s, 5 Douglas DC9s and a couple of Boeing 737-200s at the end of the 1990s. Avensa overtook many of the international routes formerly flown by Viasa
after that airline collapsed in 1997. Avensa operated a smaller low-cost airline
called Servivensa
, which operated mainly Boeing 727 aircraft. Avensa is currently serving only a domestic network of three cities as they attempt to re-structure due to continuing financial difficulties.
At one time it had its headquarters in the Torre Humboldt in Caracas.
Avensa (Aerovías Venezolanas Sociedad Anonima) was a Venezuela
n airline
headquartered in Caracas
."World Airline Directory." Flight International
. March 21-27, 2000. 71. "Avenida Universidad, Caracas, 101, Venezuela." It is in the process of financial restructuring, after it went into bankruptcy
due to poor management in 2002. It operated from its hub at Simon Bolivar International Airport
in Maiquetía
.
Technically Avensa still exists, with a single Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
aircraft keeping the name alive. But for all intents and purposes the company is defunct. Around Venezuela's airports, Avensa relics can be seen everywhere: old check-in signs, rusted luggage carts, derelict airplane stairways, the name still visible through cracked blue paint.BootsnAll Travel retrieved 7 April 2007
by Venezuelan businessman, Andres Boulton Pietri, and Pan American World Airways
. Their first flights occurred in December 1943, flying cargo to Venezuela's oil-rich Carteru region with Ford Tri-Motors and Stinson Reliants. By 1944, Avensa had started passenger flights with Lockheed 10A twins. After World War II
, DC-3 Dakotas were added to the fleet. These were the backbone of the fleet until 1955 when Convair 340
twins were introduced for a new service to Miami. Avensa had set up an extensive domestic route network by the beginning of the 1960s. The airline also flew internationally to Miami, Aruba
, Jamaica
, and New Orleans. Avensa merged its international routes with the international routes of LAV (Aeropostal) and the resulting network was the basis for a new international Venezuelan airline called Viasa
. Avensa held a 45% holding in this new carrier. Avensa purchased jet equipment in the form of a single Sud Caravelle
jet in 1964. Turboprop aircraft were introduced in 1966 when the airline purchased Convair
580s. Douglas DC9s
were also introduced to give the airline a more competitive edge. Pan Am sold its 30% holding of Avensa to the Venezuelan government in 1976, making it completely state-owned. Later, Avensa introduced Boeing 727-100
and 727-200
jets. A couple of Boeing 737-200s
were later introduced. A fleet renewal program was set in motion at the end of the 1980s and new Boeing 737-300s
were added. Boeing 757
s were also introduced as part of the renewal program. These new aircraft were returned during the 1990s when Avensa flew into financial difficulties and had to make cut backs. This left the fleet with 11 aging Boeing 727s, 5 Douglas DC9s and a couple of Boeing 737-200s at the end of the 1990s. Avensa overtook many of the international routes formerly flown by Viasa
after that airline collapsed in 1997. Avensa operated a smaller low-cost airline
called Servivensa
, which operated mainly Boeing 727 aircraft. Avensa is currently serving only a domestic network of three cities as they attempt to re-structure due to continuing financial difficulties.
At one time it had its headquarters in the Torre Humboldt in Caracas."Contactos." Avensa. February 3, 2004. Retrieved on January 30, 2011. "DIRECCIÓN Torre Humboldt, P25 (P1) Av. Rio Caura Prados del Este Caracas Venezuela"
Domestic:
International Destinations:
, and 737-200. After ceasing operations two Boeings 727-200 were leased to Santa Barbara Airlines, as well as both DC-10s. The rest of the fleet was derelict and scrapped in 2007.
Their fleet comprised
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
headquartered in Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
. It is in the process of financial restructuring, after it went into bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
due to poor management in 2002. It operated from its hub at Simon Bolivar International Airport
Simón Bolívar International Airport (Venezuela)
Simón Bolívar International Airport of Maiquetia is an international airport located in Maiquetía, Venezuela, about 13 miles from downtown Caracas....
in Maiquetía
Maiquetía
Maiquetía is a city in the Vargas state of Venezuela, near Caracas.Simón Bolívar International Airport, which handles both international and domestic flights, is located in the city....
.
Technically Avensa still exists, with a single Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
-Accidents:*Brazilian Air Force on July 8, 1988 an Embraer EMB 120RT Brasília registration FAB-2001 crashed during and engine-out landing at São José dos Campos. Five of the 9 occupants died....
aircraft keeping the name alive. But for all intents and purposes the company is defunct. Around Venezuela's airports, Avensa relics can be seen everywhere: old check-in signs, rusted luggage carts, derelict airplane stairways, the name still visible through cracked blue paint.
History
Avensa was created on May 13, 1943 as a cargo airlineCargo airline
Cargo airlines are airlines dedicated to the transport of cargo. Some cargo airlines are divisions or subsidiaries of larger passenger airlines.-Logistics:...
by Venezuelan businessman, Andres Boulton Pietri, and Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991...
. Their first flights occurred in December 1943, flying cargo to Venezuela's oil-rich Carteru region with Ford Tri-Motors and Stinson Reliants. By 1944, Avensa had started passenger flights with Lockheed 10A twins. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, DC-3 Dakotas were added to the fleet. These were the backbone of the fleet until 1955 when Convair 340
Convair 240
The Convair CV-240 was an American airliner produced by Convair from 1947 to 1954, initially as a possible replacement of the ubiquitous Douglas DC-3. While featuring a more modern design, the 240 series was able to make some inroads as a commercial airliner and also had a long development cycle...
twins were introduced for a new service to Miami. Avensa had set up an extensive domestic route network by the beginning of the 1960s. The airline also flew internationally to Miami, Aruba
Aruba
Aruba is a 33 km-long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, located 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela and 130 km east of Guajira Peninsula...
, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, and New Orleans. Avensa merged its international routes with the international routes of LAV (Aeropostal) and the resulting network was the basis for a new international Venezuelan airline called Viasa
Viasa
Venezolana Internacional de Aviación Sociedad Anónima , or VIASA for short, was the Venezuelan national airline between 1960 and 1997. It was headquartered in the Torre Viasa in Caracas. Launched in 1960, it was nationalised in 1975 due to financial problems, and re-privatised in 1991, with the...
. Avensa held a 45% holding in this new carrier. Avensa purchased jet equipment in the form of a single Sud Caravelle
Sud Aviation Caravelle
The Sud Aviation SE 210 Caravelle was the first short/medium-range jet airliner produced by the French Sud Aviation firm starting in 1955 . The Caravelle was one of the more successful European first generation jetliners, selling throughout Europe and even penetrating the United States market, with...
jet in 1964. Turboprop aircraft were introduced in 1966 when the airline purchased Convair
Convair
Convair was an American aircraft manufacturing company which later expanded into rockets and spacecraft. The company was formed in 1943 by the merger of Vultee Aircraft and Consolidated Aircraft, and went on to produce a number of pioneering aircraft, such as the Convair B-36 bomber, and the F-102...
580s. Douglas DC9s
McDonnell Douglas DC-9
The McDonnell Douglas DC-9 is a twin-engine, single-aisle jet airliner. It was first manufactured in 1965 with its maiden flight later that year. The DC-9 was designed for frequent, short flights. The final DC-9 was delivered in October 1982.The DC-9 was followed in subsequent modified forms by...
were also introduced to give the airline a more competitive edge. Pan Am sold its 30% holding of Avensa to the Venezuelan government in 1976, making it completely state-owned. Later, Avensa introduced Boeing 727-100
Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
and 727-200
Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
jets. A couple of Boeing 737-200s
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
were later introduced. A fleet renewal program was set in motion at the end of the 1980s and new Boeing 737-300s
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
were added. Boeing 757
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
s were also introduced as part of the renewal program. These new aircraft were returned during the 1990s when Avensa flew into financial difficulties and had to make cut backs. This left the fleet with 11 aging Boeing 727s, 5 Douglas DC9s and a couple of Boeing 737-200s at the end of the 1990s. Avensa overtook many of the international routes formerly flown by Viasa
Viasa
Venezolana Internacional de Aviación Sociedad Anónima , or VIASA for short, was the Venezuelan national airline between 1960 and 1997. It was headquartered in the Torre Viasa in Caracas. Launched in 1960, it was nationalised in 1975 due to financial problems, and re-privatised in 1991, with the...
after that airline collapsed in 1997. Avensa operated a smaller low-cost airline
Low-cost carrier
A low-cost carrier or low-cost airline is an airline that generally has lower fares and fewer comforts...
called Servivensa
Servivensa
Servivensa is an airline based in Caracas, Venezuela. It operates scheduled domestic flights.-History:The airline was established in 1990. Its operations were temporarily suspended in May 2003 when parent airline Avensa announced that it was grounding its aircraft due to a drop in demand of air...
, which operated mainly Boeing 727 aircraft. Avensa is currently serving only a domestic network of three cities as they attempt to re-structure due to continuing financial difficulties.
At one time it had its headquarters in the Torre Humboldt in Caracas.
Avensa (Aerovías Venezolanas Sociedad Anonima) was a Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
headquartered in Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
."World Airline Directory." Flight International
Flight International
Flight International is a global aerospace weekly publication produced in the UK. Founded in 1909, it is the world's oldest continuously published aviation news magazine...
. March 21-27, 2000. 71. "Avenida Universidad, Caracas, 101, Venezuela." It is in the process of financial restructuring, after it went into bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
due to poor management in 2002. It operated from its hub at Simon Bolivar International Airport
Simón Bolívar International Airport (Venezuela)
Simón Bolívar International Airport of Maiquetia is an international airport located in Maiquetía, Venezuela, about 13 miles from downtown Caracas....
in Maiquetía
Maiquetía
Maiquetía is a city in the Vargas state of Venezuela, near Caracas.Simón Bolívar International Airport, which handles both international and domestic flights, is located in the city....
.
Technically Avensa still exists, with a single Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
-Accidents:*Brazilian Air Force on July 8, 1988 an Embraer EMB 120RT Brasília registration FAB-2001 crashed during and engine-out landing at São José dos Campos. Five of the 9 occupants died....
aircraft keeping the name alive. But for all intents and purposes the company is defunct. Around Venezuela's airports, Avensa relics can be seen everywhere: old check-in signs, rusted luggage carts, derelict airplane stairways, the name still visible through cracked blue paint.BootsnAll Travel retrieved 7 April 2007
History
Avensa was created on May 13, 1943 as a cargo airlineCargo airline
Cargo airlines are airlines dedicated to the transport of cargo. Some cargo airlines are divisions or subsidiaries of larger passenger airlines.-Logistics:...
by Venezuelan businessman, Andres Boulton Pietri, and Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991...
. Their first flights occurred in December 1943, flying cargo to Venezuela's oil-rich Carteru region with Ford Tri-Motors and Stinson Reliants. By 1944, Avensa had started passenger flights with Lockheed 10A twins. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, DC-3 Dakotas were added to the fleet. These were the backbone of the fleet until 1955 when Convair 340
Convair 240
The Convair CV-240 was an American airliner produced by Convair from 1947 to 1954, initially as a possible replacement of the ubiquitous Douglas DC-3. While featuring a more modern design, the 240 series was able to make some inroads as a commercial airliner and also had a long development cycle...
twins were introduced for a new service to Miami. Avensa had set up an extensive domestic route network by the beginning of the 1960s. The airline also flew internationally to Miami, Aruba
Aruba
Aruba is a 33 km-long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, located 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela and 130 km east of Guajira Peninsula...
, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, and New Orleans. Avensa merged its international routes with the international routes of LAV (Aeropostal) and the resulting network was the basis for a new international Venezuelan airline called Viasa
Viasa
Venezolana Internacional de Aviación Sociedad Anónima , or VIASA for short, was the Venezuelan national airline between 1960 and 1997. It was headquartered in the Torre Viasa in Caracas. Launched in 1960, it was nationalised in 1975 due to financial problems, and re-privatised in 1991, with the...
. Avensa held a 45% holding in this new carrier. Avensa purchased jet equipment in the form of a single Sud Caravelle
Sud Aviation Caravelle
The Sud Aviation SE 210 Caravelle was the first short/medium-range jet airliner produced by the French Sud Aviation firm starting in 1955 . The Caravelle was one of the more successful European first generation jetliners, selling throughout Europe and even penetrating the United States market, with...
jet in 1964. Turboprop aircraft were introduced in 1966 when the airline purchased Convair
Convair
Convair was an American aircraft manufacturing company which later expanded into rockets and spacecraft. The company was formed in 1943 by the merger of Vultee Aircraft and Consolidated Aircraft, and went on to produce a number of pioneering aircraft, such as the Convair B-36 bomber, and the F-102...
580s. Douglas DC9s
McDonnell Douglas DC-9
The McDonnell Douglas DC-9 is a twin-engine, single-aisle jet airliner. It was first manufactured in 1965 with its maiden flight later that year. The DC-9 was designed for frequent, short flights. The final DC-9 was delivered in October 1982.The DC-9 was followed in subsequent modified forms by...
were also introduced to give the airline a more competitive edge. Pan Am sold its 30% holding of Avensa to the Venezuelan government in 1976, making it completely state-owned. Later, Avensa introduced Boeing 727-100
Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
and 727-200
Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
jets. A couple of Boeing 737-200s
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
were later introduced. A fleet renewal program was set in motion at the end of the 1980s and new Boeing 737-300s
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
were added. Boeing 757
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
s were also introduced as part of the renewal program. These new aircraft were returned during the 1990s when Avensa flew into financial difficulties and had to make cut backs. This left the fleet with 11 aging Boeing 727s, 5 Douglas DC9s and a couple of Boeing 737-200s at the end of the 1990s. Avensa overtook many of the international routes formerly flown by Viasa
Viasa
Venezolana Internacional de Aviación Sociedad Anónima , or VIASA for short, was the Venezuelan national airline between 1960 and 1997. It was headquartered in the Torre Viasa in Caracas. Launched in 1960, it was nationalised in 1975 due to financial problems, and re-privatised in 1991, with the...
after that airline collapsed in 1997. Avensa operated a smaller low-cost airline
Low-cost carrier
A low-cost carrier or low-cost airline is an airline that generally has lower fares and fewer comforts...
called Servivensa
Servivensa
Servivensa is an airline based in Caracas, Venezuela. It operates scheduled domestic flights.-History:The airline was established in 1990. Its operations were temporarily suspended in May 2003 when parent airline Avensa announced that it was grounding its aircraft due to a drop in demand of air...
, which operated mainly Boeing 727 aircraft. Avensa is currently serving only a domestic network of three cities as they attempt to re-structure due to continuing financial difficulties.
At one time it had its headquarters in the Torre Humboldt in Caracas.
Avensa (Aerovías Venezolanas Sociedad Anonima) was a Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
headquartered in Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
."World Airline Directory." Flight International
Flight International
Flight International is a global aerospace weekly publication produced in the UK. Founded in 1909, it is the world's oldest continuously published aviation news magazine...
. March 21-27, 2000. 71. "Avenida Universidad, Caracas, 101, Venezuela." It is in the process of financial restructuring, after it went into bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
due to poor management in 2002. It operated from its hub at Simon Bolivar International Airport
Simón Bolívar International Airport (Venezuela)
Simón Bolívar International Airport of Maiquetia is an international airport located in Maiquetía, Venezuela, about 13 miles from downtown Caracas....
in Maiquetía
Maiquetía
Maiquetía is a city in the Vargas state of Venezuela, near Caracas.Simón Bolívar International Airport, which handles both international and domestic flights, is located in the city....
.
Technically Avensa still exists, with a single Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
-Accidents:*Brazilian Air Force on July 8, 1988 an Embraer EMB 120RT Brasília registration FAB-2001 crashed during and engine-out landing at São José dos Campos. Five of the 9 occupants died....
aircraft keeping the name alive. But for all intents and purposes the company is defunct. Around Venezuela's airports, Avensa relics can be seen everywhere: old check-in signs, rusted luggage carts, derelict airplane stairways, the name still visible through cracked blue paint.BootsnAll Travel retrieved 7 April 2007
History
Avensa was created on May 13, 1943 as a cargo airlineCargo airline
Cargo airlines are airlines dedicated to the transport of cargo. Some cargo airlines are divisions or subsidiaries of larger passenger airlines.-Logistics:...
by Venezuelan businessman, Andres Boulton Pietri, and Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991...
. Their first flights occurred in December 1943, flying cargo to Venezuela's oil-rich Carteru region with Ford Tri-Motors and Stinson Reliants. By 1944, Avensa had started passenger flights with Lockheed 10A twins. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, DC-3 Dakotas were added to the fleet. These were the backbone of the fleet until 1955 when Convair 340
Convair 240
The Convair CV-240 was an American airliner produced by Convair from 1947 to 1954, initially as a possible replacement of the ubiquitous Douglas DC-3. While featuring a more modern design, the 240 series was able to make some inroads as a commercial airliner and also had a long development cycle...
twins were introduced for a new service to Miami. Avensa had set up an extensive domestic route network by the beginning of the 1960s. The airline also flew internationally to Miami, Aruba
Aruba
Aruba is a 33 km-long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, located 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela and 130 km east of Guajira Peninsula...
, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, and New Orleans. Avensa merged its international routes with the international routes of LAV (Aeropostal) and the resulting network was the basis for a new international Venezuelan airline called Viasa
Viasa
Venezolana Internacional de Aviación Sociedad Anónima , or VIASA for short, was the Venezuelan national airline between 1960 and 1997. It was headquartered in the Torre Viasa in Caracas. Launched in 1960, it was nationalised in 1975 due to financial problems, and re-privatised in 1991, with the...
. Avensa held a 45% holding in this new carrier. Avensa purchased jet equipment in the form of a single Sud Caravelle
Sud Aviation Caravelle
The Sud Aviation SE 210 Caravelle was the first short/medium-range jet airliner produced by the French Sud Aviation firm starting in 1955 . The Caravelle was one of the more successful European first generation jetliners, selling throughout Europe and even penetrating the United States market, with...
jet in 1964. Turboprop aircraft were introduced in 1966 when the airline purchased Convair
Convair
Convair was an American aircraft manufacturing company which later expanded into rockets and spacecraft. The company was formed in 1943 by the merger of Vultee Aircraft and Consolidated Aircraft, and went on to produce a number of pioneering aircraft, such as the Convair B-36 bomber, and the F-102...
580s. Douglas DC9s
McDonnell Douglas DC-9
The McDonnell Douglas DC-9 is a twin-engine, single-aisle jet airliner. It was first manufactured in 1965 with its maiden flight later that year. The DC-9 was designed for frequent, short flights. The final DC-9 was delivered in October 1982.The DC-9 was followed in subsequent modified forms by...
were also introduced to give the airline a more competitive edge. Pan Am sold its 30% holding of Avensa to the Venezuelan government in 1976, making it completely state-owned. Later, Avensa introduced Boeing 727-100
Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
and 727-200
Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
jets. A couple of Boeing 737-200s
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
were later introduced. A fleet renewal program was set in motion at the end of the 1980s and new Boeing 737-300s
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
were added. Boeing 757
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
s were also introduced as part of the renewal program. These new aircraft were returned during the 1990s when Avensa flew into financial difficulties and had to make cut backs. This left the fleet with 11 aging Boeing 727s, 5 Douglas DC9s and a couple of Boeing 737-200s at the end of the 1990s. Avensa overtook many of the international routes formerly flown by Viasa
Viasa
Venezolana Internacional de Aviación Sociedad Anónima , or VIASA for short, was the Venezuelan national airline between 1960 and 1997. It was headquartered in the Torre Viasa in Caracas. Launched in 1960, it was nationalised in 1975 due to financial problems, and re-privatised in 1991, with the...
after that airline collapsed in 1997. Avensa operated a smaller low-cost airline
Low-cost carrier
A low-cost carrier or low-cost airline is an airline that generally has lower fares and fewer comforts...
called Servivensa
Servivensa
Servivensa is an airline based in Caracas, Venezuela. It operates scheduled domestic flights.-History:The airline was established in 1990. Its operations were temporarily suspended in May 2003 when parent airline Avensa announced that it was grounding its aircraft due to a drop in demand of air...
, which operated mainly Boeing 727 aircraft. Avensa is currently serving only a domestic network of three cities as they attempt to re-structure due to continuing financial difficulties.
At one time it had its headquarters in the Torre Humboldt in Caracas."Contactos." Avensa. February 3, 2004. Retrieved on January 30, 2011. "DIRECCIÓN Torre Humboldt, P25 (P1) Av. Rio Caura Prados del Este Caracas Venezuela"
Destinations
This is the list of places that Avensa flew to:Domestic:
- BarcelonaBarcelonaBarcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
- BarquisimetoBarquisimetoBarquisimeto is the capital city of the State of Lara located in west central Venezuela, halfway between Caracas and Maracaibo on the Turbio River.-Overview:...
- CaracasCaracasCaracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
- CarúpanoCarúpanoCarúpano is a city in the eastern Venezuelan state of Sucre. It is located on the Venezuelan Caribbean coast at the opening of two valleys, some 120 km east of the capital of Sucre, Cumaná...
- Ciudad BolivarCiudad BolívarCiudad Bolívar is the capital of Venezuela's southeastern Bolivar State. It was founded with the name Angostura in 1764, renamed in 1846, and, as of 2010, had an estimated population of 350,691....
- CumanáCumanáCumaná is the capital of Venezuela's Sucre State. It is located 402 km east of Caracas. It was the first settlement founded by Europeans in the mainland America, in 1501 by Franciscan friars, but due to successful attacks by the indigenous people, it had to be refounded several times...
- La FríaLa FríaLa Fría is a town in Táchira, Venezuela. It is the capital of García de Hevia Municipality. It was founded in 1853....
- Las PiedrasLas PiedrasLas Piedras may refer to:*Las Piedras, Puerto Rico*Las Piedras, Uruguay*Las Piedras, Venezuela...
- MaturínMaturínMaturín is a city in Venezuela, the capital of the Venezuelan state of Monagas and a centre for instrumental exploration and development of the petroleum industry in Venezuela. The metropolitan area of Maturín has a population of 401,384 inhabitants...
- MeridaMérida, MéridaSantiago de los Caballeros de Mérida, Venezuela, is the capital of the municipality of Libertador and the state of Mérida, and is one of the principal cities of the Venezuelan Andes...
- PorlamarPorlamarPorlamar is the largest city on Isla Margarita, Nueva Esparta State in Venezuela. It was founded on the southeast coast in 1536, less than 40 years after Christopher Columbus first sailed through. Porlamar was a quiet fishing village until the arrival of air travel...
- Puerto OrdazPuerto OrdazPuerto Ordaz is a planned city which, together with the older settlement of San Felix, forms Ciudad Guayana in Bolívar State, eastern Venezuela. Puerto Ordaz is located at the confluence of the Caroní and Orinoco Rivers and is the site of the Llovizna Falls. There are bridges across the Caroni and...
- San Antonio del TáchiraSan Antonio del TachiraSan Antonio del Táchira is a city in the Venezuelan Andean state of Táchira. The busy highway linking the cities of Cúcuta, Colombia, and San Cristóbal, Venezuela, passes through San Antonio del Táchira, making it an important gateway between the two nations...
- Santa Bárbara del ZuliaSanta Bárbara del ZuliaSanta Bárbara del Zulia is a city of some 80,000 inhabitants in Zulia State in Venezuela. It is located at 09° 00' N, 71° 54' W, to the south-west of Maracaibo Lake, in the Sur del Lago region of the state...
- Valencia
- ValeraValeraValera is a city in Trujillo State in Venezuela, situated between the rivers Momboy and Motatán. The mayor is Temístocles Cabezas, who has had that post since 2009. The city is home to Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Colombian and Spanish communities...
International Destinations:
- ArubaArubaAruba is a 33 km-long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, located 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela and 130 km east of Guajira Peninsula...
- Bogota, Colombia
- Bonaire
- CuraçaoCuraçaoCuraçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. The Country of Curaçao , which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao , is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
- Lima, Peru
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Madrid, Spain
- Medellin, Colombia
- Mexico City, MexicoMexico CityMexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
- Miami, USA
- Milan, Italy
- New York, USA
- Oporto, Portugal
- Panama City, Panama
- Quito, Ecuador
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Rome, Italy
- São Paulo, Brazil
- Tenerife, Spain
Fleet
Before ceasing operations Avensa had a fleet of Douglas DC-9, DC-10, Boeing 727Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
, and 737-200. After ceasing operations two Boeings 727-200 were leased to Santa Barbara Airlines, as well as both DC-10s. The rest of the fleet was derelict and scrapped in 2007.
Their fleet comprised
| Aircraft | # | Seats | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embraer 120 | 5 | ||
| Former Aircraft | # | Seats | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas DC-3 Douglas DC-3 The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made... |
8 | ||
| Douglas DC-9-30 | 3 | ||
| Douglas DC-9-50 | 2 | ||
| Boeing 727 Boeing 727 The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced... -100 |
4 | ||
| Boeing 727 Boeing 727 The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced... -200 |
7 | ||
| Boeing 737-200 | 3 | ||
| Boeing 737-300 | 3 | ||
| Beech Beech Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:... King 90 |
4 | ||
Incidents and accidents
- On 25 February 1962 a Fairchild F-27 crashed into a mountain1962 Avensa Fairchild F-27 accidentThe 1962 Avensa Fairchild F-27 accident occurred on the 25 February 1962 when a Fokker F27 twin-engined turboprop airliner registered YV-C-EVH of Avensa crashed into San Juan mountain on Margarita Island...
on departure from Margarita IslandIsla MargaritaMargarita Island is the largest island of the state of Nueva Esparta in Venezuela, situated in the Caribbean Sea, off the northeastern coast of the country. The state also contains two other smaller islands: Coche and Cubagua. The capital city of Nueva Esparta is La Asunción, located in a river...
, 23 on board killed. - On 22 December 1974, an Avensa Flight 358Avensa Flight 358On 22 December 1974 Avensa Flight 358 took off on runway 05 from Maturín Airport on a flight to Simón Bolívar International Airport in Venezuela. The McDonnell Douglas DC-9 had 67 passengers and 6 crew on the on board. Five minutes after takeoff from Maturín Airport both engines shut down...
Douglas DC-9-14 crashed in MaturínMaturínMaturín is a city in Venezuela, the capital of the Venezuelan state of Monagas and a centre for instrumental exploration and development of the petroleum industry in Venezuela. The metropolitan area of Maturín has a population of 401,384 inhabitants...
, Venezuela shortly after take off due to a double engine failure. 77 passengers and crew were killed. - 11 March 1983 a Douglas DC-9 crashed1983 Avensa Douglas DC-9 crashThe 1983 Avensa Douglas DC-9 crash occurred on 11 March 1983 when an Avensa Douglas DC-9 airliner on a domestic flight in Venezuela from Caracas Airport to Barquisimeto Airport where it landed hard slid of the runaway and exploded...
at Barquisimeto Airport, 22 passengers and one crew were killed.
External links
- Avensa
- Avensa (Archive)
- Avensa in airliners.net