Líneas Aéreas Paraguayas
Encyclopedia
Líneas Aéreas Paraguayas - Air Paraguay was founded in 1963 to be the flag carrier airline of Paraguay
. Its main base was Silvio Pettirossi International Airport
, in Asunción
.
, Buenos Aires
, Montevideo
, Sao Paulo
and Curitiba
from the Paraguayan capital of Asuncion
. The CV-240s were replaced by Lockheed L-188A/C Electra acquired from Eastern Air Lines
and were used by LAP for over 20 years. In 1970, service started to Santa Cruz (Bolivia), Resistencia and Salta (Argentina) with a C-47 transferred from the Military Air Transport of the FAP. In 1972, La Paz (Bolivia) was added to LAP's network. In 1973 a route to Lima
was inaugurated and in 1978 to Santiago (Chile).
The pure jet age came in 1978 with the purchase of two Boeing 707-320 from Pan American Airways and with those services to Miami began. In 1979, services started to Madrid and Frankfurt. When another 707 was bought (1982), service to Brussels
started. Due to noise restrictions, a DC-8-63 ex-Air Canada was bought in 1984 for the route to Miami. During the 1980s other routes were tried like Mexico City and Panama City, but just for a few months. In 1988, an ex-SPANTAX DC-8-61 was bought. This plane had an accident in Bs.As. in 1990 and was replaced by a leased DC-8-62 for a few months. Also in 1990, LAP received an ex-UNITED DC-8-71 followed by another similar aircraft in 1991.
In 1992 a Douglas DC-10-30 came into service. Eventually LAP received two more DC-10-30, one ex-UTA for a few months and the other ex-VARIG. Operations to US and Europe were performed by the DC-10s and regional flights with a 707 and the DC-8-63. In 1993, and for a few months, a BAe 146-300 operated in LAP on loan from the factory. Since LAP was a government losing company, attempts to privatize were not fruitful and the money losing operation was shut down in 1994.
In October of that year, it was privatised and sold to a Ecuadorian-Paraguayan Consortium, which restarted operations in February 1995 with two Boeing 737-200 for regional routes, three Airbus A.320-200 for medium range routes in South America and an Airbus A.310-300 for the route to Miami. Flights to Europe were not initiated.
This company was resold to the Brazilian TAM Group in 1996, which used only Fokker 100 jets to cover all regional destinations. The airline was renamed TAM-Mercosur (Transportes Aéreos del Mercosur). Routes to Miami and Europe were never restarted. In 2008, TAM-Mercosur was absorbed by the parent company, TAM Airlines and the paraguayan subsidiary was renamed as TAM Airlines (Paraguay) that now continues in service.
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
. Its main base was Silvio Pettirossi International Airport
Silvio Pettirossi International Airport
-Incidents and accidents:*3 December 1945: an USAAF Douglas C-47B-5-DK registration 43-48602 flying from Asunción to Montevideo crashed 16km SE of Carlos Pellegrini, Argentina...
, in Asunción
Asunción
Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.The "Ciudad de Asunción" is an autonomous capital district not part of any department. The metropolitan area, called Gran Asunción, includes the cities of San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambaré, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, San...
.
Company history
LAP was a creation of the Paraguayan Military Aviation in 1962. It was officially founded by the government through the Decree Nr.337 of March 18, 1963. Executives: President, Lt-Col Adrian Jara. It began services on August 20 of that year, using three Convair CV-240 aircraft. Services included flights to Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
, Sao Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
and Curitiba
Curitiba
Curitiba is the capital of the Brazilian state of Paraná. It is the largest city with the biggest economy of both Paraná and southern Brazil. The population of Curitiba numbers approximately 1.75 million people and the latest GDP figures for the city surpass US$61 billion according to...
from the Paraguayan capital of Asuncion
Asunción
Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.The "Ciudad de Asunción" is an autonomous capital district not part of any department. The metropolitan area, called Gran Asunción, includes the cities of San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambaré, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, San...
. The CV-240s were replaced by Lockheed L-188A/C Electra acquired from Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
and were used by LAP for over 20 years. In 1970, service started to Santa Cruz (Bolivia), Resistencia and Salta (Argentina) with a C-47 transferred from the Military Air Transport of the FAP. In 1972, La Paz (Bolivia) was added to LAP's network. In 1973 a route to Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
was inaugurated and in 1978 to Santiago (Chile).
The pure jet age came in 1978 with the purchase of two Boeing 707-320 from Pan American Airways and with those services to Miami began. In 1979, services started to Madrid and Frankfurt. When another 707 was bought (1982), service to Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
started. Due to noise restrictions, a DC-8-63 ex-Air Canada was bought in 1984 for the route to Miami. During the 1980s other routes were tried like Mexico City and Panama City, but just for a few months. In 1988, an ex-SPANTAX DC-8-61 was bought. This plane had an accident in Bs.As. in 1990 and was replaced by a leased DC-8-62 for a few months. Also in 1990, LAP received an ex-UNITED DC-8-71 followed by another similar aircraft in 1991.
In 1992 a Douglas DC-10-30 came into service. Eventually LAP received two more DC-10-30, one ex-UTA for a few months and the other ex-VARIG. Operations to US and Europe were performed by the DC-10s and regional flights with a 707 and the DC-8-63. In 1993, and for a few months, a BAe 146-300 operated in LAP on loan from the factory. Since LAP was a government losing company, attempts to privatize were not fruitful and the money losing operation was shut down in 1994.
In October of that year, it was privatised and sold to a Ecuadorian-Paraguayan Consortium, which restarted operations in February 1995 with two Boeing 737-200 for regional routes, three Airbus A.320-200 for medium range routes in South America and an Airbus A.310-300 for the route to Miami. Flights to Europe were not initiated.
This company was resold to the Brazilian TAM Group in 1996, which used only Fokker 100 jets to cover all regional destinations. The airline was renamed TAM-Mercosur (Transportes Aéreos del Mercosur). Routes to Miami and Europe were never restarted. In 2008, TAM-Mercosur was absorbed by the parent company, TAM Airlines and the paraguayan subsidiary was renamed as TAM Airlines (Paraguay) that now continues in service.
Historical Fleet
- 3 Convair CV-240 ex-Aerolíneas Argentinas
- 3 Lockheed L-188A/C Electra ex-Eastern Airlines
- 1 Douglas C-47B (R4D1) ex-Transporte Aéreo Militar/FAP
- 3 Boeing 707-320 ex-Pan Am
- 1 McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63 ex-Air Canada
- 1 McDonnell Doulgas DC-8-61 ex-Spantax
- 1 McDonnell Douglas DC-8-62 (leased)
- 2 McDonnell Douglas DC-8-71 (leased) ex-United
- 3 McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 (leased)
- 1 British Aerospace BAe 146-300 (leased)