Viva Air
Encyclopedia
Viva Air was an airline
from Spain
that operated during the 1980s and 1990s.
and Lufthansa
.
Operations began using Boeing 737-300
aircraft. At the beginning flights were mostly from Germany
to Spain
, mostly to Palma de Mallorca. By 1992 the partnership between Lufthansa and Iberia dissolved and Iberia took over the operations of Viva Air. Shortly thereafter Viva Air entered the Spanish domestic scheduled market using Douglas DC-9 aircraft, but those were quickly replaced by the Boeing 737.
The airline's aircraft were rather distinct in that they wore a very colourful "Dali-esque" livery, created by spanish school children. This was to symbolise the Spanish sunshine, for which most of its passengers boarded to seek. After the first few years of operation, the airline was one of the first subsidiary airlines of a major carrier (in this case IBERIA) to gain a foothold into London's Heathrow Airport, from where Viva operated several scehduled services on behalf of its parent company, however using Viva callsigns and Viva flight numbers.
Since the scheduled flights were losing money, Iberia took over those routes and Viva Air was relegated to charter flights using Boeing 737-300 aircraft, of which it had 10 in service by 1995.
Because of heavy competition from other Spanish and European charter companies, Viva Air began to lose money and by 1998 the operations were ceased and the airline liquidated. Iberia took over all staff, aircraft and route licenses.
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...
from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
that operated during the 1980s and 1990s.
History
Viva Air, whose complete name in Spanish was Vuelos Internacionales de Vacaciones (International Vacation Flights) was founded on 24 February 1988 by IberiaIberia Airlines
Iberia Líneas Aéreas de España, S.A., commonly known as Iberia, is the flag carrier airline of Spain. Based in Madrid, it operates an international network of services from its main bases of Madrid-Barajas Airport and Barcelona El Prat Airport....
and Lufthansa
Lufthansa
Deutsche Lufthansa AG is the flag carrier of Germany and the largest airline in Europe in terms of overall passengers carried. The name of the company is derived from Luft , and Hansa .The airline is the world's fourth-largest airline in terms of overall passengers carried, operating...
.
Operations began using Boeing 737-300
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...
aircraft. At the beginning flights were mostly from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, mostly to Palma de Mallorca. By 1992 the partnership between Lufthansa and Iberia dissolved and Iberia took over the operations of Viva Air. Shortly thereafter Viva Air entered the Spanish domestic scheduled market using Douglas DC-9 aircraft, but those were quickly replaced by the Boeing 737.
The airline's aircraft were rather distinct in that they wore a very colourful "Dali-esque" livery, created by spanish school children. This was to symbolise the Spanish sunshine, for which most of its passengers boarded to seek. After the first few years of operation, the airline was one of the first subsidiary airlines of a major carrier (in this case IBERIA) to gain a foothold into London's Heathrow Airport, from where Viva operated several scehduled services on behalf of its parent company, however using Viva callsigns and Viva flight numbers.
Since the scheduled flights were losing money, Iberia took over those routes and Viva Air was relegated to charter flights using Boeing 737-300 aircraft, of which it had 10 in service by 1995.
Because of heavy competition from other Spanish and European charter companies, Viva Air began to lose money and by 1998 the operations were ceased and the airline liquidated. Iberia took over all staff, aircraft and route licenses.