Avianca Guatemala

Aviateca S.A. branded Avianca Guatemala is a regional airline headquartered in Guatemala City.[1] Aviateca was under government ownership and remained so until 1989 when it joined the Grupo TACA alliance of Central America and was privatized. It was fully integrated into TACA, operating under the TACA Regional banner, which later merged with Avianca.

Avianca Guatemala
IATA ICAO Callsign
GU GUG AVIATECA
Founded1929 (as Aerovías de Guatemala)
March 14, 1945 (as Aviateca)
HubsLa Aurora International Airport
Focus citiesMundo Maya International Airport
Frequent-flyer programLifeMiles
AllianceStar Alliance (affiliate)
Fleet size1
Destinations7
Parent companyAvianca Group
HeadquartersGuatemala City, Guatemala
FounderAlfredo Denby Chattfield
Websiteavianca.com

History
A Douglas DC-6A of Aviateca at Miami International Airport in 1971

The airline was established in 1929 as Aerovías de Guatemala and was founded by Alfredo Denby Chattfield. In March 14, 1945, the airline was nationalized during the government of Juan José Arevalo and established as Empresa Guatemalteca de Aviación S.A. which was shortened to Aviateca. One of the original founders was Alfredo Castaneda Duarte who also served as a pilot. Aviateca started operations in March 1946 and early aircraft operated by the carrier including the Douglas DC-3.

In 1961, service to Miami was originated with four-engined Douglas DC-6 airliners. The airline later operated the Douglas DC-6B version as well. Convair CV-240 family airliners were also acquired to replace some of the DC-3s on short-haul routes in Latin America.

Aviateca introduced jet service as a customer for the BAC One-Eleven medium twin jet in 1970. In 1974, the airline was operating the stretched BAC One-Eleven series 500 version of the British-manufactured jet on international flights to Miami, New Orleans, Mexico City, Mérida and San Jose, Costa Rica.[2] The airline's fleet was referred to by locals as "Las Papayas Voladoras" (The Flying Papayas) due to the paint scheme used during the 1970s, in which the underbelly was painted a reddish orange. It also temporarily leased a Fokker F28 Fellowship, some Boeing 720s and a Douglas DC-8-61. Aviateca later acquired two Boeing 727-100s, which operated for the airline in the 1980s. From 1989 on, Aviateca's fleet consisted of several Boeing 737-200 and Boeing 737-300 jetliners, including a full cargo 737-300 that operated for a few months.

Between 2006 and 2007, Aviateca operated a few Airbus A319s with the TACA-style Aviateca logo on the engines. Five of TACA's ATR 42-300s were registered for Aviateca in Guatemala. Due to reorganization measures at Avianca Holdings, Aviateca was renamed Avianca Guatemala in 2013.

In March 2021, the airline terminated all destinations and transferred its operations to Avianca. However, in October 2022, Avianca Group announced that it would reactivate Avianca Guatemala's operations by December 2022.[3][4]

Destinations
The "Flying Papaya" livery, shown on a Boeing 727-100 in 1980
A hybrid Aviateca/TACA Boeing 737-200 in the late 90s livery, photographed in January 1999

This is a list of destinations of served by both Aviateca and Avianca Guatemala throughout their existence.[5]

Country City Airport Notes Refs
 BelizeBelize CityPhilip S. W. Goldson International AirportTerminated
 ColombiaBogotáEl Dorado International Airport
San AndrésGustavo Rojas Pinilla International AirportTerminated
 El SalvadorSan SalvadorEl Salvador International Airport[3]
Ilopango International AirportTerminated
 GuatemalaFloresMundo Maya International AirportFocus city[6]
Guatemala CityLa Aurora International AirportHub
Puerto BarriosPuerto Barrios AirportTerminated
QuetzaltenangoQuetzaltenango AirportTerminated
UaxactunUaxactun AirportTerminated
 HondurasComayaguaComayagua International Airport[3]
RoatánJuan Manuel Gálvez International AirportTerminated
San Pedro SulaRamón Villeda Morales International Airport[3]
TegucigalpaToncontín International AirportTerminated
 MexicoCancúnCancún International Airport[7]
MeridaMérida-Rejón AirportTerminated
Mexico CityMexico City International AirportTerminated
 NicaraguaManaguaAugusto C. Sandino International AirportTerminated
 PanamaPanama CityTocumen International AirportTerminated
 United StatesChicagoO'Hare International AirportTerminated
HoustonGeorge Bush Intercontinental AirportTerminated
Los AngelesLos Angeles International AirportTerminated
MiamiMiami International AirportTerminated
New OrleansLouis Armstrong New Orleans International AirportTerminated

Fleet

Current fleet
A former Avianca Guatemala ATR 72-600 landing at Toncontín International Airport in 2018

As of June 2023, the Avianca Guatemala fleet will consist of the following aircraft:[8]

Avianca Guatemala fleet
Aircraft In
service		 Orders Passengers Notes
W Y+ Y Total
Airbus A320-200 1 — 12 60 108 180
Total 1 —

Former fleet

Throughout its operations, the airline operated these aircraft:[9][10][11]

Avianca Guatemala former fleet
Aircraft Total Introduced Retired Notes
Airbus A319-100 2 2006 2007 Operated by TACA Airlines
ATR 42-300QC 3 2006 2017
ATR 72-600 4 2014 2021
BAC One-Eleven Series 500 4 1970 1980
Boeing 720 3 1977 1979
Boeing 727-100C 4 1979 1989
Boeing 737-200 12 1990 2004 One written off as Flight 901
Boeing 737-300 9 1989 1996
Convair CV-440 4 1954 1979
Curtiss C-46 Commando 6 1949 1975
Douglas C-47 Skytrain 11 1945 1981
Douglas C-54 Skymaster 2 1954 1970
Douglas DC-2 2 1945 1952
Douglas DC-6 10 1965 1984
Douglas DC-8-61 1 1988 1989 Leased from Trans International Airlines
Fairchild C-82 Packet 5 1957 1961
Fokker F-27 Friendship 3 1978 1987
Fokker F-28 Fellowship 1 1974 1976 Leased from Fokker
Hawker Siddeley HS 748 1 1975 1975 Leased from Midwest Aviation
Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation 1 1972 1972

Accidents and incidents

See also

References
  1. World Airline Directory. Flight International. March 22–28, 1995. 46.
  2. http://www.timetableimages.com, May 12, 1974 Aviateca system timetable
  3. "Avianca reactiva la operación de Aviateca y aumenta sus vuelos en Guatemala". Aviacionline.com (in Spanish). Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  4. "Aviateca Guatemala to resume flight ops in 4Q22". Ch-aviation.com. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  5. "Airline memorabilia: Aviateca (1993)". 26 August 2009.
  6. "Avianca Launches Airbus A320 Flights To Tikal, Guatemala". Simpleflying.com. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  7. "Avianca began flights between Guatemala City and Cancún". Aviacionline.com. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  8. "Avianca Guatemala Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  9. "Global Airline Guide 2019 (Part One)". Airliner World (October 2019): 15.
  10. "Global Airline Guide 2018 (Part One)". Airliner World (October 2018): 15.
  11. "Aviateca fleet". aerobernie.bplaced.net. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  12. "TC-AMA Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  13. "TG-AGA Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
  14. "TG-AKA Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  15. "TG-AFA Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  16. "Photo: Aviateca, Douglas DC-3 TG-AFA". Airline Fan. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
  17. 1995 Crash report
  18. Aviation Safety report

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