Avianca Honduras

Isleña de Inversiones S.A. de C.V. branded Avianca Honduras was an regional airline based in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. It offered mostly scheduled and chartered passenger flights out of its hub at Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport.[1] It was one of the most successful airlines in the country and in the Central American region, as it was part of Grupo TACA. It was one of the seven nationally branded airlines (Avianca Costa Rica, Avianca Ecuador, etc.) in the Avianca Group of Latin American airlines.

Avianca Honduras
IATA ICAO Callsign
WC ISV ISLEÑA
Founded1981 (as Isleña Airlines)
HubsRamón Villeda Morales International Airport
Frequent-flyer programLifeMiles
AllianceStar Alliance
Parent companyAvianca Group
HeadquartersSan Pedro Sula, Honduras
Key peopleArturo Alvarado Wood (Founder)
Websitewww.avianca.com

History
An Isleña Airlines ATR 42-320, operated by TACA Regional, at Toncontín International Airport in 2012

The airline was founded as Isleña Airlines in 1981 by Arturo Alvarado Wood in the city of La Ceiba. It began operations on March 31, 1981 with a Cessna 206 between La Ceiba and Roatán. Their central office was formerly located in La Ceiba and its hub at Golosón International Airport.

In 1998, Grupo TACA acquired a 20% stake in the company, and began operating under the TACA Regional banner.[2] In 2014, Isleña was unified with the rest of TACA's subsidiaries into the Avianca Holdings, being renamed Avianca Honduras.

By October 2018, Avianca Honduras had suspended its routes until further notice.[3] In March 2020, the airline retired is remaining aircraft and transferred its operations to Avianca.[4]

Destinations

As of March 2020, Avianca Honduras operated to the following destinations:

Country City Airport Notes Refs
 GuatemalaGuatemala CityLa Aurora International AirportTerminated
 HondurasGuanajaGuanaja AirportTerminated
La CeibaGolosón International AirportTerminated
RoatánJuan Manuel Gálvez International AirportTerminated
San Pedro SulaRamón Villeda Morales International AirportHub
Suspended
TegucigalpaToncontín International AirportTerminated
UtilaÚtila AirportTerminated

Further destinations were served by chartered flights.

Fleet
A former Avianca Honduras ATR 72-600 taxiing at Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport in 2014

Throughout is existence as Isleña Airlines, the airline operated the following aircraft:[5][6][7]

Accidents and incidents
  • On April 4, 1990, a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter (registered HR-ALH) landed in the water short off the runway at Útila Airport, following a scheduled passenger flight from La Ceiba with 18 passengers on board. The two pilots claimed to have been blinded by the sun, thus misjudging the remaining distance to the runway. All occupants of the aircraft could be saved.[10]
  • On March 3, 1997, a Let L410 Turbolet (registered HR-IAS) did not gain sufficient height upon take-off from Golosón International Airport for a scheduled flight to Puerto Lempira with 19 passengers on board. Following the retraction of the landing gear, the two pilots had applied a wrong engine power setup, and were forced to bring the aircraft down again in a belly landing, during which it was damaged beyond repair.[11]

See also

References
  1. "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-04-03. p. 95.
  2. Information about Isleña Airlines at the Aero Transport Data Bank
  3. "Avianca suspede vuelos domésticos en Honduras". Elheraldo.hn (in Spanish). Retrieved October 29, 2018.
  4. "Avianca Group to leave Isleña Airlines dormant". Ch-aviation.com. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  5. "Isleña Airlines Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  6. "Global Airline Guide 2019 (Part One)". Airliner World (October 2019): 15.
  7. "Avianca Honduras Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
  8. Oct. 1, 1993 OAG Desktop Flight Guide Worldwide Edition, Islena Airlines flight schedules
    • Norwood, Tom; Wegg, John (1999). North American Airlines Handbook (2nd ed.). ISBN 0-9653993-5-4.
  10. 1990 accident at the Aviation Safety Network
  11. 1997 accident at the Aviation Safety Network

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