Avianca Cargo (formerly Tampa Cargo - Transportes Aereos Mercantiles PanAmericanos S.A.) is a cargo airline based at José María Córdova International Airport in Medellín, Colombia. It is an all-cargo airline transporting flowers from Latin America to Miami, as well as general cargo throughout the Americas.
History
The airline was established on March 11, 1973, as TAMPA Cargo, by Luís H. Coulson, Captain Juan Fernando Mesa, Captain Orlando Botero Escobar, and Captain Anibal Obando Echeverri. It commenced operations with a Douglas DC-6A, which formed part of the initial acquired fleet. These were retired in the early 1980s.Eastwood, 2007, p. 302
After overcoming several crises due to drug trafficking problems in one of its aircraft, in 1988, Tampa Cargo decided to renew its fleet by bringing Douglas DC-8s with the most modern technology of its time, including GPS positioning systems and CFM engines.
Martinair signed an agreement to acquire a 40% stake in Tampa Cargo in 1996, which was later increased to 58% in 2003.
On July 26, 2003, the company inaugurated its Maintenance Hangar in Rionegro-Antioquia, and the new route to Peru was placed in operation that same year. In September 2004, Tampa Cargo started its fleet renovation by incorporating the Boeing 767-200ER.
Avianca acquired a 100% stake in Tampa Cargo in July 2008.
On February 1, 2010, Tampa Cargo was advised that after concluding the regulatory approval and the approval of competencies required to concrete the union announced in October 2009, Synergy Group, the owner of Avianca, and Kingsland Holding Limited, the owner of Grupo TACA, signed the Agreement through which the closing that started up the strategic union of their businesses was made official, and that the name of the strategic union was AviancaTaca Holding. Then, the holding created the Cargo Vice-Presidency to which Tampa Cargo and its cargo aircraft fleet belong, naming Tampa Cargo the administrator of the Avianca and Taca commercial aircraft capacity.
On September 27, 2011, Avianca ordered four Airbus A330-200Fs to replace the existing Tampa Cargo fleet, with deliveries to commence in December 2012. This made Tampa Cargo the first A330F operator in Latin America.The news at Airbus
The airline was rebranded as Avianca Cargo on May 28, 2013.
On May 10, 2020, Avianca filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States after failing to pay bondholders, becoming one of the major airlines to file for bankruptcy due to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
Destinations
Avianca Cargo operates to the following destinations:
CountryCityAirportNotesRefsArgentinaBuenos AiresMinistro Pistarini International Airport BrazilCampinasViracopos International Airport CuritibaAfonso Pena International Airport FlorianópolisHercílio Luz International Airport ManausEduardo Gomes International Airport São PauloSão Paulo/Guarulhos International AirportVitóriaEurico de Aguiar Salles Airport ChileSantiagoArturo Merino Benítez International Airport ColombiaBarranquillaErnesto Cortissoz International Airport BogotáEl Dorado International AirportMedellínJosé María Córdova International AirportDominican RepublicSanto DomingoLas Américas International Airport EcuadorGuayaquilJosé Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport QuitoMariscal Sucre International Airport El SalvadorSan SalvadorEl Salvador International Airport GuatemalaGuatemala CityLa Aurora International Airport MexicoGuadalajaraGuadalajara International AirportMonterreyMonterrey International AirportMexico CityMexico City International Airport NicaraguaManaguaAugusto C. Sandino International Airport PanamaPanama CityTocumen International Airport ParaguayAsunciónSilvio Pettirossi International Airport Ciudad del EsteGuaraní International Airport PeruLimaJorge Chávez International Airport United StatesLos AngelesLos Angeles International AirportMiamiMiami International AirportUruguayMontevideoCarrasco International Airport VenezuelaCaracasSimón Bolívar International Airport
Fleet Current
, Avianca Cargo operates the following aircraft:
+ Avianca Cargo fleetAircraftIn serviceOrdersNotesAirbus A330-200F6—Airbus A330-200P2F—2To be converted from 2024 to 2025.Airbus A330-300P2F—2Total64
Former , Avianca Cargo operated 6 Airbus A330-200F.
The airline also previously operated the following aircraft:
+ Avianca Cargo former fleetAircraftTotalIntroducedRetiredNotesBoeing 707-320C819791999Boeing 767-200ER/BDSF620042014Boeing 767-300ERF120112015Transferred to All Nippon AirwaysCanadair CL-44119851986Leased from Líneas Aéreas SuramericanasDouglas DC-6A119751982Douglas DC-6B119731982Douglas DC-8-55CF119921992Leased from Agro AirDouglas DC-8-63F119891991Douglas DC-8-71F519922007
Accidents and incidents On December 14, 1983, a Boeing 707-320C (registered HK-2401X) crashed into a factory after taking off from Medellín's Olaya Herrera Airport. The cause of the accident was a failure of engines 3 and 4 by foreign objects during the initial ascent. All 3 crew members on board died, plus 22 on the ground.
On July 14, 1989, a Douglas DC-8-63F (registered HK-3490X) took off from Miami International Airport, when the main cargo door opened shortly after. The aircraft returned to the airport and landed safely.
On October 9, 1994, a Boeing 707-320C (registered HK-3355X) was flying from São Paulo to Santa Cruz de la Sierra. When climbing, the second hydraulic pump light of the engine 3 illuminated. The leak couldn't be stopped and the aircraft returned to São Paulo. The nosegear didn't extend and the main gear didn't lock down and the aircraft slid during the emergency landing. None of the 5 occupants on board were killed.
On February 4, 2007, a Douglas DC-8-71F (registered HK-4277), operating a cargo flight to Miami, veered to the right during landing approach. The pilot thought it may have been due to a crosswind, but he soon realized that the right main landing gear had collapsed. The NTSB post-accident investigation later determined that the aircraft's landing gear had collapsed due to improper torque of a landing gear lockbolt by company maintenance personnel during landing gear installation. None of the 3 occupants on board were killed, while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
See also List of airlines of Colombia
References
External links Official website