Aerotaxis La Costeña S.A. is a regional airline based in Managua, Nicaragua. It operates passenger services from Managua and Bluefields to 3 domestic destinations. Its main hubs are at Augusto C. Sandino International Airport and Bluefields Airport.[1]
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Founded | 1991 | ||||||
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Hubs | |||||||
Focus cities | |||||||
Fleet size | 5 | ||||||
Destinations | 4 | ||||||
Parent company | Regional Airlines Holding LLC | ||||||
Headquarters | Managua, Nicaragua | ||||||
Key people | Julio Caballero (Director) | ||||||
Employees | 140 (2011) | ||||||
Website | www |
History
editThe airline began operations in November 1991. It became part of the Grupo TACA in 1999 as a feeder carrier. By September 2011, it had 140 employees.
On May 31, 2019, Avianca Holdings sold its 62% participation in La Costeña to Regional Airlines Holding LLC, from Delaware, United States.[2][3]
Destinations
editAs of April 2024, La Costeña operates limited services to domestic destinations, such as:[4]
Fleet
editCurrent fleet
editLa Costeña fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of September 2024):[5]
Aircraft | In service |
Orders | Passengers | Registration | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ATR 42-320 | 1 | — | 46 | YN-CIE | |
Cessna 208 Caravan | 4 | — | 14 | YN-CHU
YN-CHV YN-CHW YN-CHX |
|
Total | 5 | — |
Former Fleet
editAircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Registration |
---|---|---|---|---|
ATR 42-300 | 1 | 2009 | 2023 | YN-CHG |
Cessna 208 Caravan | 16 | 1995 | — | YN-CFK
YN-CGB YN-CGS YN-CGU YN-CED YN-CDR YN-CEQ YN-CFG YN-CFO YN-CGH YN-CHV YN-CGI YN-CHX YN-CHA YN-CHX YN-CHW |
Cessna 402 | 1 | 1994 | 1995 | YN-CDN |
Piper PA-34 Seneca | 1 | 1993 | 1998 | YN-CDD |
Short 360 | 2 | 1997 | 2011 | YN-CGF
YN-CGG |
Accidents and incidents
edit- On July 30, 1995, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan (YN-CED) was hijacked by suspected drug traffickers while en route from Managua to Bluefields. On August 1, the body of the pilot was discovered in Zipaquirá, Colombia. He had reportedly been shot twice in the head and once in the back. Nicaraguan authorities suspect that the hijacked aircraft was destined for drug trafficking operations. In August, the plane was found by Colombian police in a hangar at Villavicencio-La Vanguardia Airport.
- On July 20, 1999, the same aircraft (YN-CED) was flying from Managua to Bluefields, but crashed in Cerro Silva, killing both crew members and all 14 passengers. A GPS device had been removed for use in another aircraft before the flight.[6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-04-03. p. 103.
- ^ "Avianca vende las aerolíneas Sansa y La Costeña de Centroamérica". Reportur.com (in Spanish). Retrieved June 5, 2019.
- ^ Amalia Barrios. "Avianca venderá 62% de La Costeña". Elnuevodiario.com.ni (in Spanish). Retrieved November 28, 2018.
- ^ "Destinations - La Costeña". Lacostena.com.ni.
- ^ "La Costeña - Pilot Career Centre". Pilotcareercentre.com. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
- ^ Aviation Safety Network
External links
editMedia related to La Costeña at Wikimedia Commons