{{Short description|Venezuelan airline}} {{more citations needed|date=March 2011}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}} {{Infobox airline | airline = Avensa - Aerovías Venezolanas Sociedad Anónima | logo = Avensa Air Ways Logo.svg | image = 154am - AVENSA Boeing 737-229; YV-74C@CCS;15.10.2001 (4794106298).jpg | caption = Boeing 737-200 | image_size = | IATA = VE | ICAO = AVE | callsign = AVENSA | founded = {{start date|df=yes|1943|05|13}} | commenced = {{start date|df=yes|1943|12}} | ceased = {{end date|df=yes|2004|12|31}} | aoc = | hubs = [[Simón Bolívar International Airport (Venezuela)|Simón Bolívar International Airport]] | secondary_hubs = | focus_cities = | frequent_flyer = | alliance = | subsidiaries = [[Servivensa]] | fleet_size = 3 (2004) | destinations = 7 (2004) | parent = [[Government of Venezuela]] (100%) | headquarters = [[Caracas]], [[Venezuela]] | key_people = | founder = Andres Boulton Pietri | website = {{URL|www.avensa.com.ve}} }}
'''Avensa''' ('''''A'''erovías '''Ven'''ezolanas '''S'''ociedad '''A'''nonima'') was a [[Venezuela]]n airline that operated from its hub at [[Simón Bolívar International Airport (Venezuela)|Simon Bolivar International Airport]] in [[Maiquetía]].<ref>"World Airline Directory." ''[[Flight International]]''. 21–27 March 2000. [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/2000/2000%20-%200815.html?search=%22Aerolineas%20Argentinas%22 71]. "Avenida Universidad, Caracas, 101, Venezuela."</ref>
At one time, it had its headquarters in the now Government-owned Torre El Chorro in [[Caracas]] and in the Torre Humboldt complex in East Caracas.<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20040203194542/http://www.avensa.com.ve/contactos.asp Contactos]". Avensa. 3 February 2004. Retrieved 30 January 2011. "DIRECCIÓN Torre Humboldt, P25 (P1) Av. Rio Caura Prados del Este Caracas Venezuela"</ref>
Although Avensa was reported to be in the process of economic restructuring, as of 2024, the airline has not been able to return to the skies.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}
==History== Avensa was created on 13 May 1943, as a [[cargo airline]] by the Venezuelan businessman, Andres Boulton Pietri (1909-1994), and [[Pan American World Airways]]. Its first flight occurred in December 1943, flying cargo to Venezuela's oil-rich Carteru region with [[Ford Trimotor]]s and [[Stinson Reliant]]s. By 1944, Avensa had started passenger flights with Lockheed 10A twins.{{fact|date=September 2025}}
After [[World War II]], Douglas [[DC-3]]s were added to the fleet. These were the backbone of the fleet until 1955 when [[Convair 240|Convair 340]] twins were introduced for a new service to [[Miami]]. Avensa had set up an extensive domestic route network by the beginning of the 1960s. The airline also flew internationally to Miami, [[Aruba]], [[Jamaica]] and [[New Orleans]].{{fact|date=September 2025}} [[File:Avensa Caravelle Volpati.jpg|thumb|left|Avensa's only [[SE-210 Caravelle]] landing at [[Simón Bolívar International Airport (Venezuela)|Simón Bolívar International Airport]] in 1972]]
Avensa merged its international routes with the international routes of [[Línea Aeropostal Venezolana]] and the resulting network was the basis for a new international Venezuelan airline called [[Viasa]], in which Avensa had a 45% holding. Avensa purchased jet equipment in the form of a single [[Sud Aviation Caravelle|Sud Caravelle]] jet in 1964. Turboprop aircraft were introduced in 1966 when the airline purchased [[Convair 580]]s. [[McDonnell Douglas DC-9]] jets were introduced to give the airline a competitive edge. Pan Am sold its 30% holding of Avensa to the Venezuelan government in 1976, making it completely [[Public ownership|state-owned]].{{fact|date=September 2025}}
Later, Avensa introduced the [[Boeing 727-100]] with two [[Boeing 737-200]]s being later introduced. A fleet renewal program was set in motion at the end of the 1980s and new [[Boeing 737-200]]s were added. Two [[Boeing 757-200]]s were also introduced in the renewal program. These new aircraft were returned during the 1990s when Avensa fell into financial difficulties and had to make cutbacks. This left the fleet with eleven aging Boeing 727s, five DC-9s, and two 737-200s at the end of the 1990s.
Avensa took over many of the international routes formerly flown by [[Viasa]] after that airline collapsed in 1997. During the late 1990s, Avensa operated wide body [[McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30]] flights to Europe including service to [[Lisbon]], [[London]], [[Madrid]], [[Paris]], [[Rome]] and [[Tenerife]].<ref>https://www.airliners.net, photos of Avensa DC-10 aircraft in Europe</ref> Avensa also controlled a smaller [[Low-cost carrier|low-cost airline]] called ''[[Servivensa]]'', which primarily operated the Boeing 727 and DC-9 jets. Avensa later{{when|date=December 2015}} served only a domestic network of three cities as it attempted to reestablish services during a time of continuing financial difficulties.
The airline went into bankruptcy due to poor management in 2002, with [[SBA Airlines|Santa Barbara Airlines]] taking over its routes, although a single [[Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia]] continued to carry the Avensa name in service until it was grounded for good in 2004. Even though the airline ceased operations more than a decade ago, around Venezuela's airports, Avensa relics can be seen everywhere: old check-in signs, rusted luggage carts, derelict airplane stairways, the name still visible through cracked blue paint around Venezuela's airports.<ref>[http://www.bootsnall.com/guides/05-10/pilot-report-aeropostal.html BootsnAll Travel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515212708/http://www.bootsnall.com/guides/05-10/pilot-report-aeropostal.html|date=15 May 2008}} retrieved 7 April 2007</ref>
==Destinations== This is the list of places to which Avensa flew:
===Domestic=== {{colbegin|colwidth=30em}} *[[Anaco]] *[[Barcelona, Venezuela|Barcelona]] *[[Barquisimeto]] *[[Caracas]] '''Hub''' *[[Carúpano]] *[[Ciudad Bolivar]] *[[Cumaná]] *[[La Fría]] *[[Las Piedras, Venezuela|Las Piedras]] *[[Maturín]] *[[Mérida, Mérida|Mérida]] *[[Porlamar]] *[[Puerto Ordaz]] *[[San Antonio del Táchira]] *[[Santa Bárbara del Zulia]] *[[Valencia, Carabobo|Valencia]] *[[Valera]] *[[Maracaibo]] *[[San Tomé, Venezuela|San Tomé]] {{colend}}
===International=== {{colbegin|colwidth=30em}} *[[Aruba]] *[[Bogotá|Bogota, Colombia]] *[[Bonaire]] *[[Curaçao]] *[[Lima, Peru]] *[[Lisbon, Portugal]] *[[London, UK]] *[[Madrid, Spain]] *[[Medellín|Medellin, Colombia]] *[[Mexico City|Mexico City, Mexico]] *[[Miami, USA]] *[[Milan, Italy]] *[[Montreal, Canada]] (Charter) *[[New York City]] (JFK) *[[New Orleans, USA]] *[[Oporto, Portugal]] *[[Panama City, Panama]] *[[Paris, France]] *[[Quito, Ecuador]] *[[Rio de Janeiro, Brazil]] *[[Rome, Italy]] *[[Santiago de Compostela, Spain]] *[[São Paulo, Brazil]] *[[Tenerife, Spain]] *[[Toronto, Canada]] (Charter) {{colend}}
==Fleet==
Over the years, Avensa had operated the following aircraft:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aerobernie.bplaced.net/Avensa.html|title=Avensa fleet|website=aerobernie.bplaced.net|access-date=20 February 2021}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em auto; text-align:center" |+ Avensa fleet |- !Aircraft !Total !Introduced !Retired !Notes |- |[[Boeing 727-100]] |11 |1982 |2002 |rowspan=2|Included the [[combi aircraft|combi]] version for both passengers and freight pallets<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.departedflights.com/CCS89intro.html|title=CCS89intro}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.departedflights.com/MIAI89intro.html|title=MIAI89intro}}</ref> |- |[[Boeing 727-200]] |13 |1979 |2002 |- |[[Boeing 737-200]] |3 |1991 |2002 | |- |[[Boeing 737-300]] |1 |1989 |1996 |Sold to [[Western Pacific Airlines]] |- |[[Boeing 757-200]] |2 |1990 |1994 | |- |[[Convair CV-340]] |5 |1954 |1977 | |- |[[Convair CV-440]] |3 |1963 |1977 | |- |[[Convair CV-540]] |1 |1963 |1979 | |- |[[Convair CV-580]] |10 |1964 |1991 | |- |[[Curtiss C-46 Commando]] |4 |1944 |1946 | |- |[[Douglas C-47 Skytrain]] |19 |1946 |1972 | |- |[[Douglas C-54 Skymaster]] |4 |1948 |1955 | |- |[[Douglas DC-2]] |5 |1944 |1946 | |- |[[Douglas DC-3]] |11 |1947 |1973 | |- |[[Douglas DC-6B]] |2 |1958 |1964 | |- |[[Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia]] |1 |2002 |2004 |Leased from [[Boeing Capital]] |- |[[Fairchild F-27]] |5 |1958 |1963 | |- |[[Ford Trimotor]] |2 |1943 |1946 | |- |[[Lockheed Model 10 Electra]] |1 |{{unknown}} |{{unknown}} | |- |[[Lockheed L-188 Electra]]{{cn|date=November 2025}} |6 |1959 |1983 | |- |[[McDonnell Douglas DC-9|McDonnell Douglas DC-9-14]] |4 |1967 |1983 | |- |[[McDonnell Douglas DC-9|McDonnell Douglas DC-9-15]] |2 |1975 |1978 |Leased from [[McDonnell Douglas]] |- |[[McDonnell Douglas DC-9|McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31]] |1 |1991 |1996 | |- |[[McDonnell Douglas DC-9|McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32]] |7 |1976 |1985 | |- |[[McDonnell Douglas DC-9|McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51]] |4 |1991 |1999 | |- |[[McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30]] |3 |1998 |2002 | |- |[[Sud Aviation Caravelle]] |1 |1970 |1973 |Written off |}
==Images gallery== <gallery> File:DC9 AVENSA FC-SILVER BELLY 10 YV-C-AVM 03-1967 CV WO 22-12-1974.jpg|Douglas DC-9-15. File:Avensa Convair 580 Durand-2.jpg|[[Convair CV-580]] at [[Santiago Mariño Caribbean International Airport]] in 1988. File:AVENSA Boeing 727-22; YV-87C@MIA, March 1990 (5423949863).jpg|[[Boeing 727-100]] taxiing at [[Miami International Airport]] in 1990. File:Avensa Boeing 757 JetPix.jpg|Boeing 757 landing at [[Miami International Airport]]. File:154bb - AVENSA DC-9-51; YV-820C@CCS;15.10.2001 (4794140070).jpg|[[McDonnell Douglas DC-9#Series 50|McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51]] at Caracas-Simon Bolivar International Airport in 2000. File:155ar - AVENSA Boeing 737-229; YV-74C@CCS;19.10.2001 (4793479057).jpg|[[Boeing 737-200]] taxiing at Caracas Simon Bolivar International Airport. </gallery>
==Accidents and incidents== *On 20 August 1948, a [[Douglas DC-3]] disappeared off the coast of Las Piedras, [[Falcón State]]. All 3 crew members died.{{fact|date=September 2025}} *On 27 November 1961, a [[Douglas DC-6B]] was hijacked by five armed students who forced the pilot to circle [[Caracas]] while they dropped anti-government leaflets on the city. After that, the crew was forced to fly them to [[Curaçao]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19611127-0|title=Hijacking description|publisher=Aviation Safety Network|access-date=5 November 2014}}</ref> *On 25 February 1962, a [[Fairchild F-27]] was descending through thick clouds until it [[1962 Avensa Fairchild F-27 accident|crashed into a mountain]] on departure from [[Margarita Island]]. All 23 occupants on board were killed.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19620225-1|title=Accident description|publisher=Aviation Safety Network|year=1974}}</ref> *On 28 November 1963, a [[Convair CV-440]] (registered YV-C-AVH) was hijacked by six young rebels armed with machine guns shortly after it took off from [[Ciudad Bolívar]]. They forced the crew to circle the city while they dropped leaflets. They were later demanded to be flown to [[Port of Spain]], [[Trinidad and Tobago]] where they surrendered.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19631128-0|title=Hijacking description|publisher=Aviation Safety Network|access-date=20 November 2012}}</ref> *On 21 March 1968, a [[Convair CV-440]] was hijacked to Cuba by three passengers.<ref>{{ASN accident|id=19680321-0|type=Hijacking}}</ref> *On 21 August 1973, a [[Sud Aviation Caravelle]] (registered YV-C-AVI) was landing at [[Jacinto Lara International Airport]] in [[Barquisimeto]] when its wing struck the runway on touchdown. No one on board was killed, but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19730821-0|title=Accident description|publisher=Aviation Safety Network|access-date=5 September 2009}}</ref> *On 22 December 1974, [[Avensa Flight 358]] crashed in [[Maturín]], shortly after take-off due to a double engine failure. All 75 passengers and crew were killed.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19741222-1 ASN Aircraft accident], Sunday 22 December 1974, Retrieved 12 December 2015</ref> *On 11 March 1983, [[Avensa Flight 007]] crashed at [[Barquisimeto Airport]]. 22 passengers and one crew were killed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19830311-1|title=Accident description|publisher=Aviation Safety Network|access-date=1 October 2010}}</ref>
==See also== *[[List of defunct airlines of Venezuela]]
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Avensa}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20050621010855/http://www.avensa.com.ve/ Avensa] {{in lang|es}} *[https://web.archive.org/*/http://www.avensa.com.ve/ Avensa] (Archive) *[http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?nr_of_rows=103&sort_order=year&first_this_page=0&page_limit=120&thumbnails=&&airlinesearch=Avensa Avensa in airliners.net] {{Portal bar|Venezuela|Companies|Aviation}}
{{Airlines of Venezuela}}
[[Category:Avensa| ]] [[Category:Defunct airlines of Venezuela]] [[Category:Airlines established in 1943]] [[Category:Airlines disestablished in 2004]] [[Category:1943 establishments in Venezuela]]