Aerosucre is a cargo airline based in Bogotá, Colombia. It began operation in 1969, and operates scheduled international and domestic cargo services throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Its home base is El Dorado International Airport, Bogotá. Aerosucre has been involved in a number of accidents and incidents during its lifetime, and more recently, internet videos have emerged showcasing reckless behavior by its pilots.
History
Aerosucre was founded by Juan Carlos Salano Recio in Barranquilla in 1969, and began flight operations as an air taxi company in the spring of 1970, with a Piper PA-28. By the spring of 1975, the company was focused primarily on freight transport, although it was still allowed to carry a maximum of five passengers on the flights. Initially, the company flew to the Colombian island of San Andrés and internationally to the islands of Aruba and Curaçao. In 1981, Aerosucre acquired two Handley Page Heralds from British Air Ferries. Its first jet aircraft, a Sud Aviation Caravelle, was purchased in August 1982, from Spanish company Transeuropa.
On March 5, 1996, 150 kg (330 lb) of cocaine paste were discovered on an Aerosucre airplane in Leticia, Colombia, concealed among 21 t (21 long tons; 23 short tons) of fish. By 2020, the company participates in the transportation of medical supplies throughout Colombia in support of the medical response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Destinations
Aerosucre operates to the following destinations:
- Aruba: Oranjestad (Queen Beatrix International Airport) – Focus city
- Colombia: Barranquilla (Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport) – Focus city
- Colombia: Bogotá (El Dorado International Airport) – Hub
- Colombia: Cali (Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport) – Focus city
- Colombia: Cartagena (Rafael Núñez International Airport)
- Colombia: Leticia (Alfredo Vásquez Cobo International Airport)
- Colombia: Medellín (José María Córdova International Airport) – Focus city
- Colombia: Mitu (Fabio Alberto León Bentley Airport)
- Colombia: Puerto Carreño (Germán Olano Airport)
- Colombia: Puerto Inírida (César Gaviria Trujillo Airport)
- Colombia: San Andrés (Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport) – Focus city
- Colombia: Yopal (El Alcaraván Airport) – Focus city
- Costa Rica: San José (Juan Santamaría International Airport) – Focus city
- Curaçao: Willemstad (Curaçao International Airport)
- Dominican Republic: Santo Domingo (Las Américas International Airport)
- Ecuador: Quito (Mariscal Sucre International Airport)
- El Salvador: San Salvador (El Salvador International Airport)
- Guatemala: Guatemala City (La Aurora International Airport)
- Panama: Panama City (Tocumen International Airport)
- Perú: Lima (Jorge Chavez International Airport) – Focus city
- Venezuela: Caracas (Simón Bolívar International Airport)
Fleet
As of August 2021, Aerosucre operates a fleet of six aircraft:
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 727-200F | 4 | — | One written off in December 2016 |
| Boeing 737-200F | 1 | — | — |
| Boeing 737-400F | 1 | — | — |
Conclusion
Aerosucre is a cargo airline that offers a wide range of products and services for various industries and markets. Aerosucre has a long tradition and experience in the cargo transport sector, as well as a modern and safe fleet. Aerosucre also has a network of destinations that covers most of Latin America and the Caribbean. Aerosucre is a company that strives to transport well-being and unite nations.
