San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the first quarter of 1965 to provide scheduled air taxi services to destinations throughout the Commonwealth and to the U. S. Virgin Islands. Employing a fleet that comes to comprise 1 each Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six, PA-31-310 Navajo, Cessna 310, and Britten-
Norman BN-2 Islander, San Juan inaugurates daily roundtrips on March 27, maintaining them into 1971.
SAN JUAN AIRLINES: United States (1970-1989). Upon the October 1, 1970 collapse of Puget Sound Airlines, Roy Franklin, an owner and former CEO of the merger partner Island Sky Ferries, establishes a portion of the consolidated company that he reforms into San Juan Airlines, a scheduled commuter. Employing lightplanes acquired from the assets of Puget Sound, scheduled frequencies are initiated under the name San Juan Airlines over the previous charter routes, as well as to Vancouver and Victoria in British Columbia.
Flights are maintained throughout the 1970s and the fleet is increased by various types. In 1971-1972, two Piper PA-23 Aztecs are purchased, followed by two Britten-Norman BN-2 Islanders in 1973-1974, and two Cessna 207s in 1975-1976. By 1977-1978, roundtrip frequencies between the islands and Seattle total 9 per day and annual revenues average $700,000.
On May 1, 1979, the company is sold to James Sherrell for $600,000; the new owner transfers the airline’s base to Port Angeles, Washington. The Island Mail subsidiary, operated since 1966, is merged, and founder Franklin retires on September 5. A third Islander is purchased in 1980.
By 1981, the fleet comprises 3 Britten-Norman BN-2 Islanders, 1 Piper PA-23 Aztec, 2 Cessna 207s, and 1 Cessna 206. A new freight service is launched and in competition with Harbor Airlines, scheduled frequencies are inaugurated between Bellingham and Seattle.
Destinations served regularly in 1982 include Hoquim and Port Angeles in Washington State and Vancouver and Victoria in British Columbia. A total of 97,180 passengers are boarded in 1983.
Airline employment in 1984 stands at 120 and the fleet includes 2 Islanders, 3 Cessna 207Cs, and 7 Cessna 402s.
Customer bookings jump 24.9% to 121,406.
The fleet in 1985 is enhanced by the delivery of three additional Cessna 402s and two Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirantes.
Passenger boardings swell 11.2% to 135,000. Still, a $36,645 operating loss and a net loss of $1.4 million are taken and lead the company to seek financial relief.
Early in 1986, Alaska Air Group, parent of Alaska Airlines, announces plans to acquire 50% shareholding in the Port Angeles, Washington-based small regional. This acquisition process is eventually ended as the carrier suffers a passenger traffic downturn. Instead, the company becomes a code-sharing partner of United Airlines.
Customer bookings fall 7.4% to 125,000 and revenues plunge 19.7% to $6.46 million. Losses of $64,368 (operating) and $2 million (net) are suffered.
The workforce is increased by 30.8% in 1987 to 170 and the fleet includes 9 Cessna 402s, 3 Cessna 207s, and 2 Islanders.
Orders are placed for 12 Beech 99s. In May, thrice-daily Cessna 402 nonstop service is initiated between Portland and Bellingham.
Passenger boardings decline again, down to 120,000.
The employee population rises to 228 in 1988 as the carrier undertakes big changes. Nonstop five-times-per-day Beech 99 commercial service is inaugurated during March from Paine Field in Everett, Washington to Portland, Oregon. In April when the United contract ends, San Juan affiliates with Alaska Airlines. Meanwhile, the company’s Canadian routes are sold to Alaskan partner Horizon Air. Dramatic fleet equipment alterations also occur as the Cessna 207s and a Cessna 402 are withdrawn and replaced by summer’s end with 11 of 12 ordered Beech 99s.
Customer bookings swell 23% to 212,000.
All remaining routes are sold to Horizon in May 1989. The carrier, which had earlier flown under the names Orcas Island Air Service, Island Sky Ferries, and Puget Sound Airlines, is now occasionally referred to as the nation’s oldest commuter airline. In August, after 40 years in the air transport business, the company voluntarily turns in its operating certificate to the FAA, shuts down operations, and is liquidated.
SAN JUAN JET CHARTERS: Luis Munoz Marin International Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00937, United States; Phone (787) 253-0980; Fax (787) 253-0981; Year Founded 1996. SJJC is set up at
San Juan in 1996 to provide executive and small group passenger charters throughout the U. S., Canada, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. General Manager Rosa Montalvo oversees the work of 4 full-time pilots and schedules 1 each Beech King Air 90, Cessna 414 Chancellor, Learjet 24, and Learjet 35A Century III.
SANA (SOCIEDAD ARGENTINA DE NAVEGACION AEREA, S. A.): Argentina (1940-1943). Dr. Mario Pastega, one of the cofounders of the Italian-backed Corporacion Sudamericana de Servicios Aereos, creates this well-capitalized and wholly owned Argentine carrier at Buenos Aires in early 1940. During the spring, negotiations are completed and 3 flying boats are purchased from Pan American Airways (PAA), 2 Consolidated Model 16 Commodores and 1 Sikorsky S-38 amphibian. On June 5, regularly scheduled flights are inaugurated across the Rio de la Plata to Colonia, Uruguay.
In order to obtain an advantage over its two rivals, The Corporacion and CAUSA (Compania Aeronautica Uruguaya, S. A.), SANA offers deep-discount fares. Plans are made to extend routes to other localities, but the nation’s entry into World War II and the loss of the Sikorsky in an accident lead the carrier to cease operations on August 16, 1943.
World History
