Formed by G. O. Onosode as Air Vanni, Ltd., at Lagos in 1978, privately owned Intercontinental is reformed in 1980 and specializes in long-haul holiday passenger and cargo charters between Lagos and London, as well as contract services and aircraft leasing.
For most of the 1980s, the fleet comprises 2 Douglas DC-8-52s, 3 Sud-Est SE-210 Caravelle IIIs, and 2 Hawker Siddeley HS 125 executive jets.
The Douglas airliners are withdrawn in 1989 and the carrier, unable to maintain economic viability during the recession of the early 1990s, is forced to close down in late 1992.
INTERCONTINENTAL COLOMBIA (INTERCONTINENTAL DE AVIACION, S. A.): Avenida Eldorado, Entrada No. 2, Interior 6, Bogota, Colombia; Phone 57 (1) 413-8888; Fax 57 (1) 413-9893; Http://www. insite-network. com/Inter; Code RS; Year Founded 1982. The privately owned Aeropesca, S. A. is reorganized in December 1982 and changes its name. The route network comprises a base at Bogota and stops at Arauca, Cali, Cucuta, Florencia, Ipiales, Leticia, Medellin, Pasto, Popiyan, Richacha, Santa Marta, and Valledupar. Scheduled passenger and cargo flights are undertaken along with general cargo charters and specialized livestock flights.
In 1983, orders are placed for three Douglas DC-9-15s as replacements for the company’s five Vickers Viscount 745s. Passenger boardings total 85,153. By 1985, the fleet comprises 3 DC-9-15s and 1 Curtiss C-46 freighter; airline employment stands at 177.
In 1986-1988, passenger and cargo services are maintained and plans are undertaken to open services to Maracaibo and to Tulcan. The fleet in 1989 includes 2 DC-9-15s, with 2 more added in 1990.
In 1991, traffic statistics for the 236-employee airline are reported through September and show enplanements of 308,706. Atotal of 792,000 FTKs are hauled during the same period as four Viscounts are retired.
Managing Director Capt. Luis Hernandez Zia’s fleet in 1992 comprises 7 DC-9-15s, 5 of which are leased.
A DC-9-15 with 4 crew and 88 passengers is destroyed as the result of a heavy landing at Tumaco on March 26; although the aircraft is destroyed when its fuselage cracks aft of its over-wing exits, there are no fatalities.
Passenger boardings climb 26% on the year to 388,835, but freight declines 15.8% to 667,000 FTKs.
An eighth chartered DC-9-15 is acquired in 1993, along with five leased DC-9-14s. In addition to general and specialized charters, including livestock, passenger services are also operated. From Bogota, local flights are made to Cucuta, Cali, Ipiales, Medellin, Pereira, Popayan, Riohacha, San Andres, Tumaco, and Valle.
Customer bookings accelerate 72.2% to 960,797 while cargo jumps 33.4% to 1.44 million FTKs.
Two units of the DC-9-14 fleet are chartered out in 1994, one to SAM (Sociedad Aeronautica de Medellin, S. A.) and the other to Aerovias Caribe, S. A.
Passenger boardings decline by 13.6% to 830,524, but freight accelerates 24.2% to 1.79 million FTKs.
The workforce totals 840 in 1995. While en route on a return service from Bogota to Cartagena via San Andres, Panama City, and Cali, and back to Bogota on January 11, Flight 2056, a DC-9-14 with five crew and 48 passengers, explodes in midair at 14,000 feet. The aircraft crashes into a grassy field some 10 mi. S of Cartagena. All aboard are killed, except a nine-year-old girl, who is thrown clear when the fuselage breaks in two upon impact.
Traffic figures are only reported through June. These show that en-planements are down 24% to 284,911, but that cargo is up a slight 0.4% to 830,000 FTKs.
A short circuit aboard a DC-9-15 on the ground at Barranquilla in the fall causes the Douglas to catch fire and it is burned out.
Operations continue apace in 1996-1998. Capt. Zia’s fleet now includes 4 DC-9-14s, 1 of which remains on charter to Aerovias Caribe, S. A., and 11 DC-9-15s, 2 of which are leased to TAESA (Transportes Aereos Ejecutivos, S. A. de C. V.). Destinations visited include Cartagena, Cucuta, Cali, Esmeraldes, Florencia, Havana, Ipiales, Maracaibo, Medellin, Neiva, Panama City, Pasto, Pereira, Popayan, Riohacha, San Andres, Tulcan, and Valledupar.
During the latter year, passenger boardings are 130,000.
The workforce at the beginning of 1999 totals 591. Flights continue without incident or headline.
World History
