Panama is formed in September 1966, but is reorganized on April 27, 1967, with substantial support from the Spanish flag carrier Iberia Spanish Airlines (2) (Lineas Aereas de Espana, S. A.), which had (eventually unfulfilled) plans to form a Spanish-speaking South American airline consortium. Employing DC-9-30s acquired from the Madrid-based major, Air Panama launches services in July from Miami to Lima via Guyaquil. Mexico City and Guatemala City join the route network in 1967-1968.
In August 1969, the company succeeds PAISA (Panamena de Avia-cion Internacional, S. A.) as Panama’s primary international airline. Its fleet is strengthened by the addition of a leased DC-9-15.
Service is started to Bogota and in 1970, 3 Boeing 727-81s are acquired to replace the Iberia Spanish Airlines (2) (Lineas Aereas de Espana, S. A.) DC-9-30s. Bogota joins the system in October 1972.
The Mexico City frequency is extended to Los Angeles in 1975 while the Miami route is lengthened to New York and Montreal. In January 1976, Guatemala City and Montreal flights are suspended and replaced by operations to Caracas. By 1977, airline employment totals 665.
In November 1978, the shares of the Spanish flag carrier are purchased by a group from Panama led by President Carlos Eleta; British Airways, Ltd. (2) takes over the carrier’s management and support in August 1979. By 1980, the fleet also includes a Boeing 727-46. En-planements total 142,583.
Customer bookings decline 2.8% in 1981 to 138,700 and cargo plunges by 11.6% to 236 million FTKs.
Enplanements in 1982 total 150,237. The employee population is cut 2.3% in 1983 to 511. Passenger boardings dip 0.7% to 140,409, but freight jumps 37.8% to 1.75 million FTKs. On revenues of $30.2 million, the carrier suffers a $3.1 million operating loss.
Enplanements total 130,779 in 1983. Airline employment increases 21.1% in 1984 to 403. Passenger boardings jump 26.2% to 177,207 and cargo skyrockets 84.3% to 3.24 million FTK.
The workforce is increased again in 1985, growing 5.2% to 424. Customer bookings accelerate 13.6% to 201,248 and freight increases 33.6% to 4.33 million FTKs. Operations continue apace in 1986-1988.
The fleet at the beginning of 1989 includes 1 owned B-727-81 and 1 B-727-247, the latter leased from Faucett Peruvian Airlines, S. A. Services are maintained to Miami, San Jose, Bogota, Lima, Caracas, and Mexico City until December 20-21, at which point U. S. forces invade the country to remove its government. At the time of the assault, both aircraft are out of the country; one is stranded at Lima and the other at Bogota. Unable to get its aircraft home because the nation’s airports are closed, the carrier is now shut down.
Plans are made by Operations Manager Guillermo Earle to resume operations in January 1990, even as Faucett Peruvian Airlines, S. A. reclaims its chartered Boeing, leaving the carrier with only the B-727-81, which is still at Bogota.
In September, the competing carrier COPA (Compania Panamena de Aviacion, S. A.) announces its plans to purchase the airline, still over $1 million in debt. The transaction will not occur. Instead, the carrier is purchased from the government by a group of private Panamanian and U. S. investors on November 6, 1991 and is reorganized under the name Panama Air International, S. A.
AIR PARABAT, LTD.: 4/5 Jobal Road, Mohammadpur, Dhaka, 1207, Bangladesh; Phone 880 (0) 2912 0589; Fax 880 (0) 2956 1668; Code ASJ; Year Founded 1994. The Karim family and the Karim group of companies, with private funding from the Dhaka-based IFCB bank, establish the Air Parabat Flying Academy on January 8, 1994. The company trains pilots and flight crews as well as other personnel for the aviation industry.
During late 1997, Chairman Abdul Karim Khandker and Managing Director Nadera Alam determine that domestic scheduled and charter operations should be inaugurated. To this end, the concern’s workforce is increased to 45 and 2 Let L-410UVPs are acquired.
Revenue flights commence on January 11, 1998, linking the carrier’s base with Barisai, Chittagong, Jessore, Rajshahi, and Sylhet.
An L-410UVP goes inoperative at Cox’s Bazaar during the first week of June. The second is damaged beyond repair as the result of a forced landing at Savar on June 28. At this point, the company, without flight equipment, is forced to suspend operations while replacements are sought.
The Let damaged at Cox’s Bazaar is returned to the Czech Republic for repairs at the Let factory, which has been purchased by the U. S.-based Ayers Corporation. Huge losses are incurred over the next six months.
A pair of upgraded Let-410s are finally delivered to Dhaka in mid-December. With decreased fares offered for an introductory period, Air Parabat resumes thrice-weekday roundtrip flights from Dhaka to Cox’s
Bazaar via Chittagong on December 27. On Fridays, however, there is just one roundtrip.
Airline employment stands at 40 as 1999 begins. In January, a third L-410UVP is acquired.
AIR PARAGUAY. See LAP PARAGUAYAN AIRLINES (LINEAS AEREAS PARAGUAYAS, S. A.)
AIR PARIS, S. A. See TAT FRENCH REGIONALAIRLINES, S. A.
AIR PENNSYLVANIA: United States (1980-1982). Eugene Plum’s FBO and charter operator Perkiomen Airways, which had operated a 1976-1979 scheduled service under its own name from its base at Reading, Pennsylvania, establishes an airline division in January 1980 and commences operations under the marketing name Air Pennsylvania.
The fleet comprises 2 Convair CV-240s, 1 Piper PA-31-310 Navajo, and 1 PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain; these link the company’s base with Philadelphia, Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, and Atlantic City. The Chieftain crashes at Philadelphia on July 25 (three dead).
Traffic downturns and cash-flow difficulties brought on as a result of the ensuing crash publicity, combined with the summer 1981 PATCO air traffic controllers’ strike cause the company to cease operations in 1982.
AIR PHILIPPINES (1). See PACIFIC EAST ASIA CARGO AIRLINES
AIR PHILIPPINES (2): 15 th Floor, Multinational Bancorporation Centre, 6805 Ayala Ave., Makari City, Metro Manila, Philippines; Phone 63 (2) 845-1901; Fax 63 (2) 845-1975; Http://www. airphilippines. com; Code 2P; Year Founded 1995. AP-2 is set up at
Manila’s Domestic Airport on February 13, 1995 as one of the new carriers to challenge Philippines Airlines (PAL) in the wake of the nation’s deregulation of air transport. Founder William Gatchalian, a corporate magnate known as “The Plastic King,” announces plans to acquire a large fleet and launch services from Subic Bay to Manila, Cebu, and Davao by December.
As this ambitious goal is sought, Lisandro G. Abadia is named chairman, with Rodolfo E. Estrellada as president/CEO. A workforce of 600 is recruited and a Boeing 737-222, first flown by United Airlines, is chartered at year’s end from International Air Leases while a B-737-266A is leased for a year from Air Atlanta Icelandic, H. F.
The 2 Boeings are able to inaugurate low-fare, no-frills services on Feburary 1, 1996, from Manila to Subic Bay, Iloilo, and Zambonanga. During the spring, the company agrees to purchase 6 Nihon YS-11A-109s from Japan. In April and May, 2 Nihons arrive in Manila, 1 each formerly operated by All Nippon Airways Company, Ltd. and Japan Air System, Ltd. The turboprops inaugurate frequencies to Kalibo, Legazpi, and Naga.
In early June, a third B-737, a Dash-291, is leased from Sydney-based Pacific Transair (Pty.), Ltd. and is used to commence service from Manila to Cotabato and Davao.
While taxiing at Naga on June 24, a YS-11-109 with 34 passengers strikes a ground power unit, catching fire. All aboard are safely evacuated before the turboprop burns up.
On August 30, the airline is grounded when government inspectors find landing gear cracks on two of the Boeings during a routine safety check. With repairs made, the company is back in the air on September 15.
The Interlease Boeing is purchased on October 10, along with two other Dash-222s. It is announced that the carrier will purchase 12 more from Interlease over the next three years at a reported cost of $90 million. These, together with the last of the YS-11As, arrive at Manila by Christmas and flights to Puerto Princesa by the end of December.
Early in 1997, YS-11A flights commence from Cebu to Iloilo, Kalibo, and Tacloban, with onward connections to Manila. Augustus Paiso becomes president/CEO and plans are made to expand into international services in 1998, though these considerations are slowed by the regional economic downturn of the year’s second half. Orders are placed for 6 B-737-222s. It will be reported, midway through the next year, that the company has turned “a small profit” (later learned to be $150,000) for these 12 months.
The Asian fiscal crisis causes the carrier, during the first quarter of 1998, to cut its “Baby Boeing” order in half and to shelve its international growth ideas in order that it can, in the words of CEO Paiso, “ride out the turmoil.” It is pointed out that the likely effect of the devalued Philippine peso will be negative and that the devaluation will increase the cost of imported spare parts.
The initial dismal view is offset by activities during the second quarter, particularly towards late June. A pair of MD-88s are acquired during the third week and plans are made to initiate international services in August from Manila to Taipei and Kaoshiung on Taiwan as well as the Vietnamese community of Ho Chi Minh City.
The expansion plan crashes well before it can get off the ground. On September 18, the Philippine government’s Air Transportation Office (ATO) grounds all of the company’s B-737-222s and YS-11s as the result of a safety audit that finds deficiencies in maintenance and flight operations procedures.
After a heated summer of protest and negotiation, Philippine Airlines (PAL) is headed for closure by mid-month. On September 21, the ATO lifts its suspension order against Air Philippines and the government summons President/CEO Paiso to a meeting with Philippine President Joseph Estrada in Malacanang next day.
Meeting with Estrada on September 22, Paiso and the leaders of Cebu Pacific Air, Grand International Airways, Asian Spirit, and several other small operators promise to acquire additional aircraft and fill any vacuum left by PAL within a month. The government, for its part, agrees to allow an increase in fares and notes that it may provide loans necessary to help speed a build up in capacity. Specifically, President/CEO Paiso indicates that his company will increase its seat offering from 6,990 seats-per-day to 8,552 within two weeks. Simultaneously, Air Philippines adds two routes to its current three.
Philippine Airlines (PAL) closes down at 12:01 a. m. local time on September 23. The next day, the government instructs Air Philippines to take over nine of PAL’s aircraft and employ them under charter to operate domestic services. It cannot, for legal and technical reasons, take over PAL’s fleet of 9 Fokker 50s as requested, but does make arrangements to lease another B-737-200.
Within a week, the government is able to make arrangements for PAL to resume at least domestic services, which it does on October 9. Still, by the end of the month, Air Philippines has managed to gain a 15% share of the domestic market, which is much larger than it had operated before.
In October, Taiwan-based U-Land Airlines, Ltd. purchases a quiet 30% minority stake.
In the fourth quarter, the company visits Bacolod, Cagayan, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Kalibo, and Tacloban from Manila. Additionally, 15 smaller destinations also receive service. The only flights originating other than from Manila are one each from Cebu to Davao and Cebu to Iloilo.
Pending runway repairs, the carrier ceases service to Iloilo and Cota-bato between January 12 and 25, 1999. Flights to Iloilo are rerouted to Roxas City. Otherwise, the carrier continues to offer scheduled flights within the Philippines to Bacolod, Cebu, Cotabato, Davao, Kalibo, Legazpi, Manila, Naga, Puerto Princesa, Subic, and Zamboanga.
The on-line news service Asia Pulse (Pty.), Ltd. reports the results on March 10 of a two-week snapshot of domestic market share, compiled for February 1-15. Between them, Air Philippines, Cebu Pacific, and Philippine Airlines (PAL) offered 31,714 seats during the period (not all were occupied). Of the total number of passengers boarding planes of the 3 airlines, PAL got 15,250 or 63%, followed by Cebu Pacific with 7,715, and Air Philippines with 1,350.
Having received government authority to divest upwards of 90% of its shares, the company, during the week of March 15 holds discussions with U-Land Airlines, Ltd. concerning the possible partnership in which the Taiwan-based carrier will take a 50% stake.
The following week, the carrier receives regulatory approval for an extensive expansion of both regional and long-haul services. Under the program, which company officials hope to start as early as June, the company will initiate new domestic flights from Cebu City to Osaka and Fukuoka in Japan and from Manila to Taipei, Kaoshiung, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Hong Kong. Acquisition of several Boeing 747 Jumbojets and route authority to enter the overseas nations remains to be obtained.
Following repairs made to the runway at Cotabato Airport, the company on April 16 resumes flights from that point to Manila. The company also opens a homepage on the World Wide Web at this time.
Having detached from its tow truck while being taken off a Manila taxiway, an unmanned B-737-222 is damaged on June 29 when it rolls into a hangar.
All aircraft are grounded for a week in September because the carrier is not in compliance with Air Transportation Office maintenance procedures.
Details concerning the year’s traffic are not available. Sketchy financial figures show a $1.3-million net profit generated through September. Service between Manila and Subic is resumed on December 20 with twice-weekly roundtrips.
As 2000 begins, the company continues to seek Manila’s approval for the initiation of international services to Taiwan and Hong Kong. It also forms a new subsidiary, PhilAir, or Philippine International Airways.
In a further effort to boost the economic recovery of Philippine Airlines, the Securities and Exchange Commission, on March 16, approves an agreement between Air Phillipines (2) and the flag carrier under which the domestic airline will lease 3 B-737-200s for local service flights.
Inbound to Davao on an April 19 service from Manila, Flight 541, a B-737-2H4 with 7 crew and 124 passengers, crashes into a coconut plantation 7 miles from the runway, disintegrates and takes fire; there are no survivors.
Stockholders of the holding company Air Philippines International Corporation vote on August 11 to change the company’s name back to Forum Pacific, Inc. and to cancel the planned buy into Air Philippines Corporation.
AIR PLAINS: United States (1978-1980). Also known as Four Sons Flying Service during the first year of its existence, Air Plains is set up at Dodge City, Kansas, during the first quarter of 1978. Employing a Beech 18, the carrier inaugurates scheduled passenger and cargo services on June 26, linking its base with Garden City, Liberal, Topeka, Wichita, and Kansas City.
Operations halt in April 1980.
AIR PLUS ARGENTINA, S. A.: Buenos Aires, Argentina; Phone 54 (114) 393 9935; Fax 54 (114) 328 3609; Year Founded 1999.
Formed in late summer 1999 by Luis and Florencia Lupori, in association with Air Plus Comet, S. A., this company is originally, and briefly, known as Flight Bus. The new concern is renamed in October, just before receipt of an Airbus Industrie A310-324 on charter from the Spanish associate.
Holiday tourist flights to points in the U. S. begin in November and continue.
AIR PLUS COMET, S. A.: Edificio Barjas 1, Madrid, Spain; Phone 34 (91) 329-4929; Fax 34 (91) 329-4929; Code 2Z; Year Founded 1996. APC is established at Madrid’s international airport late in 1996 to provide holiday charter flights from Madrid and Palma de Mallorca to the leisure market in Spain, the U. S., and the Caribbean.
Authority is sought and received from the U. S. Department of Transportation and transatlantic revenue flights to New York and Miami begin in late March 1997 with a single Airbus Industrie A310-324.
Four more A310-324s join the fleet during the next four years as unscheduled flights are also undertaken to Cancun, Aruba, Margarite Island, Caribe, Cartegena, and Varadero. One is chartered to Air Plus Argentina, S. A. in late 1999.
AIR POLYNESIE, S. A.: French Polynesia, (1970-1987). On January 1, 1970, the UTA French Airlines, S. A. subsidiary Reseau Aerien In-terinsulaire, S. A. (RAI) is renamed. Scheduled passenger services are maintained to some 30 destinations in French Polynesia. Equipped with
2 Douglas DC-4s, 2 de Havilland Canada DHC-6s, 1 Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander, and 1 Short Sandringham 7, the company operates from Papeete to the Society Islands, Austral Islands, Marquesea Islands, Gambier Islands, and Tuamotu Archipelago.
Having been relegated to secondary service for most of a decade, the four-engine Sandringham flying boat makes its last flight on September 29. Enplanements in 1971, the first full year under the new name, total 144,150.
In 1972, 2 Fokker Fairchild FH-227-200s are acquired, replacing 1 DC-4 and 1 Twin Otter on routes to Raiatea, Huahine, Bora-Bora, Ran-giroa, and Tubuai. New services are started to Tubuai, Maupiti, and Hiva Oa. Airline employment is 480 as passenger boardings climb 7% to
155.000 and freight traffic grows by 15.5%. The fleet in 1973 includes
3 F.27s, 2 Twin Otters, and 1 Islander. The workforce totals 400 and passenger traffic is up by 11% to 201,000.
Enplanements in 1974 total 239,206.
Airline employment in 1975 is 460. An older model Twin Otter is replaced by a new DHC-6-300. An intensive landing field program is initiated on the various islands.
Passenger boardings accelerate 8.73% to 262,000 while freight is up 5.2% to 120,000 FTKs.
The number of workers is reduced by 8.7% in 1976 to 420. The retired administrative council head, Roger Carour, is succeeded by Guy Sene while the retiring director general, Joseph Lesne, is replaced by Henri Ruer. During the year, service is inaugurated to Rurtu, Kaukura, Anaa, and Tikehau and by year’s end, the company is serving 16 islands in French Polynesia.
Customer bookings accelerate 10.5% to 289,100 and cargo is up to
123.000 FTKs, a 2.5% increase.
Flights begin in 1977 between Tahiti and the eastern Tuamotu and Gambier Islands. Enplanements total 307,020. In 1978, Director General Henri Ruer’s carrier employs 410 workers. The neglected and retired Short Sandringham 7 is recovered and shipped to France, where it will be come a prize exhibit of the Musee de l’Air et L’Espace at Le Bourget Airport.
Passenger boardings jump 16% to 365,500 while freight traffic accelerates 34.7% to 188,000 FTKs.
Sixty new employees are hired in 1979. Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander flights begin within the Marquesas while F.27 service is launched from their new Nuku Hiva Airport to Papeete.
Customer bookings accelerate 12.5% to 321,400 while cargo traffic drops 2.7%.
A fifth F.27 is acquired in June 1980. The world economic recession of the early 1980s impacts the Air Polynesie traffic as enplanements fall from 311,800 in 1981 to 273,117 in 1983. After the sale of 1 F.27 early in the latter year, the fleet includes 4 F.27s, 2 de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters, and 1 Islander. Michel Nouailee is named director general in 1984 and 2 Fokker F.27 Friendships are acquired.
In 1985-1986 , as the result of a program of airfield building begun in 1975, the company serves a total of 35 stations. In January 1987, after UTA French Airlines, S. A. departs, the company is renamed Air Tahiti, S. A. (2).
AIR PORTUGAL, S. A. See TAPAIR PORTUGAL, S. A.
AIR POST NEW ZEALAND, LTD.: Ardmore Airfield, P. O. Box 516, Papakura 1733, New Zealand; Phone 64 (9) 298-7202; Fax 64 (9) 298-1455; Code P3S; Year Founded 1991. Air Post New Zealand, Ltd. is established at Auckland in 1991 to provide all-cargo mail service under contract to the national postal service. A fleet of 2 owned and 1 leased Fairchild Metro IIIs is placed into service.
The fleet is increased during 1992 by the purchase of the leased Fairchild and the addition of 1 Piper T-1040 and 2 Fokker F.27-500s. A Piper PA-31T Cheyenne is delivered in 1993 and operations continue apace into 1994.
Hugh Jones is managing director in 1995-2000 as airline employment grows to 140. The fleet is increased by the addition of 2 Fairchild Metro 23s, as well as 2 Eurocopter AS-355 Ecureuil IIs and 4 Eurocopter BK-117s.
World History
