Transport Department of the major newspaper Asahi Shimbun, which has sponsored the pioneer public carrier Tozai Teiki Koku-Kai (TTKK) , establishes an in-house airline in February 1927. Its purpose is to haul the press (including periodicals and paperback books) up and down the west coast of Honshu from Tokyo to Niigata and from Osaka to Niigata via Toyama. While TTKK employs license-built Dornier Komets, ATKK takes over its Nakayima biplanes for its cargo business, continuing it with little notice, primarily during summers.
Early in 1929, TTKK is merged into the new state carrier Japan Air Lines Company, Ltd. (1). The managing editor, Masuichi Mi-doro, and his assistant Katsuyoshi Nakano, specifically exempt ATKK from the transfer and keep it in operation on the newspaper’s behalf over the next 16 years. The remembered highlight of this period is the 94 hr. 18 min. (51 hr. 19 min. flying time) flight which it sponsors to London in April 1937 to obtain photographs of the coronation of King George VI. Piloted by Masaaki Iinuma and Kenji Tsukagasaki, the Misubishi Karigane 1 Kamikaze-gou (Divine Wind) significantly impresses Western observers.
ASERCA (AEROLINEAS REGIONAL DE CENTRO, C. A.): Avda Bolivar Norte, Torre Exterior, Piso 8, Valencia, Venezuela; Phone 58 (41) 573 111; Fax 58 (41) 220 210; Http://www. asercaairlines. com; Code R7; Year Founded 1993. Aeroservicios Carabobo, S. A.,
Founded by Simeon Garcia at Valencia, is renamed ASERCA, S. A. in 1993 when it receives permission to inaugurate domestic charter services. Revenue flights commence with a leased fleet of 3 Douglas DC-
9-32s and 1 DC-9-31. The fleet is altered in 1994 to include 4 chartered DC-9-31s and 1 DC-9-32.
Permission is received in 1995 to begin scheduled services. At this point, the name is changed again, becoming ASERCA (Aerolineas Regional de Centro, S. A.). Another chartered DC-9-31 enters service.
The fleet is increased by two more DC-9-31s in 1996-1997 and destinations visited now include the Venezuelan cities of Barcelona, Maracaibo, Puerto Ordaz, and San Antonio. In addition, international services are operated to Aruba, Barquisimeto, Georgetown, and Maturin.
Airline employment at 9 Venezuelan airports stands at 1,200 at the beginning of 1998. More than 1,300 weekly departures are offered to 9 domestic and 3 Caribbean destinations (Aruba, Santo Domingo, and St. Martin). Additionally, the company serves the city of Caracas with more than 35 daily departures and 100 connections within the country.
A new corporate livery is unveiled early in the spring. At the same time, the company is one of several making an offer to participate in the privatization of Air Aruba, N. V.
It is announced on June 29 that the tender process for the privatization of Air Aruba has been successfully completed. The task force charged with overseeing the AA privatization unanimously decides to recommend the ASERCA tender to the government and parliament of Aruba just as soon as approval can be obtained from Air Aruba’s shareholders. That action is completed on July 9.
ASERCA Chairman Simeon Garcia now becomes president of Air Aruba, N. V. A strategic marketing agreement between the airline and its new partner is signed with Continental Airlines on September 18. The pact will lead to code-sharing on Continental flights between the U. S. and Venezuela and on ASERCA flights to domestic Venezuelan destinations beyond Caracas. It will also allow ASERCA to code-share on Continental services from Houston to Aruba and on Air Aruba, N. V. flights from Aruba and New York/Newark, Miami, and Tampa. l
World History
