Aerolíneas Peruanas S.A. (also known as APSA or the English translation Peruvian Airlines) was an airline from Peru, serving as flag carrier of the country from 1956 to 1971. Headquartered in Lima, it operated a network of scheduled passenger flights to major places in Latin America, as well as the United States, out of its hub at Jorge Chávez International Airport.
History APSA was founded by C. W. Shelton on September 16, 1956, with 77 percent of the company's shares spread amongst private Peruvian investors. Flight operations were launched on September 17, 1957, on the Lima to Santiago and Miami routes. Originally not a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA was only joined in 1966), APSA could significantly undercut the usual airline fares for flights between South America and the USA. To strengthen its market position, APSA went into a partnership with Transportes Aéreos Nacionales and Compañía Ecuatoriana de Aviación.
The Douglas DC-6 being the aircraft most commonly used with the airline in the early 1960s, Aerolíneas Peruanas joined the jet age on December 1, 1963 with the introduction of the Convair 990 Coronado. During those years, the network was greatly expanded, which culminated in the launch of transatlantic flights using the Douglas DC-8 by the end of the decade.
In the early 1970s, APSA found itself in a worsening financial situation. Plans for a take-over by the Peruvian government and Spanish national airline Iberia failed, so the company was forced to cease all flight operations on May 2, 1971.
Destinations APSA offered scheduled passenger flights to the following destinations:
CountryCityAirportNotesBuenos AiresMinistro Pistarini International AirportLa PazEl Alto International AirportRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro/Galeão International AirportSão PauloCongonhas-São Paulo AirportSantiagoArturo Merino Benítez International AirportBarranquillaErnesto Cortissoz International AirportBogotáEl Dorado International AirportGuayaquilJosé Joaquín de Olmedo International AirportParisOrly AirportTegucigalpaToncontín International AirportAcapulcoAcapulco International AirportMexico CityMexico City International AirportPanama CityTocumen International AirportArequipaRodríguez Ballón International AirportLimaJorge Chávez International AirportTalaraCap. FAP Víctor Montes Arias AirportMadridMadrid–Barajas AirportPort of SpainPiarco International AirportLondonGatwick AirportLos AngelesLos Angeles International AirportMiamiMiami International AirportCaracasSimón Bolívar International Airport
Fleet
Over the years, APSA operated the following aircraft types:
+ APSA fleetAircraftTotalIntroducedRetiredNotesConvair 990 Coronado4 19631971One left, N990AB. Ex OB-R-765 stored at Mohave, owned by Scroggins AviationCurtiss C-46 Commando219571970Douglas DC-6619601966Douglas DC-7119671970Douglas DC-8-52219691971Leased from Iberia
Accidents and incidents On January 11, 1969, a Convair 990 Coronado was hijacked en route a flight from Panama City to Miami and forced to divert to Cuba. At that time, such United States-Cuba hijackings had become common occurrences.
References
Bibliography
See also List of defunct airlines of Peru