AeroRepública

AeroRepública is an airline based in Bogotá, Colombia. It is the second largest air carrier in Colombia behind Colombian flag carrier Avianca. It operates scheduled services from Bogotá to 11 domestic destinations and to Panama, as well as domestic and international charter services to the USA and the Caribbean. Its main base is El Dorado International Airport, Bogotá, with a hub at José María Córdova International Airport, Medellín.

History

The airline was established on November 23, 1992 by founders Amos Ginor and Dr. Alfonso Avila. It started operations on June 19, 1993 with a fleet of 3 Boeing B727-100 aircraft, between Bogotá, D.C. El Dorado International Airport and Cartagena and Santa Marta, as well as the offshore Colombian island of San Andrés. It was the first new airline in Colombia for over 25 years when it began trading in 1993. Plans were announced to begin international services to the USA in 1997, but these have yet to begin.

AeroRepública corporate headquarters was located in Bogota, Colombia. The airline was owned by Aeropostal Alas de Venezuela (33%) and Promotora de Inversiones Superior (at January 2005). On June 1, 2005, Copa Airlines, Panama's flag carrier, announced that it had purchased 90% of AeroRepública after having earlier announced plans to codeshare with them.

With the purchase the whole board of directors was replaced.

The airline also announced it was planning to make AeroRepública the second largest carrier in Colombia after the nation's flag carrier, Avianca. It also plans to increase domestic destinations, modernize its fleet, and initiate the airline's first international destinations starting in 2006.

The airline is owned by Copa Holdings, S.A. (99.8%) and Promotora de Inversiones Superior (at March 2007.

In September, 2007 Alfonso Avila, former president of AeroRepublica (now Aero Republica) founded a new regional carrier named EasyFly.

Destinations

Fleet

The AeroRepública fleet includes the following aircraft (at September 2008) :

2 McDonnell Douglas MD-82
2 McDonnell Douglas MD-83
11 Embraer E-190LR/AR

AeroRepublica's fleet modernization and expansion plan includes firm orders for 4 additional Embraer 190 aircraft (3 signed from GECAS and 1 from manufacturer), as well as options for 20 additional aircraft.
On October 18, 2006 announced that it has signed with GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS) a lease agreement for an E-190 aircraft to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2007. This agreement increases AeroRepublica's delivery commitments to eight Embraer E-190 aircraft through 2007, three of which will be leased through GECAS and five purchased directly form the manufacturer. In addition to these commitments, AeroRepublica has options and purchase rights for twenty additional E-190 aircraft through 2011.

OnePass

OnePass is AeroRepublica frequent flyer program through partnership with Continental Airlines. Customers accumulate miles from flight segments they fly through AeroRepublica, Continental Airlines or other partners. OnePass elite tiers are Silver, Gold, and Platinum Elite which have benefits such as mileage bonus, priority check-in, priority seats and priority boarding.

Codeshare agreements

Incidents and accidents

On 8 January, 2005 an AeroRepública McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft overran the runway at Cali's Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport, Colombia, and the landing gear separated. There were no fatalities among the 6 crew and 164 passengers.

On 17 July, 2007 an AeroRepública Embraer 190 aircraft overran the runway at Santa Marta's Simón Bolívar Airport, Colombia. There were no fatalities among the 5 crew and 54 passengers.