RUTACA Airlines
IATA ICAO Callsign
5R RUC RUTACA
FoundedMarch 26, 1974
HubsSimón Bolívar International Airport
Fleet size7
Destinations15
HeadquartersCiudad Bolívar, Venezuela
FounderEvard Mares Bianchi
Employees+500 (2023)
Websitewww.flyrutaca.com

RUTACA Airlines (legally Rutas Aéreas C.A.) is an airline headquartered in Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela with its home base at Tomás de Heres Airport and a hub at Simón Bolívar International Airport in Caracas.[1]

History

RUTACA Airlines was founded by Evard Mares Bianchi on March 26, 1974, and began operating non-scheduled cargo and passenger flights with small aircraft. It currently operates scheduled and charter services throughout the country.

The airline's operations suffered gravely during the 2017 Venezuelan constitutional crisis, including suspending flights between key routes.

Destinations

A former RUTACA Embraer EMB 110 at Piarco International Airport in 2003

As of November 2023, RUTACA Airlines serves the following destinations:[2]

Country City Airport Notes Refs
ArubaOranjestadQueen Beatrix International AirportTerminated
CuraçaoWillemstadCuraçao International Airport[3]
Dominican RepublicLa RomanaLa Romana International AirportTerminated
Punta CanaPunta Cana International Airport
Santo DomingoLas Americas International Airport[4]
GuyanaKaieteurKaieteur International AirportTerminated
MexicoCancúnCancún International AirportTerminated
PanamaPanama CityTocumen International Airport[5]
Trinidad and TobagoPort of SpainPiarco International AirportCharter[6]
VenezuelaBarcelonaGeneral José Antonio Anzoátegui International Airport[7]
BarquisimetoJacinto Lara International Airport
CaracasSimón Bolívar International AirportHub
CarúpanoGeneral José Francisco Bermúdez AirportTerminated
Ciudad BolívarTomás de Heres Airport[8]
CumanáAntonio José de Sucre Airport
El VigiaJuan Pablo Pérez Alfonzo AirportTerminated
MaracaiboLa Chinita International Airport[9]
MaturínJosé Tadeo Monagas International Airport[10]
PorlamarSantiago Mariño Caribbean International Airport
Puerto OrdazManuel Carlos Piar Guayana Airport
San Antonio del TáchiraJuan Vicente Gómez International Airport
Santo DomingoMayor Buenaventura Vivas Airport[11]

Fleet

Current fleet

A former RUTACA Boeing 737-200 in the old livery at Santiago Mariño Caribbean International Airport in 2014
A RUTACA Boeing 737-300 in the new livery at Arturo Michelena International Airport in 2022

The RUTACA Airlines fleet includes the following aircraft (as of January 2024):[12]

RUTACA Airlines fleet
Aircraft In
service		 Orders Passengers Notes
Boeing 737-300 3 — 148
McDonnell Douglas MD-83 2 — 166 One operated by Venezolana
McDonnell Douglas MD-88 2 — 166
Total 7 —

Former fleet

RUTACA Airlines formerly operated the following aircraft:

Accidents and incidents

  • On June 5, 1987, a Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander (registration YV-230C) was disarmed in flight over the area of Upata, Bolívar state. All 10 occupants on board died.
  • On October 16, 2008, a Boeing 737-200 (registered YV162T) landed on runway 28R at Simón Bolívar International Airport following a domestic flight from Puerto Ordaz. After touchdown, the airplane swerved to the left. The nose came to rest on the runway embankment.[15]
  • On July 27, 2010, a Boeing 737-200 (registered YV169T) made an emergency landing at Ciudad Guayana international airport following a domestic flight from Ciudad Bolivar after problems in engine number one.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Rutaca Airlines information". Retrieved 30 March 2018.
  2. ↑ "Rutaca - Destinos".
  3. ↑ "Puerto la Cruz y San Cristóbal: Nuevos destinos de Rutaca en Barquisimeto". Noticiasbarquisimeto.com (in Spanish). Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Rutaca Airlines inaugurates a new route between Maracaibo and Santo Domingo". Aviacionaldia.com. 11 July 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Rutaca Airlines: nueva aerolínea que opera en Panamá". Ecotvpanama.com (in Spanish). Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  6. ↑ Grevic Alvarado. "Over 100 Trinidad and Tobago tourists head to Margarita". Newsday.co.tt.
  7. ↑ "Venezuela: Rutaca resumes flights to Barcelona". Aviacionline.com. 25 August 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Rutaca incorpora a Ciudad Bolívar entre sus destinos nacionales". Versionfinal.com.ve. 8 April 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Rutaca Airlines abrirá vuelo entre Maracaibo, Venezuela y Punta Cana". Arecoa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Flights to Venezuela: Rutaca Airlines schedules flights between Caracas and Maturín". Aviacionline.com. 23 April 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  11. ↑ Daniel Martínez Curiel. "Rutaca Airlines inicia vuelos entre Caracas y Santo Domingo del Táchira". Torreeldorado.co (in Spanish). Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Rutaca Airlines Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  13. ↑ "RUTACA retired its last Boeing 737-200adv and eight remain in service in Latin America". Aviacionline.com. January 15, 2024.
  14. ↑ Aviation Safety Net accessed 15 August 2009
  15. ↑ Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 737-2H4 YV162T Caracas-Simón Bolívar International Airport (CCS)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
  16. ↑ Ranter, Harro. "ASN Aircraft accident Cessna 208B Grand Caravan YV1950 Guasdualito-Vare Maria Airport (GDO)". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 30 March 2018.

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