Venezolana
IATA ICAO Callsign
WW[1] VNE VENEZOLANA
Founded2001 (as RAVSA)
HubsLa Chinita International Airport
Secondary hubsSimón Bolívar International Airport
Fleet size3
Destinations8
HeadquartersMaracaibo, Venezuela
Key peopleErwin Genie (President)
Websitewww.venezolana.aero

Venezolana - Rutas Aéreas de Venezuela RAV S.A. (also known as Venezolana de Aviación) is a Venezuelan charter airline headquartered in Maracaibo.[2]

History

The airline was founded by Venezuelan investors in 2001 as RAVSA - Rutas Aéreas de Venezuela S.A.. In 2007, the airline started up operations under its brand name Venezolana.[3] When operations started, Venezolana began to acquire through the years a mixed fleet of used Boeing 737-200, MD-80s and British Aerospace Jetstreams to start more scheduled services to other destinations inside and outside of Venezuela. During the 2000s, the airline experienced a rapid expansion around the international and domestic market, especially with the regional route between the cities of Maracaibo and Caracas, which is one of the most popular routes in Venezuela Margarita.

However, Venezolana had turmoil with its reputation in the international market between 2009 and 2011, because of delays and cancellations due to mechanical problems, mismanagement in its operation procedures, and ransacking of passengers' baggage. This eventually brought criticism from passengers and as a response, the airline began re-organising procedures which eventually decreased the passenger complaints rate. On February 27, 2012, the Venezuelan Ministry of Transportation indefinitely suspended Venezolana's air operator certificate due to unpaid insurance premiums for the fleet, causing disruptions of the airline's domestic and international operations. However, it was reported that the airline paid the premiums and resumed operations the same day.

In January 2014, due to the Venezuelan government's CADIVI currency-exchange administration making delayed payments to domestic and international airlines, Venezolana had problems with its flights due to a lack of available aircraft since all but one of its aircraft were unairworthy due to inability to buy replacement parts. As a consequence, the National Institute of Civil Aviation decided to again ground the airline, causing disruptions in domestic and international operations indefinitely. On March 26, 2014, the airline was bought by a group of private investors and resumed operations.[4]

Destinations

a Venezolana Boeing 737-200 approaching at Simón Bolívar International Airport in 2008
a Venezolana McDonnell Douglas MD-83 parked at Simón Bolívar International Airport in 2012

Venezolana flies to the following cities (as of December 2023):

Country City Airport Notes Refs
ArubaOranjestadQueen Beatrix International AirportTerminated
ColombiaCartagenaRafael Núñez International AirportTerminated
Dominican RepublicSanto DomingoLas Américas International Airport
MexicoCancúnCancún International AirportTerminated
PanamaPanama CityTocumen International Airport
Trinidad & TobagoPort of SpainPiarco International AirportTerminated
VenezuelaBarcelonaGeneral José Antonio Anzoátegui International AirportTerminated
BarquisimetoJacinto Lara International Airport
CaracasSimón Bolívar International AirportHub
CumanáAntonio José de Sucre AirportTerminated
El VigiaJuan Pablo Pérez Alfonzo AirportTerminated
Las PiedrasJosefa Camejo International Airport
MaracaiboLa Chinita International AirportHub
MaturínJosé Tadeo Monagas International AirportTerminated
PorlamarSantiago Mariño Caribbean International Airport
Puerto OrdazManuel Carlos Piar Guayana Airport
San Antonio del TáchiraJuan Vicente Gómez International AirportTerminated
Santa Bárbara del ZuliaMiguel Urdaneta Fernández AirportTerminated

Fleet

Current fleet

As of December 2023, the Venezolana fleet consists of the following aircraft:[5]

Venezolana fleet
Aircraft In
service		 Orders Passengers Notes
C Y Total
Boeing 737-200 1 — – 117 117
McDonnell Douglas MD-83 1 — 16 134 150
1 – 166 166 Operated for RUTACA Airlines
Total 3 —

Former fleet

Venezolana had in the past operated the following aircraft:[5]

Venezolana former fleet
Aircraft Total Introduced Retired Notes
British Aerospace Jetstream 31 5 2002 2007 Replaced by the Jetstream 41s
British Aerospace Jetstream 41 5 2006 2010 Replaced by the MD-80s
McDonnell Douglas MD-82 1 2011 2022

Accidents and incidents

  • On November 18, 2004, a BAe Jetstream 31 (registered YV-1083C) was on a passenger flight when it crashed during a runway excursion at Simón Bolívar International Airport which the runway was wet due to rain. Of the 21 occupants on board, only 2 people were killed. The aircraft was written off and scrapped.[6]
  • On April 27, 2009, a Boeing 737-200 (registered YV268T) suffered hydraulic problems causing the crew to burn off fuel in a holding pattern and landed back at La Chinita International Airport.[7] None of the 84 occupants were injured while the aircraft was repaired and returned to service.
  • On May 30, 2019, a Boeing 737-200 (registered YV502T) was flying from Port of Spain to Caracas when the aircraft suffered an engine failure and a subsequent uncontained engine fire. There were no reports of injuries to any of the 80 passengers on board the plane.[8][9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Airline and Airport Code Search". IATA. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  2. ↑ "Venezolana Airline Profile". centreforaviation.com. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  3. ↑ "RAVSA history from Americas, Venezuela". Airlinehistory.com.uk. Retrieved July 9, 2018.
  4. ↑ "RAVSA Venezolana sold to new investors, resumes local flights". Ch-Aviation.com. March 25, 2014. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Venezolana Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Incident Description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved August 11, 2009.
  8. ↑ "Venezolana Boeing 737 Suffers Engine Fire". Simpleflying.com. Chris Loh. June 2019. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved May 31, 2019.

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