Airline projects in Ecuador that never took off

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Today we review a part of the history of the ecuadorian aviation and we review what have been the different airline projects that never saw the light of the sky and failed to take off in Ecuador.

Every time a new national airline project appears in Ecuador, We get excited and I am the first to share with joy and hope for more competition in our airspace, The arrival of these projects. Of course, Not all manage to take off and meet the objective of connecting Ecuadorians.

For 16 O 17 years, I no longer remember the date since I reported on aviation in our country., many airline projects have happened, They all obtained their operating permit, But unfortunately they never managed to advance the complex, especially economically, Five phases of certification process of our regulation.

Airline projects that never took off

I am going to try to list all the airlines that since 2000 forward have tried to take off in Ecuador (some might be missing, Previously, access to information was not public and could be missing), I hope I haven't forgotten any, here I thank Diogo and Guido, Assiduous blog collaborators, In your aid to complete this list. We start with the list in no particular order:

LAC Second Intent

LAC O Cuencana Airline it did fly for about 3 years in Ecuador with his CRJ-700 and then Boeing 737-500 leased, but closed due to financial difficulties in 2016. I put it here because there was an attempt to revive it in the 2017 requesting to reactivate your operating permit and AOC certificate, but this project did not prosper and was finally removed from its operating permit at the end of the 2019.

South American Aviation

From this airline South American Aviation I had not spoken on the blog, but yes in my networks. Its takeoff was expected between 2014 and 2015 with a Boeing 737-500 who arrived in Latacunga and had HC-COP registration, There was even advertising for the airline in some media. This project did not take off and this Boeing 737-500 He operated for a while with LAC and returned in 2019 to Ecuador to operate with Aeroregional as HC-CUH.

SKY Ecuador

This is the most recent new airline project in Ecuador and although it had the great support of an airline such as SKY Airline of Chile, the project was stopped before formally starting the certification process. SKY Ecuador came to have an operating permit, But after commercial decisions of the parent company and new opportunities in the South American market, The project was stopped and the frequencies, which included the highly valued Galapagos, removed.

Ecuacondor

After 3 years of trying, the project of Ecuacondor It won't take off either and 26 Last February, its domestic and charter operating permit was revoked., thus practically putting a total closure on this airline, which even had two CRJ-200 planes with license plates assigned in Ecuador and pilots ready to begin their training..

Although the operating permit was revoked, the airline could request to reactivate it if it demonstrates its financial capacity to do so.

Fly Galapagos

On Fly Galapagos we talked about your air taxi service in Galapagos That is now ESAV Airlines and at the moment when some photos on Whatsapp about what their painted planes would look like, but no further details were known since the 2021.

Equinoctial Air

We talked a lot about this particular company several years ago.. Equinoctial Air intended to be a charter passenger airline operating Boeing aircraft 737 at 2017, It was even known that they had a 737-300 practically ready to come to Ecuador In transfer flight from Brazil. The project did not prosper and lost its operating permit..

EC Plus Airline

This airline was born a little before Equair and it was said that practically both projects merged into one since they intended to operate the same type of aircraft.: the boeing 737-700. EC Plus Airlines born in 2019 and intended to be a scheduled domestic passenger airline, but with a particularity based on the Manta Airport. in January 2024 was the last time this airline was heard from modifying its operating permit to potentially, volar Airbus A320, but from there the company did not move forward and lost its operating permit..

Air Ecuador

Air Ecuador insurance they had never heard, But his story was very brief, But interesting. A rather rare airline project that was known as SAETA Air Ecuador at the time, But even, he had an ATR 42-300 with HC-CDC registration assigned and ready to come to Ecuador from France. Obviously, The plane never left for Ecuador and the project came to nothing. This was his painting:

Galapagos Airways

We talk about this company for the first time in 2021 When two frequencies were granted to Galapagos Of those that were once from Tame Ep, Since then, no further news has been heard about Galapagos Airways Until those same frequencies because they could not demonstrate the ability to operate them were transferred to equal. After the passing of the years, This company did not advance in its certification process and its operating permit to fly to almost all of Ecuador., He was revoked in 2022.

Those that could still fly

In my records, There are two airline projects that still maintain their operating permit and if they manage to meet the requirements and necessary financing, they could take off.

ENDECOTS

ENDECOTS It already exists and is a company that offers flight service under mode of air taxi, But since April 2022 intends to add cargo charter flights to its line of business with a wide variety of aircraft that could even be Boeing 747. Currently, They still have their operating permit., according to my records, but until now it has not been known if there is an intention to continue with the project and advance with certification. we will see

AMBROSE Airlines

We talked about this project exactly a year ago as a cargo airline, AMBROSE Airlines has the international charter operation permit, but it has not been possible to know more details regarding the progress or not of its certification process.. It could still take off, But there are no signs that it will happen.

Ecuadorian Airlines

The long-awaited return of one of the most remembered and beloved airline brands in the history of local aviation. Ecuadorian Airlines Try to be reborn with the name of Ecuadorian Aviation, but under a new owner and concept to fly with airplanes Dash 8 Q400 initially focused on national flights to cover destinations to which no other flies from the closure of Tame. Even, They had certified and ready aircraft to fly the Dash, but it did not materialize at that stage of the project. Since the announcement of the application for an operating permit in 2020, This has been the project with more noise and media coverage than I remember since I communicated about aviation.

The project turned the world, But so far he can't take off, maintains its operating permit and specific progress in the certification process has not been publicly known for several months.

Will they be able to take off?

Only time will tell, But what is certain is that Ecuador urgently needs more competition and supply to reduce costs, thus giving travelers more options to choose from and travel to their liking., Budget and preference.

I hope to see the arrival of new solid projects such as SKY Ecuador or others that arrive with a solid idea and guaranteed financing in order to avoid new failures and see projects that do not take off..

We will keep reporting.

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