La Costeña (airline)

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La Costeña
IATA ICAO Call sign
LC NIS LA COSTEÑA
Founded1991
Hubs
Focus cities
Fleet size5
Destinations4
Parent companyRegional Airlines Holding LLC
HeadquartersManagua, Nicaragua
Key peopleJulio Caballero (Director)
Employees140 (2011)
Websitewww.lacostena.com.ni

Aerotaxis La Costeña S.A. is a regional airline based in Managua, Nicaragua. It operates passenger services from Managua and Bluefields to 3 domestic destinations. Its main hubs are at Augusto C. Sandino International Airport and Bluefields Airport.[1]

History

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The airline began operations in November 1991. It became part of the Grupo TACA in 1999 as a feeder carrier. By September 2011, it had 140 employees.

On May 31, 2019, Avianca Holdings sold its 62% participation in La Costeña to Regional Airlines Holding LLC, from Delaware, United States.[2][3]

Destinations

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A, now retired, La Costeña Cessna 208 Caravan landing at Augusto C. Sandino International Airport in 2011.

As of April 2024, La Costeña operates limited services to domestic destinations, such as:[4]

Country City Airport Notes
 Nicaragua Bluefields Bluefields Airport Hub
Corn Islands Corn Islands Airport Focus city
Managua Augusto C. Sandino International Airport Hub
Puerto Cabezas Puerto Cabezas Airport Focus city

Fleet

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Current fleet

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An ATR 42-320 of La Costeña parked at Augusto C. Sandino International Airport in 2011

La Costeña fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of September 2024):[5]

Aircraft In
service 		Orders Passengers Registration Notes
ATR 42-320 1 — 46 YN-CIE
Cessna 208 Caravan 4 — 14 YN-CHU

YN-CHV

YN-CHW

YN-CHX

Total 5 —

Former Fleet

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Aircraft Total Introduced Retired Registration
ATR 42-300 1 2009 2023 YN-CHG
Cessna 208 Caravan 16 1995 — YN-CFK

YN-CGB

YN-CGS

YN-CGU

YN-CED

YN-CDR

YN-CEQ

YN-CFG

YN-CFO

YN-CGH

YN-CHV

YN-CGI

YN-CHX

YN-CHA

YN-CHX

YN-CHW

Cessna 402 1 1994 1995 YN-CDN
Piper PA-34 Seneca 1 1993 1998 YN-CDD
Short 360 2 1997 2011 YN-CGF

YN-CGG

Accidents and incidents

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  • On July 30, 1995, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan (YN-CED) was hijacked by suspected drug traffickers while en route from Managua to Bluefields. On August 1, the body of the pilot was discovered in Zipaquirá, Colombia. He had reportedly been shot twice in the head and once in the back. Nicaraguan authorities suspect that the hijacked aircraft was destined for drug trafficking operations. In August, the plane was found by Colombian police in a hangar at Villavicencio-La Vanguardia Airport.
  • On July 20, 1999, the same aircraft (YN-CED) was flying from Managua to Bluefields, but crashed in Cerro Silva, killing both crew members and all 14 passengers. A GPS device had been removed for use in another aircraft before the flight.[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-04-03. p. 103.
  2. ^ "Avianca vende las aerolíneas Sansa y La Costeña de Centroamérica". Reportur.com (in Spanish). Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  3. ^ Amalia Barrios. "Avianca venderá 62% de La Costeña". Elnuevodiario.com.ni (in Spanish). Retrieved November 28, 2018.
  4. ^ "Destinations - La Costeña". Lacostena.com.ni.
  5. ^ "La Costeña - Pilot Career Centre". Pilotcareercentre.com. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  6. ^ Aviation Safety Network
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Media related to La Costeña at Wikimedia Commons

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