Aviation History
Guatemalan civil aviation centers on Aerovías de Guatemala (founded 1929), nationalized in 1945 as Aviateca and later privatized in 1989 into the Grupo TACA alliance before being rebranded Avianca Guatemala in 2013. La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, developed from a WWII-era U.S. military airfield, remains the country's principal gateway and one of Central America's busier airports.
The predecessor to Aviateca was established, beginning organized commercial air service in Guatemala.
Under President Juan José Arévalo, the carrier was nationalized as Empresa Guatemalteca de Aviación, shortened to Aviateca, beginning flights in 1946.
After U.S. military use during WWII, La Aurora airport was formally transferred back to Guatemalan civil authorities in July 1949.
Aviateca was privatized and joined the Grupo TACA Central American airline alliance, later operating as TACA Regional.
A Guatemalan-operated Aviateca Boeing 737 crashed into the San Vicente volcano in El Salvador on approach to Comalapa, killing all 65 aboard.
Following restructuring at parent Avianca Holdings, Aviateca was renamed Avianca Guatemala.
Parent company Avianca filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May 2020 amid the COVID-19 crisis, temporarily affecting Guatemalan operations before service was reactivated in subsequent years.
Avianca Guatemala (formerly Aviateca) · TAG Airlines
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