TAESA Lineas Aéreas
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Founded | April 27, 1988 | ||||||
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Ceased operations | February 21, 2000 | ||||||
Hubs | Mexico City International Airport | ||||||
Focus cities |
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Fleet size | 30 | ||||||
Destinations | 40 | ||||||
Headquarters | Mexico City, Mexico | ||||||
Key people | Alberto Abed Schekaiban Carlos Salinas de Gortari | ||||||
Employees | 4,000 (in 1994) | ||||||
Website | taesa.com.mx |
TAESA (Transportes Aéreos Ejecutivos S.A.) was a low cost airline with its headquarters in No. 27 of Hangar Zone C on the grounds of Mexico City International Airport in Mexico City, Mexico.[1]
History
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/TAESA_Boeing_737-500_JetPix.jpg/220px-TAESA_Boeing_737-500_JetPix.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f1/TAESA_Boeing_757-200_Goetting.jpg/220px-TAESA_Boeing_757-200_Goetting.jpg)
The airline, owned by Carlos Hank González legally represented by Alberto Abed Schekaiban, was established on April 27, 1988, operating executive business aircraft and later on in 1989 received their first Boeing 727-100 which was used to launch regularly scheduled passenger service.[2] TAESA began growing rapidly using 727s in airline service. In 1991, they received their first Boeing 757-200 and became the first commercial airline in Mexico to operate this aircraft type. Also in 1991, several Boeing 737-300s were added with additional 757s and a sole Boeing 767-300 being added as well to a fleet of Boeing 737-200/300/400/500 jetliners. TAESA was at that time the first Boeing 737-500 operator in Latin America.[citation needed] During the first half of the 1990s, TAESA was quite successful flying cargo for DHL and Serpaprosa with their Boeing 727-100Cs. Also during this time, several 737s were leased to Garuda Indonesia to make Asian flights. Meanwhile, they won charter contracts from companies such as Apple Vacations. By 1992, the airline was operating many charter flights to cities in Canada, Europe and the USA.[3] In the domestic market, TAESA started a fare war with the main carriers, Aeroméxico and Mexicana.[4]
In 1995, TAESA launched "crediTAESA", a program that allowed its passengers to fly with a minimum down payment and 12 monthly repayments. The airline also launched a simple frequent flyer program in that year, which rewarded travelers with one free ticket per every five booked.[5] A large percentage of ticket sales were made at shopping malls and supermarkets, where TAESA held booths.[6] At its peak, TAESA had a market share of 27% of the Mexican domestic airline market.[7]
After the 1995 downturn in the Mexican economy, they removed newer model jetliners in favor of older Boeing 727-100 and 727-200 aircraft and also added Douglas DC-9-15s, McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30s and later a pair of Airbus A300B4s.
TAESA was the first Mexican airline to fly scheduled passenger service to Japan with two flights a week operated during a four-month time period in 1995.[8]
The airline was having regulatory and maintenance issues for quite some time with a constant anti-labor politics after the accident of Flight 725 resulted in the suspension of its license, hastening the airline's demise.[9] The airline had over 43 serious violations of Mexican aviation safety laws upon its suspension in 1999.[10]
After the accident of Flight 725, the airline went through a huge inspection on behalf of the Mexican General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics and was subject to comply certain security issues to resume operations. However, unable to repay debts of US$400 million, the airline declared bankruptcy on February 21, 2000.[11] A last-minute deal with potential investors, including Continental Airlines, to buy TAESA ultimately failed.[12]
Some of the staff, assets, and routes were taken over by Líneas Aéreas Azteca, which was established on 9 May 2000 and started operations on 1 June 2000, inheriting TAESA's domestic services, but operating them with modern Boeing 737-700 aircraft.[13][14]
TAESA was one of Mexico's first low-cost carriers. World boxing champion Julio César Chávez was one of TAESA's share-holders; he used to advertise the airline during his boxing fights, having TAESA's name and logo emblazoned on his trunks.[15]
Affiliates
- Aviación del Noroeste
- LaTur
- NSW New Southways- Cargo division
- Puebla Air Lines
Destinations
TAESA served the following cities in Mexico: [16][17]
- ACA – Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico – Alvarez International
- AGU – Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes – Lic. Jesús Terán Peredo International
- BJX – León/Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Mexico – Del Bajio
- CEN – Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico
- CUN – Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico
- CUU – Chihuahua, Mexico – General Roberto Fierro Villalobos
- CJS – Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico – Abraham Gonzalez International
- CUL – Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico - Bachigualato Federal
- CZM – Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico
- GDL – Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico – Miguel Hidalgo International
- HMO – Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico – General Ignacio Pesqueira Garcia
- LOM - Lagos de Moreno, Jaliso, Mexico - Francisco P.V. y R.
- MID – Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico – Mérida International
- MEX – Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico – Benito Juarez International
- MTY – Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico – Escobedo
- MLM – Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico – General Francisco J. Mujica
- PVR – Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico – Gustavo Diaz Ordaz
- SLW – Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico – Plan de Guadalupe International
- TAP – Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico – Tapachula International
- TIJ – Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico – General Abelardo L. Rodríguez
- TRC – Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico – Francisco Sarabia
- UPN – Uruapan, Michoacan, Mexico – Lic. Ignacio Lopez Rayon International
- ZCL – Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Mexico – La Calera
Airports served in the United States:
- EGE – Vail/Eagle, CO, USA – Eagle County Regional
- IAD – Washington, VA, USA – Dulles Airport
- JFK – New York, NY, USA – John F. Kennedy International
- LAS – Las Vegas, NV, USA – McCarran Airport
- LAX – Los Angeles, CA, USA – Los Angeles International
- LRD – Laredo, TX, USA – International
- MIA – Miami, FL, USA – Miami International
- OAK – Oakland, CA, USA – Oakland International
- ORD – Chicago, IL, USA – O'Hare International
Airports served in Puerto Rico:
- BQN – Aguadilla, Puerto Rico – Rafael Hernandez Airport[18]
Airports served in Japan:
- NRT – Tokyo, Japan – Narita Airport
Airports served in Germany:
- SXF – Berlin, Germany – Schönefeld Airport
- FRA – Frankfurt, Germany – Rhein – Main International
- CGN – Köln, Germany – Köln Bonn
- DUS – Düsseldorf, Germany – Düsseldorf
- LEJ – Leipzig, Germany – Leipzig Airport
- MUC – Munich, Germany – Franz – Josef Strauss
Codeshare agreements
TAESA operated code sharing services with the following airlines:
Fleet
TAESA's aircraft were in an all-economy configuration. Their commercial fleet throughout its history included the following airplanes:[16][19][20]
Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Airbus A300B4-200 | 2 | 1995 | 1998 | |
ATR 42-320 | 3 | 1992 | 1996 | |
Boeing 727-100 | 14 | 1989 | 2000 | |
Boeing 727-200 | 2 | 1994 | 2000 | |
Boeing 737-200 | 5 | 1993 | 2000 | |
Boeing 737-300 | 19 | 1991 | 2000 | |
Boeing 737-400 | 2 | 1992 | 2000 | |
Boeing 737-500 | 5 | 1996 | ||
Boeing 757-200 | 7 | 1991 | 2000 | One acquired from Sterling later became Trump Force One. |
Boeing 767-300ER | 1 | 1992 | 1995 | Transferred to Air Europe |
Fokker F27 Friendship | 1 | 1993 | ||
Lockheed JetStar | 1 | Unknown | Unknown | |
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-14 | 2 | 1995 | 2000 | Leased from Intercontinental de Aviación |
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-15 | 3 | |||
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 | 1 | 1998 | 1999 | Written off as Flight 725 |
McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 | 2 | 1995 | 1997 | |
McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30CF | 1 | 1998 | 2000 | |
McDonnell Douglas MD-83 | 1 | 1992 | 1992 | Transferred to Compass Airlines |
McDonnell Douglas MD-87 | 2 | 1997 |
Accidents and incidents
Various incidents damaged the airline's image:
- On June 18, 1994, while the United States was hosting the World Cup, a Learjet 25 crashed into trees while approaching Dulles International Airport from the south. All 12 on board were killed in the accident. The cause was ruled as pilot error due to an inexperienced crew.
- In April 1997 a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 sustained damage in a landing in Santo Domingo.
- On November 9, 1999, TAESA Flight 725 covered the Tijuana–Mexico City route with a stop in Uruapan, Michoacán, Mexico. A McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31 used to fly this route. Flight 725 went down a few minutes after leaving the Uruapan International Airport en route to Mexico City. 18 people were killed in the accident, which prompted inquiries regarding the airline's safety and maintenance procedures.[21]
See also
References
- ^ "avicom2.htm." TAESA. Retrieved on July 4, 2010.
- ^ Public communication dol.gov
- ^ Salpukas, Agis (13 November 1992). "Mexico's Little Airline That Could". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 4 February 2018 – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ "BUDGET MEXICAN AIRLINE ADJUSTS TO MEET CRISIS". www.joc.com. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
- ^ "Taesa tamed". Flight Global. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- ^ Thomas C. Lawton (2017). Cleared for Take-Off: Structure and Strategy in the Low Fare Airline Business. Taylor & Francis. p. 239. ISBN 978-1-351-95101-2.
- ^ "Difusión de las ventas y cuidado de los clientes" [Spreading sales and caring for customers]. www.cca.org.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-11-08.
- ^ "TAESA Pt2: Old is New". YESTERDAY'S AIRLINES. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
- ^ Finbow, Robert G. (2006). The Limits of Regionalism: NAFTA's Labour Accord. ISBN 9780754633372.
- ^ "TAESA ordered to Suspend All Flights Following Plane Crash in Michoacan". University of New Mexico. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- ^ "Mexico's No. 3 Airline Is Declared Bankrupt". The New York Times. Associated Press. 2000-02-22. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
- ^ "Taesa tamed". Flight Global. 1996-12-01. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
- ^ "U.S.-Mexican Partnership to Assume Assets of Defunct TAESA Airlines". University of New Mexico. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- ^ Flight International 5–11 April 2005
- ^ "Circa 1994 Julio Cesar Chavez Match Worn & Signed Trunks.... Boxing | Lot #50942". Heritage Auctions. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
- ^ a b North American Airlines Handbook published by Airways International Inc 1997
- ^ "Afiches de Aviación" [Aviation Posters] (in Spanish). Aerolineasmex. Retrieved 2018-02-04.
- ^ "MEXI96intro". www.departedflights.com. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
- ^ "TAESA fleet". aerobernie.bplaced.net. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
- ^ "TAESA Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
- ^ "Mexico Plane Crash Kills 18". AP NEWS. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- TAESA (Archive)
- rzjets Data
- Timetables at Airtimes
- Timetable Images
- AirSafe accident report
- Accident reports
- TAESA pictures in AirlinersNet
- TAESA fleet
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- Aerolíneas Internacionales
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- ALMA de México
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- Century Aviation
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- Líneas Aéreas Allegro
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- MAYAir
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- TAESA Lineas Aéreas
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