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Avianca S.A. (BVC:AVA) (acronym in Spanish for Aerovías Nacionales de Colombia S.A., currently Aerovías del Continente Americano S.A.) is the flag carrier airline of Colombia since 5 December 1919 when it was registered initially under the name SCADTA. It is headquartered in Bogotá, D.C. with its hub at the El Dorado International Airport. Avianca is the largest airline in Colombia and a major one in Latin America:,Avianca together with its subsidiaries has the most extended network of (both passenger and cargo) destinations in the Americas and one of the largest and most modern aircraft fleet in the continent. It is wholly owned by Avianca-TACA Ltd., a Latin American holding company established in the Bahamas and specialized in air transport. The airline is listed on the Colombian Stock Exchange but it has not issued shares yet. On 7 October 2009, it was announced that Avianca would merge with TACA but both airlines have stated that each will maintain their own identity and operate separately for the moment. In 2009 Avianca turned 90 (years) making it one of the world's oldest airlines still in operation; It is actually the oldest continuously operating airline in the Western Hemisphere. At present Avianca is negotiating its admission to a major airline alliance; Star Alliance seems to be the most probable alternative. Since 26 April 2010, OceanAir is being rebranded Avianca in the same way as it was done with SAM years ago and it would do with other subsidiaries (for example, VIP is partially rebranded) to place Avianca as the leading airline in Latin America. |