Aerotaxis La Costeña S.A. is a regional airline based in Managua, Nicaragua. It operates passenger services from Managua to 6 domestic destinations. Its main hub is at Augusto C. Sandino International Airport.[1]

La Costeña
IATA ICAO Callsign
LC NIS LACOSTENA
Founded1991
HubsAugusto C. Sandino International Airport
Secondary hubsBluefields Airport
Focus citiesCorn Island Airport
Fleet size5
Destinations5
Parent companyRegional Airlines Holding LLC
HeadquartersManagua, Nicaragua
Key peopleJulio Caballero (Director)
Employees140 (2011)
Websitewww.lacostena.com.ni

History edit

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 edit

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

La Costeña operates scheduled services to the following domestic destinations:[4]

Country City Airport Notes
  Honduras Tegucigalpa Tegucigalpa Airport Terminated
  Nicaragua Bluefields Bluefields Airport Hub
Bonanza San Pedro Airport Charter
Corn Islands Corn Islands Airport Focus city
Managua Augusto C. Sandino International Airport Hub
Montelimar Beach Montelimar Airport Terminated
Ometepe Ometepe Airport Terminated
Puerto Cabezas Bilwi Airport
San Carlos San Carlos Airport Terminated
San Juan de Nicaragua San Juan de Nicaragua Airport Terminated
Siuna Siuna Airport Terminated
Tola Costa Esmeralda Airport Terminated
Waspam Waspam Airport Terminated

Fleet edit

Current fleet edit

 
A 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 June 2023):[5][6]

Aircraft In
service
Orders Passengers Notes
ATR 42-320 1 46
Cessna 208 Caravan 4 14
Total 5

Former fleet edit

Accidents and incidents edit

  • 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.[7]

See also edit

References edit

  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. ^ "Global Airline Guide 2019 (Part One)". Airliner World (October 2019): 22.
  6. ^ "La Costeña - Pilot Career Centre". Pilotcareercentre.com. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
  7. ^ Aviation Safety Network

External links edit

  Media related to La Costeña at Wikimedia Commons