Aero Continente Chile

{{Infobox Airline

|airline=Aero Continente Chile

|logo = Aero Continente logo.svg

|logo_size =

|IATA = C7

|ICAO = NTI

|callsign = -

|founded = 1999

|ceased = 2002

|headquarters = Santiago, Chile

|key_people =

|hubs = Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport

|fleet_size = 6

|destinations =

|parent = Aero Continente

}}

Aero Continente Chile was a passenger airline from Chile, that operated scheduled domestic and international flights out of Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport on behalf of its parent company, Aero Continente from Peru.[http://www.airlineupdate.com/content_public/airlines/south_america/chile.htm List of present and former airlines of Chile at airlineupdate.com] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120717202138/http://www.airlineupdate.com/content_public/airlines/south_america/chile.htm|date=July 17, 2012}}

History

File:Aero Continente Boeing 767-200ER KvW.jpg at Miami International Airport in 2001]]

In 1999, Aero Continente decided to set up a subsidiary in Chile in order to get access to the Chilean domestic market, in addition to its native Peruvian one, where it was just about to acquire a monopoly position at that time. Thus, Aero Continente Chile was founded, operating domestic flights within Chile under different airline codes than its parent. From 2000, it also operated international flights to Miami, which were routed via Lima in order to connect with the feeder flights of Aero Continente there.{{Cite web|url=http://www.aerolineasperuanas.com/aerocontinente/index.htm|title=History of Aero Continente (in Spanish)|access-date=2011-07-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707092646/http://www.aerolineasperuanas.com/aerocontinente/index.htm|archive-date=2011-07-07|url-status=dead}}

In 2002, the company was grounded by Chilean authorities over allegations of illegal drug trade involving Fernando Zevallos, the airline's founder.[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F01E3DA153CF937A25750C0A9639C8B63&pagewanted=2 "Founder of Peru's AeroContinente Is Accused of Building Airline on Drugs", Published: March 14, 2005, New York Times article on alleged cases of drug trade with Aero Continente][http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Aero+Continente+to+sue+Chilean+government.-a085125870 Free Library news item on the grounding of Aero Continente in Chile] Aero Continente claimed that this was rather a measure of protecting LAN Airlines from the competition, but ultimately decided to re-integrate the Chilean subsidiary back into the mainline business.

Destinations

Fleet

Aero Continente Chile operated a fleet that consisted of 5 Boeing 737-200 and 1 Boeing 767-200ER. All aircraft had been handed down from mainline Aero Continente.{{cite web|url=https://www.planespotters.net/airline/Aero-Continente-Chile|title=Aero Continente Chile Fleet Details and History|website=Planespotters.net|access-date=September 9, 2022}}

References

Category:Defunct airlines of Chile

Category:Airlines established in 1999

Category:Airlines disestablished in 2002

Category:2002 disestablishments in Chile

Category:Chilean companies established in 1999

Aero Continente Chile

History

Destinations

Fleet

See also

References