Equair
{{Short description|Ecuadorian airline}}
{{Infobox Airline
| airline = Equair
| logo = Logo_of_EquAir_EquinoxAir_S.A.S.png
| logo_size = 250
| fleet_size = 3
| destinations = 6
| IATA = HN
| ICAO = EQX
| callsign = EQUINOX{{cite web|title=LiveATC.net - Live Air Traffic|url=https://www.liveatc.net/feedindex.php?type=international-sa|website=www.liveatc.net |access-date=15 February 2022}}
| parent =
| founded = October 2020
| commenced = January 10, 2022
| ceased = September 30, 2023
| headquarters = Quito, Ecuador
| key_people = Frederik Jacobsen{{Cite web |last=Sourtech |title=Cinco consejos para superar la vuelta al trabajo post vacaciones |url=https://www.forbes.com.ec/liderazgo/cinco-consejos-superar-vuelta-trabajo-post-vacaciones-n47297 |access-date=2024-01-30 |website=Forbes Ecuador |language=es}} and Gabriela Sommerfeld{{Cite web |last=Mazó |first=Edgardo Gimenez |date=2022-01-10 |title=A new airline is born in Latin America: Equair performed its maiden flight |url=https://www.aviacionline.com/2022/01/a-new-airline-is-born-in-latin-america-equair-performed-its-maiden-flight/ |access-date=2024-01-30 |website=Aviacionline.com |language=es}}
| hubs = {{nowrap|Mariscal Sucre International Airport}}
| secondary_hubs =
| focus_cities =
| frequent_flyer = Cacao Miles
| alliance =
| subsidiaries =
| website = {{url|www.equair.com.ec}}
}}
EquinoxAir S.A.S, which operated under the Equair brand, was an airline headquartered in Quito, Ecuador. It operated domestic flights, between Quito, Guayaquil and the Galápagos Islands.{{cite web|last1=Mazó|first1=Edgardo Gimenez|title=A new airline is born in Latin America: Equair performed its maiden flight|url=https://www.aviacionline.com/2022/01/a-new-airline-is-born-in-latin-america-equair-performed-its-maiden-flight/|website=Aviacionline.com|language=es|date=10 January 2022}} The airline competed with the Ecuadorian subsidiaries of Avianca and LATAM, as well as Aeroregional.
History
Equair was founded in October 2020 as EquinoxAir. It started its formation process with the authorities, and in March 2021 it got assigned some of the frequencies to the Baltra and San Cristóbal islands that TAME used to operate before its dissolution.{{cite web|title=Asignadas a tres empresas las frecuencias de TAME en Galápagos|url=https://www.primicias.ec/noticias/economia/frecuencias-aereas-tame-galapagos-empresas-ecuador/|website=Primicias|date=11 March 2021 |language=es-EC|access-date=7 December 2021}}
On November 16, 2021, the company was officially presented and the Equair brand was revealed in an event that took place in Centro de Convenciones Bicentenario, Quito.{{cite web|title=Equair se suma al mercado de aerolíneas ecuatorianas|url=https://www.elcomercio.com/actualidad/negocios/equair-aerolineas-ecuatorianas-galapagos-guayaquil.html|website=El Comercio|date=17 November 2021|language=es-EC|access-date=7 December 2021}}
On December 4, 2021, Equair received the first aircraft of its fleet, a Boeing 737-700. This aircraft was ferried from Lleida, Spain to Latacunga, Ecuador with stopovers in Reykjavík, Iceland and Boston, United States.
Equair was expected to have its inaugural flight, between Quito and Guayaquil on December 22, 2021, but was delayed to January 2022 due to a COVID-19 outbreak between the employees of the airline. Gabriela Sommerfeld was named as the CEO at the opening ceremony that was attended by Marcelo Cabrera who was the Minister of Transportation.
On January 7, 2022, the airline received its operation certificate from the Ecuadorian Civil Aviation General Directorate, after a demonstration flight to the Galápagos Islands was carried out. Then, on January 10, 2022, the airline had its inaugural flight between Quito and Guayaquil.{{cite web |last1=Serrano|first1=Diana|title=Aerolínea Equair inauguró sus vuelos domésticos |url=https://www.elcomercio.com/actualidad/negocios/equair-inauguracion-vuelos-domesticos.html|website=El Comercio|access-date=10 January 2022|language=es-EC|date=10 January 2022}}
Equair introduced its frequent flyer program on May 17, 2022, under the "Cacao Miles" name. Besides accruing miles, the program offers discounts with affiliates and in-flight perks.{{cite web|last1=Larenas|first1=Nicolás|title=EquAir presenta Cacao Miles, su programa de acumulación de millas |url=https://www.nlarenas.com/2022/05/equair-presenta-cacao-miles-acumulacion-millas/|website=Nicolás Larenas|access-date=13 July 2022|language=es |date=18 May 2022}}
On September 30, 2023, Equair announced it was shutting down its operations with immediate effect, citing causes as the rising cost of fuel and a reduction in demand for national routes. {{Cite web|url=https://www.nlarenas.com/2023/09/equair-anuncia-suspension-operaciones-manera-inmediata/|title=Equair anuncia suspensión de operaciones de manera inmediata|first=Nicolás|last=Larenas|date=September 30, 2023|website=Blog NLARENAS.COM}}
Destinations
The airline focuses its operations on domestic flights.{{cite web|last1=Larenas|first1=Nicolás|title=EquAir: estos son los precios, horarios y frecuencias de sus vuelos|url=https://www.nlarenas.com/2021/12/equair-costos-horarios-y-frecuencias-de-sus-vuelos/|website=Nicolás Larenas|language=es|date=12 December 2021}}
Fleet
In November 2022, the Equair fleet included three aircraft:{{cite web|url=https://www.planespotters.net/airline/Equair|title=Equair Fleet Details and History|website=Planespotters.net|access-date=January 10, 2022}}
| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em auto; text-align:center"
|+ Equair fleet !rowspan=2|Aircraft !rowspan=2|In !rowspan=2|Orders !colspan=2|Passengers !rowspan=2|Notes |
| Y
!Total |
|---|
| Boeing 737-700
|3 |— |142 |142 | |
| Total
!3 !— !colspan=4| |
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.equair.com.ec Official website]
{{Portalbar|Ecuador|Companies|Aviation}}
{{Airlines of Ecuador}}
Category:Defunct airlines of Ecuador
Category:Airlines established in 2020
Category:Airlines disestablished in 2023