West Caribbean Airways

Infobox Airline
airline = West Caribbean Airways

logo_size = 150
fleet_size = 16
destinations = 22
IATA = YH
ICAO = WCW
callsign = WEST
parent =
founded = 1998
headquarters = Medellín, Colombia
key_people =
hubs = José María Córdova Int'l Airport
El Dorado Int'l Airport
focus_cities =
frequent_flyer =
lounge =
alliance =
website =
[http://www.wca.com.co/ www.wca.com.co]

West Caribbean Airways was a airline based in Medellín, Colombia. It operated largely domestic services, with its main base at Olaya Herrera Airport (EOH), Medellín. Because of financial problems following two crashes in 2005 it ceased operations that September

History

West Caribbean Airways was founded in 1998 by Colombian entrepreneur Hassan Tannir and started operations in 2000 based in San Andrés Island. A group of Medellín-based investors acquired the airline in 2001 and moved the headquarters to Medellín.

Incidents and accidents

*26 March 2005. A West Caribbean Airways Let L-410 Turbolet aircraft registration HK-4146, on departure from El Embrujo, Isla de Providencia fails to climb and hits hills close to the runway [http://www.planecrashinfo.com/2005/2005-7.htm] , killing the 2 crew and 6 of the 12 passengers. Initial reports suggest a technical fault (ref: Flight International, July 2005).

*16 August 2005. West Caribbean Airways Flight 708, a chartered West Caribbean Airways McDonnell Douglas MD-82 aircraft heading from Panama to Martinique in the Caribbean, crashes in remote western Venezuela, killing all 160 aboard, mostly French nationals.

Services

West Caribbean Airways operated the following services (at January 2005):

*Domestic scheduled destinations: Armenia, Barranquilla, Bogotá, Cali, Cartagena, Caucasia, Chigorodó, Cúcuta, El Bagre, Medellín, Montería, Otu, Providencia, Puerto Berrío, Quibdó, San Andrés, Tolú and Turbo.

*International scheduled destinations: Oranjestad, Panama City, San José and Porlamar .

Fleet

The West Caribbean Airways fleet consisted of the following aircraft (at January 2005):

*1 ATR 42-300
*3 ATR 42-320
*1 McDonnell Douglas MD-81
*3 McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (One crashed in Venezuela)
*8 Let L-410 UVP-E (One crashed in Colombia)

External links

* [http://www.wca.com.co/ West Caribbean Airways]
* [http://www.planespotters.net/Airline/West_Caribbean_Airways West Caribbean Airways Fleet]