Atlantic Airlines honduras Buys 2 737-200's

[Aero Honduras]

Atlantic Airlines Honduras has bought two 737-200 they will be registered HR-ATM and HR-ATN. They will be used on flights to Cancun, Cayman Islands, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Plus Tegucigalpa-San Pedro Sula.


Aero-Honduras

[luisde8cd]

*sigh* when will we (latin americans) stop buying old planes that are rotting in the desert after they were withdrawn by U.S. airlines from service ?

back to the topic... I was wondering if there was enough traffic between Honduras and the Cayman Islands to justify a flight between the two...

[Panama Jack]

Now comes the test to see if they've really got their act together. Seen lots of successful turboprop companies, however, the jets can guzzle cash (eat away profits) as fast as they do fuel. Good luck to them.

when will we (latin americans) stop buying old planes that are rotting in the desert after they were withdrawn by U.S. airlines from service ?

When a Boeing 737-200 series can be had for about $2 million versus a new Boeing 737NG about $30 million, it isn't hard to understand for those making the move to jets. Can buy a lot of fuel for that, and mechanics are cheap in Central America. I imagine if things work out, after a while they'll look at upgrades. Recent upstart carriers in Canada also bought Boeing 737-200's, however, after a few years of success are now growing their fleets with -500's or NG's.

I wonder when Honduras and Nicaragua will ever get their certification sorted out. Note that these jets will never fly to the US under HR registration until they do.

[latinaviation]

Thanks, Aero Honduras. Where are the 737-200s coming from? I remember that Iselna operated a 737-200 for about week, if that.

Who do you fly for? I make it down to TGU about 4 times a year.

[Aero Honduras]

Latin aviation: When I know where are they coming from will let you know. I flew for SOSA airlines until February. Hopefully I will get back later this year after back surgery.

Luisd8cd: There have been flights between Honduras and Cayman Islands for almost 15 years know. Isleña, Atlantic, Rollins Caymans Airways and SAHSA have flown it.

On other news from HR. SOSA got it´s third Jetstream 31 yesterday. two EMB-120 or SAAB-340 coming this year to replace the Nord´s.


AERO HONDURAS

[Aero Honduras]

Latinaviation: Atlantic operates Three F-27´s HR-ASK,ATI,ATL plus one HS748 HR-ATC plus 5 HR registered Let 410´s

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/557614/M/

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/343622/L/

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/330027/L/


HR-ATC was parked at Cayman Island for two months while the lease was re-negotiated. hence the flat tires in the photo


Aero Honduras

[latinaviation]

Interesting, I've never seen the F-27s in TGU - only the LETs on occassion, but it's almost always Sosa that I see in TGU and Atlantic in SAP. Thanks for the note.

[flufdriver]

Interesting news,

We have tried several times to make a go of having sched. service to Ceiba & Teguc from Cayman. There is quite a bit of ethnic traffic and then there is Roatan of course, but somehow we never could get the kind of load factor we needed to sustain the service.

I wish them luck, i suppose AA will have considerably lower operating costs then us (KX)

Still, the fluf's will not be cheap to operate and maintain!:ok:

[latinaviation]

Aero Honduras - do you know the status of these? I would love to see them in Atlantic's paint scheme. I haven't even found a website for the Honduran airline, just the Nicaraguan one. Do they even have one?

[Aero Honduras]

The last I heard that the first one has been payed for, 3 crews are ready and that it should arrive later this month.


Aerohonduras

[Panama Jack]

There was a Honduran website some time ago-- not much more interesting than the Nicaraguan one though.

[Aero Honduras]

It´s 737-2Y5 C/N 23040 Ex Frontier N118RW.

Photo: http://miarroba.com/foros/adjuntos.php?accion=download&fileid=599205&foroid=352011&rand=9018615

[latinaviation]

I can't get that link to work, maybe they took the photos off-line. Any other links with the pics?

[Panama Jack]

Well, it's not the best picture, but here is the aft ¼ of the aircraft.

Atlantic Airlines Boeing 737 HR-ATN (http://www.airliners.net/open.file/649372/M/)

[flufdriver]

I saw the airplane today in GCM

it actually looks quite nice in and out, got a grey Leather interior with I think 12 or 16 First class seats, cabin looks clean! The paint job is quite nice too!

Up front I saw the normal 732 layout with an SP77 autopilot, a PDC on the Captain's side and an (de-activated) ONS on the F/o side. I was told they have -15 on the wing.

The aircraft is obviously not rigged for entry into the US at this time, a few of the things that would need to be added are not there as yet.

Nevertheless, I trust it will prove to be a good worklhorse for them!:cool:

[latinaviation]

Are they using it for GCM-LCE or GCM-RTB?

[Aero Honduras]

The Flight is LCE-GCM with connection at LCE to RTB,SAP,TGU. Isleña loads are rapidly coming down as travelers get aware of the 737 on the Route. It is also flying weekly charters on Saturdays SAP-CUN.

[Panama Jack]

The aircraft is obviously not rigged for entry into the US at this time, a few of the things that would need to be added are not there as yet.

If I am not mistaken Flufdriver, there is more that needs to be done for Atlantic Airlines to be able to fly to the USA than just adding equipment to the Boeing 737. I believe that Honduras, like Nicaragua still has categorization issues and this will prohibit any new Honduran (or Nicaraguan) airlines from flying to the US especially under HR or YN registrations.

AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Honduras's civil aviation authority as Category 2 -- not in compliance with international aviation safety standards for the oversight of Honduran air carrier operations. There is currently one Honduran airline, Sol Air, flying to the United States. However, this airline actually leases its aircraft and crews from a U.S. company. For further information, travelers may contact the Department of Transportation within the United States at tel. 1-800-322-7873, or visit the FAA's Internet web site at http://www.intl.faa.gov.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) separately assesses some foreign carriers for suitability as official providers of air services. In addition, the DOD does not permit its personnel to use air carriers from Category 2 countries for official business except for flights originating from or terminating in the United States. Local exceptions may apply. For information regarding the DOD policy on specific carriers, travelers may contact the DOD at tel. (618) 256-4801.

US Department of State Travel Advisory-- Honduras (http://travel.state.gov/travel/honduras.html)

[flufdriver]

P J,

you are correct of course, I just didn't want to go there.

Cayman has had Cat 1 status for a long time now, its too bad we havn't done more with it!

[Aero Honduras]

Finally this year, the new Civil aviation Law was approved by congress in Honduras and the Civil Aeronautic Board has started stiffer regulations. Hope this will lead to a Cat1 in a Couple of years. under the new Laws all the let410´s will be gone at the end of 2006 unless they are modified to FAA specs. And all the Domestic airlines have to comply to the new regulations by next year, Isleña has passed it and is certified by the OACI. Sosa has started the process, Atlantic will start shortly.


Aero Honduras

[Panama Jack]

The same has happened in Nicaragua, some three months ago. The new law will be in La Gaceta for a few more months before becoming law. The folks at Aeronáutica Civil in Managua are getting ready for a visit from the FAA. I understand that there is a very big question about the Let's future also in Nicaragua, I don't know how it will affect the few Antonov's that you ocasionally see but I expect their days will also be numbered.

[Aero Honduras]

It finally made its first trip to TGU to pick up two charter groups last friday. early flew TGU-SJO, and then TGU-RTB. got a couple or good pictures.

Aero Honduras

[latinaviation]

Are you going to post them? Inquiring minds want to know....

If they're good and you want to sell them to magazines, let me know - drop me a pm.

[Aero Honduras]

I could not post the photos, need help.

Aero Honduras

[latinaviation]

Send them to me via my e-mail with your name and e-mail. I'll at least get them on MyAviation.net, maybe Airliners.net.

[Aero Honduras]

Finally a good one. in the Cayman Islands before Ivan.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/663852/L/

[Panama Jack]

Hey, nice to see a complete airplane. Already had a jigsaw puzzle going. I wonder if Atlantic Airlines will ever go to a uniform livery? :confused:

[latinaviation]

Nice shot. Do they even have a website beyong the main, yet simple, site for the Nicaraguan Atlantic?

[Aero Honduras]

HR-ATN, has been quite busy, flying to The Cayman Islands getting food and water in and Hondurans out after Ivan it made 7 flights Thursday thru Sunday, 4 of them paid by the Honduran government.


AeroHonduras

[latinaviation]

Here is an article I found:


22/09/2004
• Honduras
• Atlantic Airlines abrirá nueva ruta entre Tegucigalpa y San José Atlantic Airlines will operate new Tegucigalpa-San José route
San José, (ACAN-EFE).- La aerol'nea hondureña Atlantic Airlines abrirá a finales de este año una nueva ruta entre Tegucigalpa y San José, con los que espera captar el mercado de hombres de negocios centroamericanos, informó hoy la empresa.

La Dirección General de Aviación Civil confirmó a la prensa local que la aerol'nea tramita los respectivos permisos de operación y que en los próximos d'as espera la presentación de los requisitos para otorgar el certificado de explotación de rutas.

La compañ'a tiene planeado operar dos frecuencias diarias entre San José y Tegucigalpa con escala en Managua (Nicaragua), dijo al diario local "La República" el representante de Atlantic Airlines, Marcelo Cárdenas.

El objetivo de la aerol'nea es atraer el mercado de personas que viajan por negocios en la región, aunque también pretende ofrecer una alternativa tur'stica orientada hacia el Caribe hondureño, explicó Cárdenas.Añadió que la estrategia será ganar mercado con buen servicio, mejores precios e itinerarios cómodos, que permitan, por ejemplo la posibilidad de viajar de ida y vuelta en un solo d'a.

Atlantic Airlines tiene 10 años de operar, y su flotilla la conforman 30 aviones entre F17 y Boeing 737-200, que pueden ser utilizados además para transporte de carga.