SANSA (airline)

(Redirected from Sansa Airlines)

SANSA (Servicios Aéreos Nacionales S.A.) is a regional airline based in San José, Costa Rica. It operates scheduled passenger services as part of the former TACA Regional system, and was a subsidiary of Avianca Holdings. Its main hub is Juan Santamaría International Airport.[1]

SANSA
IATA ICAO Callsign
RZ LRS SANSA
Founded1978
HubsJuan Santamaría International Airport
Fleet size10
Destinations14
Parent companyRegional Airlines Holding LLC
HeadquartersSan José, Costa Rica
Websitewww.flysansa.com

History edit

The airline was established in 1978 as a domestic subsidiary of LACSA.[1]

On May 31, 2019, Avianca Holdings sold SANSA to Regional Airlines Holding LLC, from Delaware, United States.[2]

Destinations edit

 
A SANSA Cessna 208B Grand Caravan at Quepos La Managua Airport in 2015

The destinations of SANSA are:[3]

Country City Airport Notes Refs
  Costa Rica Bahía Drake Bahía Drake Airport
Barra del Colorado Barra del Colorado Airport Terminated
Coto 47 Coto 47 Airport Terminated
Golfito Golfito Airport
La Fortuna La Fortuna Arenal Airport
Liberia Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport
Limón Limón International Airport
Nosara Nosara Airport
Palmar Sur Palmar Sur Airport
Puerto Carrillo Carrillo Airport Terminated
Puerto Jiménez Puerto Jiménez Airport
Punta Islita Punta Islita Airport Terminated
Quepos Quepos La Managua Airport
San Isidro de El General San Isidro de El General Airport Terminated
San José Juan Santamaría International Airport Hub
Tamarindo Tamarindo Airport
Tambor Tambor Airport
Tortuguero Tortuguero Airport
  Nicaragua Managua Augusto C. Sandino International Airport [4]
Tola Costa Esmeralda Airport Terminated

Fleet edit

Current fleet edit

 
SANSA's operations area at Juan Santamaría International Airport, next to the main terminal

As of September 2022, the SANSA fleet includes:[5]

SANSA fleet
Aircraft In service Orders Passengers Notes
Cessna 208B Grand Caravan 10 14
Total 10

Former fleet edit

Accidents and incidents edit

  • On April 19, 1984, a Douglas C-47 (registered TI-SAA), charter flight coming from San Andrés, Colombia crashed on "Cerro Santa Rosa" (northwest face of the Irazú Volcano), with the death of all 4 people on board.[6]
  • On January 16, 1990, SANSA Flight 32 crashed into the Cerro Cedral, a mountain in Costa Rica, after takeoff from Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José. All 20 passengers and 3 crew on board died in the crash.[7]
  • On August 26, 2000, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan crashed into the Arenal Volcano, an active volcano in Costa Rica. The Cessna Caravan took off from Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José at 11:38, for a flight to Tamarindo. An intermediate stop at La Fortuna was made at 11:55 to drop off a Japanese tourist. The flight left La Fortuna again at 12:05 for a 35-minute flight to Tamarindo. The aircraft collided with the active 5380 feet (1650 m) high Arenal volcano, at around 656 feet (200 m) below the crater. All 8 passengers and 2 crew on board died in the crash.[8]
  • On November 28, 2001, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan crashed into the Cerro Chontal, a mountain in Costa Rica. The aircraft crashed into a wooded hillside of the Cerro Chontal approximately four minutes before it was expected to land. The aircraft appeared to be off the usual approach track for Quepos. Both crew members and 1 passenger died; 5 passengers survived the crash and were rescued the next day.[9]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Sansa Website History, 16. September 2020
  2. ^ "Avianca vende las aerolíneas Sansa y La Costeña de Centroamérica". Reportur.com (in Spanish). 5 June 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  3. ^ Sansa Website Destinations, 14. December 2022
  4. ^ Rico (3 December 2022). "Sansa resumes flights between Costa Rica and Nicaragua". Qcostarica.com. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  5. ^ rzjets: SANSA rzjets.com, accessdate 16. September 2020.
  6. ^ "TI-SAA Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Flight Safety Foundation.
  7. ^ Aviation Safety Network 16 January 1990, Cerro Cedral
  8. ^ Aviation Safety Network 26 August 2000, Arenal Volcano
  9. ^ Aviation Safety Network 28 November 2001, Cerro Chontal

External links edit

  Media related to SANSA Airlines at Wikimedia Commons