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| Founded | May 22, 1973 | |||
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| Ceased operations | March 10, 1999 | |||
| Hubs | Jorge Chavez International Airport | |||
| Focus cities | Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport | |||
| Frequent-flyer program | Club Premier | |||
| Airport lounge | Salon Premier | |||
| Fleet size | 22 | |||
| Destinations | 34 | |||
| Headquarters | Miraflores, Lima, Peru | |||
| Key people | Gregorio Nolan (CEO) | |||
| Website | ekeko.rcp.net.pe/AEROPERU/ingles/indice.htm | |||
Empresa de Transporte Aéreo del Perú S.A.[1] ("Peruvian Air Transport Enterprise, S.A."), doing business as Aeroperú (short form for Empresa Nacional de Aeronavegación del Perú, National Air Navigation Company of Peru), was the former national flag carrier of Peru, and from 1993 to 2000 was a subsidiary of AeroMéxico. Its headquarters were in Miraflores, Lima.[2][3] It went bankrupt in 1999. Since that date, Peru's national flag carrier has been LAN Perú.
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Started in 1973, Aeroperú was formed to take over the international routes operated by APSA - Líneas Aéreas Peruanas S.A. (owned then by Pan American Airways). At first, the airline was largely controlled by the Peruvian Air Force. Following Gen. Juan Velasco Alvarado being overthrown, the new military government began withdrawing from the daily running of the national carrier.
Aeroperú was based at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Peru, and grew into an international airline while also developing a large jet aircraft route system domestically. In its early years Peru's flag carrier used Fokker F-28, Boeing 727, Douglas DC-8 (which were leased from Viasa) and a Lockheed L-1011. Aeroperú's main focus was with South American routes, although it did serve Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City as well as Miami.
In the 1990s, economic trouble led to the sale of 47 percent of the airline to AeroMéxico. Aeroperú then re-introduced a new livery, similar to that of AeroMéxico. Three 727-200s and three DC-10-15s were bought from Mexicana, another subsidiary from AeroMéxico at that time. Three Boeing 757s were also introduced as property of AeroMéxico and another one leased. Additionally, service to Los Angeles was introduced.
Aeroperú had suffered two fatal events, Flight 772 near Juliaca in 1988, and Flight 603 in 1996. The second incident contributed to the airline's demise.[4] Before the take-off of Flight 603, the maintenance crew erroneously left masking tape over the sensitive static ports of the plane. The crew thus received contradicting and false flight data, particularly from the altimeter, after take-off. This prevented even ground radar from successfully assisting the flight crew during the emergency, and ultimately led to the plane's crash into the Pacific Ocean on October 2, 1996. This was a severe loss to the airline, from which it could never recover.
On March 10, 1999, financial difficulties forced Aeroperú to cease operations. Aeroperú's major creditors decided on August 18 to liquidate its assets.