| Airline: | Aerolíneas Peruanas |
| Iata: | EP[1] |
| Icao: | PRU[2] |
| Callsign: | APSA |
| Founded: | September 16, 1956 |
| Commenced: | September 17, 1957 |
| Ceased: | May 2, 1971 |
| Headquarters: | Lima, Peru |
| Key People: | C. W. Shelton (Founder) |
| Hubs: | Jorge Chávez International Airport |
| Num Employees: | 1,000 (1967)[3] |
Aerolíneas Peruanas S.A. (also known as APSA or the English translation Peruvian Airlines)[4] was an airline from Peru, serving as flag carrier of the country from 1956 to 1971.[1] Headquartered in Lima, it operated a network of scheduled passenger flights to major places in Latin America, as well as the United States, out of its hub at Jorge Chávez International Airport.[5]
APSA was founded by C. W. Shelton on September 16, 1956,[6] with 77 percent of the company's shares spread amongst private Peruvian investors.[3] Flight operations were launched on September 17, 1957, on the Lima to Santiago and Miami routes.[3] Originally not a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA was only joined in 1966), APSA could significantly undercut the usual airline fares for flights between South America and the USA.[7] To strengthen its market position, APSA went into a partnership with Transportes Aéreos Nacionales and Compañía Ecuatoriana de Aviación.[7] [2]
The Douglas DC-6 being the aircraft most commonly used with the airline in the early 1960s,[7] [8] Aerolíneas Peruanas joined the jet age on December 1, 1963 with the introduction of the Convair 990 Coronado.[9] During those years, the network was greatly expanded,[5] which culminated in the launch of transatlantic flights using the Douglas DC-8 by the end of the decade.[10] [6]
In the early 1970s, APSA found itself in a worsening financial situation. Plans for a take-over by the Peruvian government and Spanish national airline Iberia failed, so the company was forced to cease all flight operations on May 2, 1971.[11]
APSA offered scheduled passenger flights to the following destinations:[2] [8] [12] [4] [5]
Over the years, APSA operated the following aircraft types:[1]
| Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Convair 990 Coronado | 4 | 1963 | 1971 | |
| Curtiss C-46 Commando | 2 | 1957[14] | 1970[15] | |
| Douglas DC-6 | 6 | 1960[16] | 1966 | |
| Douglas DC-7 | 1 | 1967 | 1970 | |
| Douglas DC-8-52 | 2 | 1969 | 1971 | Leased from Iberia |
