Avianca S.A., is the largest airline in Colombia. It has been the flag carrier of Colombia since December 5, 1919, when it was initially registered under the name SCADTA. It is headquartered in Colombia, with its registered office in Barranquilla and its global headquarters in Bogotá and main hub at El Dorado International Airport. Avianca is the flagship of a group of airlines of the Americas airlines, which operates as one airline using a codesharing system. Avianca is the largest airline in Colombia and second largest in South America, after LATAM of Chile. Avianca and its subsidiaries have the most extensive network of destinations in the Americas. Prior to the merger with TACA in 2010, it was wholly owned by Synergy Group, a South American holding company established by Germán Efromovich and specializing in air transport. It is listed on the Colombia Stock Exchange.
A SCADTA Junkers W 34 "Magdalena", circa 1920s
Former Avianca Boeing 747-100 at Miami International Airport in 1993
Former Avianca Boeing 767-200ER taxiing at José María Córdova International Airport in 2004
Former Avianca Airbus A330-200 at El Dorado International Airport in 2009
A flag carrier is a transport company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given sovereign state, enjoys preferential rights or privileges accorded by the government for international operations.
A Boeing 777-300ER of Dubai-based Emirates, one of the two flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates
A Douglas DC-4 owned and operated by El Al - the flag carrier of Israel - in 1948