Sansa Airlines

Sansa Airlines

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IATA ICAO Callsign RZ LRS SANSA
Founded	1978
Hubs	Juan Santamaría International Airport
Frequent-flyer program	Distancia
Fleet size	6
Destinations	12
Headquarters	San José, Costa Rica
Website	http://www.flysansa.com

File:SJO Sansa 017 01 2009.jpg

A Sansa Airlines Cessna 208 Caravan at Juan Santamaría International Airport

SANSA Airlines (Servicios Aéreos Nacionales S.A.) is an airline based in San José, Costa Rica. It operates scheduled passenger services as part of the TACA Airlines regional airline system, and has become Avianca Costa Rica. Its hub is Juan Santamaría International Airport.

History

The airline was established in 1978 as a Domestic Airline of LACSA.

Destinations

• San José (hub)
• Liberia
• Tamarindo
• Coto 47 Airport
• Golfito
• Nosara
• Samara-Carrillo Airport
• Punta Islita Airport
• Tambor Airport
• Quepos
• Palmar Sur
• Drake Bay
• Puerto Jiménez
• Limón
• Tortuguero
• Barra Del Colorado

Fleet

File:CRI 08 2009 SJO SANSA 6978.JPG

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

As of August 2007 the SANSA fleet includes:

• 6 Cessna 208B Grand Caravans
• 2 Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX

Former fleet

• Douglas DC-3
• CASA C-212 Aviocar
• ATR 42-300

Accidents and incidents

• 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.
• On August 26, 2000, SANSA Flight 1644 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 (TNO). 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.
• On November 28, 2001, SANSA Flight 1625 crashed into the Cerro Chontal, an mountain in Costa Rica. The aircraft crashed approx. four minutes before it was expected to land into a wooded hillside of the Cerro Chontal. 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.

External links

• Sansa website