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// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did SATENA say to the plane? "You can sat-eena wait.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
SATENA — Servicio Aéreo a Territorios Nacionales
Air Service to the National Territories
IATA ICAO Call sign
9R NSE SATENA
FoundedApril 12, 1962; 64 years ago (1962-04-12)
HubsEl Dorado International Airport
Secondary hubs
Focus cities
Club Satena
Fleet size21
Destinations58
Parent companyGovernment of Colombia
HeadquartersBogotá, Colombia
FounderAlberto Lleras Camargo
Websitewww.satena.com

SATENA (Spanish: Servicio Aéreo a Territorios Nacionales, lit. 'Air Service to the National Territories') is a state-owned airline of Colombia established to guarantee access to the most remote and least connected parts of the country.[1][2][3][4] It is wholy-owned by the Government of Colombia and its operational mandate is fulfilled by the Colombian Aerospace Force.

The airline primarily operates out of its main hub at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, its secondary hub at the Olaya Herrera Airport in Medellín, and another secondary hub at Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport in Cali. The airline also has sizeable operations in Barranquilla and Villavicencio and, as of July 2026, operates in 27 of the 32 Departments of Colombia.

History

[edit]
SATENA Douglas C-54 Skymaster at La Vanguardia Airport in 1980.

SATENA was first established on April 12, 1962, by then President of the Republic, Alberto Lleras Camargo, via decree to:

"to form an aerial transport service for the benefit of the underdeveloped regions of the country, with the object of promoting the welfare of educational campaigns, agricultural and pastoral development, and the economic and social progress of such territories."

To achieve this under government auspices, the airline was then entrusted to the control of the Colombian Air Force, initiating its first operations with the routes Bogotá - Leticia and Leticia – Tarapacá – El Encanto – Puerto Leguízamo. The Government equipped the company with one C-54, two C-47, two Beaver L-20, and later added two PBY Catalina amphibious, the property of the Rotary Fund of the Colombian Air Force. Later, in 1964, it added three additional C-47 and two more C-54 aircraft, all of them donated by the United States International Development Agency.

In 1965, SATENA, in coordination with the Bank of Bogotá, began a new service named AeroBanco, which was created to facilitate air travel to other areas largely or completely inaccessible by road. Due to great success in the areas served by the airline, President Carlos Lleras Restrepo put into effect Law 80 of December 12, 1968, where it was decreed that SATENA would be treated as a public establishment, with all legal functions controlled by the Ministry of National Defence.

In 1972, SATENA acquired newer British-Built AVRO HS-748 turboprops capable of carrying 48 passengers. Between 1984 and 1985, the airline incorporated two Fokker F28 jet aircraft with the capacity to transport 65 passengers.

Since its creation, the airline has performed many public services on behalf of the Colombian people, having provided service during crises in the country's history, as was the case of the Huila and Cauca earthquake of June 6, 1994, when SATENA performed search and rescue operations, airlifted residents, as well as transporting needed medicines, foods and aid in general to the site of the tragedy.

In 1996, the largest modernization of the airline began, with the arrival of six Dornier 328s capable of carrying 32 passengers. These aircraft represent the new generation of equipment for regional routes.

In 2002, SATENA incorporated into its fleet one Embraer ERJ 145 with a capacity for 50 passengers, which arrived to replace the departing Fokker F28, which was reaching its maximum airframe hours. In 2004, SATENA became the airline with the newest and most modern aerial fleet in Colombia, when it incorporated two new Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft, allowing it to perform faster and more efficient services to its most isolated destinations.

At the end of 2010, SATENA suffered a financial crisis, consisting of bank debts amounting to 120 billion pesos and losses totaling 25 billion pesos. Due to this, the National Government proposed a law that would allow the commercial airline to get out of said crisis and compete in the air transport market in the country. This law consists of capitalizing this company at 98 billion pesos, where 49% of the company's shares will be put up for sale in a democratic process and within two years, while the remaining 51% would continue in the hands of the state, something that was never done in the end.

On April 29, 2018, the airline moved all its routes to Terminal Puente Aéreo belonging to El Dorado International Airport, to facilitate the service to passengers on regional flights.[5]

Destinations

[edit]

SATENA operates to the following airports (as of January 2026):[6]

Colombia

[edit]

Interline Agreements

[edit]

Fleet

[edit]

Current

[edit]
A SATENA ATR 42-500 at El Dorado International Airport in 2012

As of November 2025, Satena operates the following aircraft:[8]

SATENA fleet
Aircraft In
service		 Orders Passengers Notes
ATR 42-500 4 — 48
ATR 42-600 6 — 48
ATR 72-600 5 — 70
DHC-6 Twin Otter[9] 4 4 19 Includes the 1,000th DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft ever built[10]
Embraer ERJ-145 2 — 50 To be retired.[11]
Total 21 4

Former

[edit]

SATENA has formerly operated the following aircraft:

A SATENA Embraer ERJ-170 at La Vanguardia Airport in 2012.

Accidents and incidents

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "Oficinas Archived 2011-02-10 at the Wayback Machine." SATENA. Retrieved on January 20, 2011. "Oficina Principal Av. El Dorado No. 103 - 08, entrada 1, interior 11."
  2. ↑ "Mecanismos de Control Archived 2010-08-11 at the Wayback Machine." SATENA. Retrieved on January 20, 2011. "Oficina Principal: Avenida Eldorado Entrada 1, Interior 11."
  3. ↑ "Satena Aerolíneas." City of Bogota. Retrieved on January 20, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Satena." City of Bogota. Retrieved on January 20, 2011. "Avenida El Dorado # 103 - 08."
  5. ↑ Pattara, Laura (2018-04-03). "Bogota International Airport Guide". Chimu Adventures Blog. Retrieved 2023-01-25.
  6. ↑ "Conoce nuestros destinos". Satena.com.
  7. ↑ https://apg-airlines.com/all-partner-airlines/
  8. ↑ "Global Airline Guide 2025 - Satena". Airliner World: 57. September 2025.
  9. ↑ Sena, Gastón (July 23, 2024). "Colombia's SATENA Adds 8 DHC-6 Twin Otter Planes to Reach Remote Destinations". Aviacionline.com.
  10. ↑ "De Havilland Canada Celebrates 1000th Twin Otter Delivery with SATENA | De Havilland Canada". www.dehavilland.com/. Retrieved 2026-07-18.
  11. ↑ Popovic, Vanja (November 1, 2024). "Colombia's Satena to retire E145s, receives first Twin Otter". Ch-aviation.com.
  12. ↑ "Colombia: SATENA deja de volar con los Embraer E170". Aviacionline.com. 20 October 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  13. ↑ "FAC-685 Accident Description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
  14. ↑ "FAC-661 Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  15. ↑ "FAC-1103 Accident description". AviationSafetyNetwork. AVS. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
  17. ↑ "FAC-663 Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
  18. ↑ "FAC-676 Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
  19. ↑ "FAC-1125 Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
  20. ↑ "FAC-1127 Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  21. ↑ "FAC-1120 Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  22. ↑ "FAC-668 Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  23. ↑ "FAC-1129 Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
  24. ↑ "FAC-1126 Accident report". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
  25. ↑ "Official accident investigation report" (PDF). Autoridad Aeronáutica Civil. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
[edit]
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