PAL Airlines (Chile)

For the Canadian airline, see PAL Airlines. For the airline with PAL code, see Philippine Airlines.
PAL - Principal Airlines
IATA ICAO Call sign
5P PCP PRINCIPAL
FoundedSeptember 2003
Commenced operationsJune 2009
Ceased operationsSeptember 2014
HubsArturo Merino Benítez International Airport
Fleet size6
Destinations5
HeadquartersLas Condes, Chile
Key peopleCarlos Musiet (CEO)
Websitewww.palair.cl/

PAL Airlines (legally Aerolínea Principal Chile S.A.) was a Chilean airline that operated out of Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport in Santiago. The airline operated from 2003 to 2014, when it ceased all operations.

History

A Principal Boeing 737-200 parked at Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport in 2008

The airline was established as a charter airline in September 2003[1] and received approval for scheduled services in June 2009.[2] It was owned by the Musiet family, who in the 1990s owned now-defunct National Airlines.[3]

The airline ceased operations in September 2014 by the Directorate General of Civil Aeronautics due to unfavourable market conditions. In early 2015 it was declared bankrupt by a Chilean court.[4]

Destinations

PAL Airlines served the following scheduled destinations within Chile:[citation needed]

Additionally, the airline operated charter flights, mainly to Punta Cana.

Fleet

A PAL Airlines Boeing 737-300 stored at Pinal Airpark in 2013

The PAL Airlines fleet consisted of the following aircraft:[5]

PAL Airlines fleet
Aircraft Total Introduced Retired Notes
Airbus A330-300 1 2010 2010 Leased from Orbest Orizonia Airlines
2013 2013
2014 2014 Leased from Air Europa
Airbus A340-300 1 2010 2010 Leased from Hi Fly
Boeing 737-200 4 2009 2014
Boeing 737-300 1 2007 2008
4 2010 2014
Boeing 737-400 1 2007 2007 Leased from Futura International Airways
1 2008 2008
Boeing 757-200 2 2010 2011 Leased from Privilege Style

See also

References

  1. ^ PAL Principal Airlines to launch domestic service in Chile on June 18 08 Jun 2009
  2. ^ New Chilean Domestic Airline Takes Off June 18 07 Jun 2009
  3. ^ Aero Latin News PAL ingresa al mercardo 04-Jun-09 (in Spanish)
  4. ^ "PAL Airlines". Airliner World: 15. March 2015.
  5. ^ "PAL - Principal Airlines Fleet Details and History". planespotters.net. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
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