TAME (airline)
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TAME (Linea Aerea del Ecuador) is an airline based in Quito, Ecuador. It is the commercial branch of the Ecuadorian air force and operates scheduled domestic flights and international services in South America and the Caribbean.
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History
The airline was established and started operations in December 1962 as Transportes Aereos Militares Ecuadorianos (TAME), later Transportes Aereos Mercantiles Ecuadorianos (TAME). At first, the airline used Douglas DC-3, Douglas DC-6, Lockheed Electra and Avro equipment. But with the airline's growth into more domestic destinations, larger, faster jet equipment was needed. Because of this, Boeing 727's were acquired.
In the summer of 1990 TAME was converted into a separate branch of the air force by constitutional decree. In 1992, the airline's first international service, to Cali, was inaugurated from Tulcan. During much of the 1990s and early 2000s, however, the airline suffered of questionable safety standards, having had multiple fatal accidents through those periods. Also, the airline had to face stiff competition from Ecuatoriana de Aviacion.
TAME is now largely run by civilian personnel, although high-ranking air force officials still retain key management positions.
Services
TAME operates domestic services to 14 cities and international services to destinations in South America and the Caribbean.
Fleet
The TAME fleet consists of the following aircraft (at January 2005):
- 2 Airbus A320-200
- 3 BAe 748 Series 2A
- 1 Boeing 727-100
- 4 Boeing 727-200
- 2 DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 300
- 2 Fokker F28 Mk4000
Livery
White fuselage with a dark blue cheatline over a clear blue one (similar to Eastern Airlines), the name TAME, in dark blue coloring, over the jet's middle windows, and a clear blue tail, with TAME's logo of a white bird inside a white circle.
External Links
- TAME (http://www.tame.com.ec/)
- TAME Passenger Opinions (http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/tame.htm)
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