# Albatros Airlines (Venezuela)

Albatros Airlines is a Venezuelan charter airline with private capital, authorized to carry out flights for the transfer of passengers and cargo.

## History

Albatros Airlines was founded on December 27, 2007, and received its air operator's certificate issued by the National Institute of Civil Aviation, to carry out commercial air transport operations, passengers, cargo, and mail on a national and international level.
On May 13, 2010, the airline made its first commercial flight with a Cessna 208B Caravan from Porlamar to Carúpano. During the rest of that year, new routes were opened in the eastern region of Venezuela, with departures from Porlamar to Maturín, Cumana, Barcelona, and Güiria to Los Roques, with departures from Caracas and Maracay.
The airline has made charter flights to various international destinations, including Aruba, Curaçao, Port of Spain, and Haiti.
In mid-2010 and 2011, the airline dedicated itself exclusively to the corporate market, serving different passenger and cargo transfer companies on different national routes.
On July 27, 2012, Albatros introduced the Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia for commercial flights from Porlamar to Carúpano and Maturín, and including flights to Tucupita and Maracay and the Carúpano route to Caracas.
In the expansion project of the company, the acquisition of one Boeing 737-500 was made to increase its fleet and services. With it, it operates flights to San José, Costa Rica with two weekly frequencies, being the only direct flight between Maiquetía and San José.
On December 5, 2018, Albatros began commercial flights from Caracas to Barranquilla, on a 2-day frequency, flying non-stop direct.
On November 12, 2019, the airline received its first Airbus A320-200 from Montreal under a wet-lease scheme, landing in Porlamar, becoming the second Venezuelan commercial airline with this aircraft type, after Aeropostal operated under this same scheme between 1998 and 2001.
On July 19, 2021 it was announced Brazilian start-up airline Nella Linhas Aéreas acquired Albatros Airlines.

## Destinations

Albatros Airlines serves the following destinations (as of February 2024):
| Country | City | Airport | Notes |
| Aruba | Oranjestad | Queen Beatrix International Airport | Terminated |
| Colombia | Barranquilla | Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport | Terminated |
| Colombia | Bogotá | El Dorado International Airport | Terminated |
| Colombia | Cali | Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport | Terminated |
| Colombia | Medellín | José María Córdova International Airport | Terminated |
| Costa Rica | San José | Juan Santamaría International Airport | Suspended |
| Curaçao | Willemstad | Curaçao International Airport | Charter |
| Dominican Republic | Punta Cana | Punta Cana International Airport | Terminated |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Port of Spain | Piarco International Airport | Terminated |
| Venezuela | Barcelona | General José Antonio Anzoátegui International Airport | Terminated |
| Venezuela | Caracas | Simón Bolívar International Airport | Terminated |
| Venezuela | Carúpano | General José Francisco Bermúdez Airport | Terminated |
| Venezuela | Las Piedras | Josefa Camejo International Airport | Charter |
| Venezuela | Maracay | Mariscal Sucre Airport | Hub |
| Venezuela | Porlamar | Santiago Mariño Caribbean International Airport | Charter |
| Venezuela | Puerto Cabello | General Bartolomé Salom Airport | Terminated |
| Venezuela | San Felipe | Sub Teniente Nestor Arias Airport | Charter |
| Venezuela | Tucupita | San Rafael Airport | Terminated |
| Venezuela | Valencia | Arturo Michelena International Airport | Terminated |

## Fleet
### Current fleet

The Albatros Airlines fleet includes the following aircraft as of November 2024:
Albatros Airlines fleet :
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers | Notes |
| Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia | 1 | — | 30 | In storage after a fire |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-82 | 1 | — | 140 | |
| Total | 2 | — | | |

### Former fleet

Albatros Airlines formerly operated the following aircraft:
Albatros Airlines former fleet :
| Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
| Airbus A320-200 | 1 | 2019 | 2020 | Leased from SmartLynx Airlines Estonia |
| Boeing 737-500 | 1 | 2015 | 2024 | Impounded in Curaçao |
| Cessna 208B Grand Caravan | 2 | 2010 | 2019 | |