TABSA (Transportes Aereos Benianos SA)
Operator Identification
July 1963 to 1979
Bolivia
TYPE: Cargo airline
IATA/ICAO CODES: Nil
HEADQUARTERS: La Paz
OTHER NAMES: Bolivian Airways
Operator History
TABSA was founded on 12 July 1963 by three Bolivian men: Francisco Vasquez, a businessman who owned the Crillon Hotel in La Paz along with much real estate in Bolivia & Argentina, Roberto Vasquez, the General Manager of the Crillon Hotel, and Samuel Sangueza, an experienced airline captain. The company's capital was 10,000 US dollars, owned respectively on an 80-10-10 basis by the three men.
Charter cargo services between Bolivia and the United States were started in early 1964. The airline's fleet included Commandos, Fairchild C-82s, Douglas DC7CFs, a Convair 440 and a B-25. On 24 July 1967, TABSA was authorized by the CAB to operate a scheduled cargo service between Bolivia and Miami, FL with intermediate stops in Lima, Peru, Guayaquil, Ecuador and Panama City, Panama.
TABSA's operating permit was temporarily suspended in early 1968. The airline then refocused on domestic services between La Paz and the departments of Beni, Santa Cruz and Pando using solely Commandos.
Commando Operations
1966* to 1979*
Last edited: 25/04/2021