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VASP (Viacao Aerea Sao Paulo)

Operator Identification

  November 1933 to January 2005

  Brazil

TYPE: Airline

IATA/ICAO CODES: VP / VSP

HEADQUARTERS: Sao Paulo, Brazil

FORMER NAME: Nil

SUBSEQUENT NAME: Nil

Operator History

VASP was established on 4 November 1933 by the state government of Sao Paulo and started operations in 1934. Back then, it was the first airline to serve the interior of the state of Sao Paulo and the only carrier to operate with land planes in the area. To remedy the lack of adequate non-coastal airports, many landing strips were improvised in flat pastures. This insistence on using only land planes led to the building in 1936 of one of the country’s most important airports, Sao Paulo Congonhas, known in its early years as Campo da VASP ("VASP's airfield").

In 1962, VASP became a national airline when it acquired Loide Aereo Nacional, and with it a license to operate nationwide.

On 6 July 1959, VASP, Cruzeiro do Sul and Varig initiated an air shuttle services between Rio de Janeiro Santos Dumont and Sao Paulo Congonhas, the first of its kind in the world. The three airlines coordinated their schedules, operations, and shared revenue. This service was a direct response to the competition imposed by Real Transportes Aereos. In a matter of a few months, the shuttle service led by Varig won the battle against Real, which ended up being bought by Varig in 1961. Sadia Transportes Aereos joined the shuttle service in 1968.

Although it had been remarkably well-run for most of its life as a state-owned company, VASP began to decline in the 1980's. Despite a privatization in 1990, the airline continued to lose money and ceased operations on 27 January 2005.

Commando Operations

February 1962* to September 1973

Commandos Operated

Last edited: 25/04/2021