ARCO (Aerolineas Colonia SA)

  1957 to Spring 1987

  Uruguay

TYPE: Airline

IATA/ICAO CODES: KO / AKO

HEADQUARTERS: Montevideo, Uruguay

FORMER NAME: Nil

SUBSEQUENT NAME: Nil

ARCO (Aerolineas Colonia SA) was a Uruguayan airline founded in 1957 as the air transportation arm of the ONDA bus company. Commercial operations began in 1964 after four Commandos were purchased from CAUSA. The airline's focus and only line was the Buenos Aires - Colonia del Sacramento route, only 56 km long across the Río de la Plata. Many services were flown daily, which resulted in a great commercial profitability. Colonia airport, located about 17 km from the city on route 1, was connected to ONDA's main offices in Montevideo at Plaza de Cagancha by a regular bus service. ARCO thus offered a much cheaper air service than those of competitors Pluna, Austral or Aerolineas Argentinas, which offered direct flights from Montevideo.

Three Convair 240s were purchased in the early 1970's to replace the aging Commandos. Those were later replaced by two turboprop Convair 600s, received in 1976 and 1981. Shortly thereafter, ARCO ran into financial difficulties, which led to its definitive cessation of operations in December 1986. In the spring of 1987 it declared bankruptcy. Parent company ONDA also began to have economic problems and, in June 1991, it ceased all its operations.

1964* to mid-1970's*

ARCO operated four Commandos in passenger configuration, purchased from CAUSA. They were retired in the mid-1970's when they were replaced by Convairs.

• Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando: CX-AZS
• Curtiss C-46F Commando: CX-AYR, CX-BAH, CX-BAM