El Salvador's national carrier operates under one brand (TACA) with regional airlines operating in North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean. These include: TACA Peru, TACA (El Salvador), Aviateca (Guatemala), NICA (Nicaragua) and LACSA (Costa Rica).

Its proposed merger with Avianca has been pitched by both carriers as a cost-effective solution and one that will benefit the Latin American market by stimulating demand, improving connectivity and further expanding TACA's reach in the Americas.

Despite Avianca's larger 67% equity stake in TACA, both carriers see the tie-up as a "merger of equals, with both retaining their brands and TACA continuing to pursue its tri-hub strategy, which is focused on growing the route network from Lima, San Jose and El Salvador.

Fleet Strategy

TACA's fleet strategy is based on optimising aircraft allocation to meet specific market needs. Its current fleet is made up of 30 Airbus 319s, 320s and 321s, as well as eight Embraer E190 jets.

In addition, a fleet of 30 turboprops seating between 12 and 50 passengers operate on TACA REGIONAL services with close to 150 flights per day.

Route Network & Strategy

TACA currently flies to 41 destinations in 22 countries spanning North, Central and South America and the Caribbean, as well as serving nine of the largest cities in the US and Toronto, Canada.

TACA REGIONAL complements the airline's international route network, connecting Central America's larger markets to smaller leisure destinations and business centres.

Across its international network, TACA follows a multi-hub network strategy from three bases in San Salvador (El Salvador), San Jose, (Costa Rica) and Lima (Peru).

The carrier also holds code-sharing agreements with a range of airlines, including Lufthansa, Iberia, United, Avianca and Aerosur. On January 12 it began a codesharing arrangement with US Airways, allowing TACA to gain access to US Airways' markets in the US that are not directly served by the carrier, including feeder traffic from US Airways' hub in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Airline Requirements

TACA is actively researching the international marketplace and is seeking to expand its knowledge base of international destinations, which may be accessed with partnerships, or with its own fleet of aircraft.

The carrier wishes to receive the following information from airports:

• Origin and destination traffic levels and trends
• Percentage of traffic that originates at your airport vs traffic that is destined for your airport (originating vs non-originating)
• Local catchment area
• Market composition - business, leisure, visiting friends/relatives (VFR)

• Specifically for business-oriented destinations:
  • Locally based companies with significant travel
  • Other communities with which there are strong business links
• Specifically for leisure destinations:
  • Source of visitors - if US - based, where in the US?
  • Length-of-stay
  • Level of repeat visitors versus first-time visitors
  • Accommodations - hotel, condo, timeshare, etc.
  • Trends in accommodation mode - hotel, condo, timeshare growth
  • Booking mode - package market or airfare separate
• Specifically for VFR markets:
  • Location and details of large, ethnic, communities living abroad
  • Booking channel - Internet, travel agent, other
• Airport cost information:
  • Operational
  • Administrative
  • Incentive programmes
• Any other relevant information
  
• TACA is also happy to accept periodic reports produced by airports.

Further details of the TACA request for proposals(RFP) can ve viewed on Route Exchange. There are currently 89 carriers on Route Exchange requesting data and proposals for their aircraft.