Puertorriqueña de Aviación
Encyclopedia
Puertorriqueña de Aviación, previously known as Aerovías Nacionales de Puerto Rico
(alternatively known as AMPRI) was an airline
company that operated during the 1930s. It was the first documented attempt by Puerto Ricans to have a flag carrier in the United States
territory.
to start commercial airline flights around the Caribbean
.
AMPRI started flights from San Juan
to Vieques
, St. Thomas
, St. Croix and Culebra
. These flights allegedly took off from Residencial Las Casas
, which at the time was a military base and was the place where the first Puerto Rican pilot, Félix Rigau Carrera
, took off on his first flight as a pilot. The hydroplane that Aerovías Nacionales used was named "Kofresi", after the famous pirate, Roberto Cofresi
.
1937 was an important year for the airline, as the company tried to get air mail contracts. The company struggled in its attempt at getting proper authorization to use postage stamps as a way to suffrage their air mail transports. On April 27, however, Aerovías Nacionales got permission to proceed with the charge of stamps, and by April 28, customers had to pay shipping of goods on Aerovías Nacionales. Costs for shipping were 3 cents on inter island flights and 10 cents on other flights. In 1938, Aerovías Nacionales began issuing their own logo-stamps, which cost 5 cents each. These were used as tax
payments, therefore the range of air-mail shipping costs on Aerovías Nacionales rose to 8 cents for inter island flights and 15 cents for flights to other Caribbean spots.
By then, Dennis Powelson, who was a company pilot for the famed Don Q
Puerto Rican rum brand, had established his own airline, Powelson Airlines. The Airline would provide Aerovías Nacionales with stiff competition; from May 15 to May 21 of 1938, the USPS organized a race between the two airlines in order to give the winning airline air mail routes. Aerovías Nacionales' airplane was not able to perform its duty and Felix Juan Serralles, who took off from Mercedita Airport
in Ponce
, won the race for the Powelson Airlines.
On March 22, 1941, a second set of stamps to be used by package senders on Aerovías Nacionales was issued. The total number of different Aerovías Nacionales stamps released in 1941 was eight. Currently, Aerovías Nacionales de Puerto Rico stamps are considered to be collector's items because of the scarcity of such stamps.
and Cubana de Aviación
were experiencing elsewhere in Latin America
, tried to change the airline's name to Puertorriqueña de Aviación, with the United States government ruling against the name change because of their understanding that since Puerto Rico is a territory, it shouldn't have an airline that could be perceived as a flag carrier
. Those rumors also suggest that the Basso brothers took their case to court, where they would have experienced an adverse decision and lost all of their money trying to win the case.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
(alternatively known as AMPRI) was an airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
company that operated during the 1930s. It was the first documented attempt by Puerto Ricans to have a flag carrier in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
territory.
History
In 1936, brothers Horacio and Narciso Basso acquired a hydroplaneSeaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
to start commercial airline flights around the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
.
AMPRI started flights from San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
to Vieques
Vieques, Puerto Rico
Vieques , in full Isla de Vieques, is an island–municipality of Puerto Rico in the northeastern Caribbean, part of an island grouping sometimes known as the Spanish Virgin Islands...
, St. Thomas
Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea and with the islands of Saint John, Saint Croix, and Water Island a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. Located on the island is the territorial capital and port of...
, St. Croix and Culebra
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Isla Culebra is an island-municipality of Puerto Rico originally called Isla Pasaje and Isla de San Ildefonso. It is located approximately east of the Puerto Rican mainland, west of St. Thomas and north of Vieques. Culebra is spread over 5 wards and Culebra Pueblo...
. These flights allegedly took off from Residencial Las Casas
Residencial Las Casas
Residencial Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas, more commonly known as Residencial Las Casas or Las Casas, is a public housing complex located in San Juan, Puerto Rico consisting of 417 housing units. It is under the management of the Puerto Rico Housing Authority and is under the federal housing program...
, which at the time was a military base and was the place where the first Puerto Rican pilot, Félix Rigau Carrera
Felix Rigau Carrera
First Lieutenant Félix Rigau Carrera , known as "El Águila de Sabana Grande" , was the first Puerto Rican pilot and the first Hispanic fighter pilot in the United States Marine Corps...
, took off on his first flight as a pilot. The hydroplane that Aerovías Nacionales used was named "Kofresi", after the famous pirate, Roberto Cofresi
Roberto Cofresí
Roberto Cofresí , better known as "El Pirata Cofresí", was the most renowned pirate in Puerto Rico. He became interested in sailing at a young age. By the time he reached adulthood there were some political and economic difficulties in Puerto Rico, which at the time was a colony of Spain...
.
1937 was an important year for the airline, as the company tried to get air mail contracts. The company struggled in its attempt at getting proper authorization to use postage stamps as a way to suffrage their air mail transports. On April 27, however, Aerovías Nacionales got permission to proceed with the charge of stamps, and by April 28, customers had to pay shipping of goods on Aerovías Nacionales. Costs for shipping were 3 cents on inter island flights and 10 cents on other flights. In 1938, Aerovías Nacionales began issuing their own logo-stamps, which cost 5 cents each. These were used as tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
payments, therefore the range of air-mail shipping costs on Aerovías Nacionales rose to 8 cents for inter island flights and 15 cents for flights to other Caribbean spots.
By then, Dennis Powelson, who was a company pilot for the famed Don Q
Don Q
Don Q is a Puerto Rican rum, distilled, manufactured, bottled, and distributed by Destilería Serrallés from its corporate facility in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Don Q is the top-selling rum in Puerto Rico, where over 70% of the rum consumed in the United States is produced. The rum is named after Don...
Puerto Rican rum brand, had established his own airline, Powelson Airlines. The Airline would provide Aerovías Nacionales with stiff competition; from May 15 to May 21 of 1938, the USPS organized a race between the two airlines in order to give the winning airline air mail routes. Aerovías Nacionales' airplane was not able to perform its duty and Felix Juan Serralles, who took off from Mercedita Airport
Mercedita Airport
Mercedita Airport is a commercial airport located three miles east of the central business district of Ponce, Puerto Rico. The airport covers and has one runway. Passenger movement at the airport in FY 2008 was 278,911, an astounding 1,228% increase over fiscal year 2003 and the highest of all...
in Ponce
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
, won the race for the Powelson Airlines.
On March 22, 1941, a second set of stamps to be used by package senders on Aerovías Nacionales was issued. The total number of different Aerovías Nacionales stamps released in 1941 was eight. Currently, Aerovías Nacionales de Puerto Rico stamps are considered to be collector's items because of the scarcity of such stamps.
Demise
While the exact reason that Aerovías Nacionales de Puerto Rico closed operations remains unknown, it is rumored that the Basso brothers, inspired by the success that MexicanaMexicana de Aviación
Founded in 1921, Compañía Mexicana de Aviación, S.A. de C.V. was Mexico's oldest airline, before ceasing operations on August 28, 2010. The group's closure was announced by the company's recently installed management team a short time after the group filed for Concurso Mercantil and US Chapter 15...
and Cubana de Aviación
Cubana de Aviación
Cubana de Aviación S.A., commonly known as Cubana, is Cuba's largest airline and flag carrier. The airline was founded on 8 October 1929, and has its corporate headquarters in Havana. Its main base is at José Martí International Airport...
were experiencing elsewhere in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, tried to change the airline's name to Puertorriqueña de Aviación, with the United States government ruling against the name change because of their understanding that since Puerto Rico is a territory, it shouldn't have an airline that could be perceived as a flag carrier
Flag carrier
A flag carrier is a transportation company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given country, enjoys preferential rights or privileges, accorded by the government, for international operations. It may be a state-run, state-owned or private but...
. Those rumors also suggest that the Basso brothers took their case to court, where they would have experienced an adverse decision and lost all of their money trying to win the case.
Destinations
- Culebra, Puerto RicoCulebra, Puerto RicoIsla Culebra is an island-municipality of Puerto Rico originally called Isla Pasaje and Isla de San Ildefonso. It is located approximately east of the Puerto Rican mainland, west of St. Thomas and north of Vieques. Culebra is spread over 5 wards and Culebra Pueblo...
- St. Croix, USVI
- St. Thomas, USVI
- Vieques, Puerto RicoVieques, Puerto RicoVieques , in full Isla de Vieques, is an island–municipality of Puerto Rico in the northeastern Caribbean, part of an island grouping sometimes known as the Spanish Virgin Islands...