TAME
Former flag carrier and state-owned airline of Ecuador.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
TAME, formally known as TAME EP Línea Aérea del Ecuador and originally named Transportes Aéreos Militares Ecuatorianos, was Ecuador’s former flag carrier. It was established in 1962 by the Ecuadorian Air Force to provide air links to remote parts of the country, generate revenue for military aviation, and train pilots and other aviation personnel. The airline began with Douglas C-47 operations and gradually developed a nationwide network connecting Quito with cities including Guayaquil, Cuenca, Loja, Manta, Esmeraldas, and other communities that were difficult to reach by road. TAME expanded beyond its military origins during the 1960s. Regular international services began in 1966, initially linking Ecuador with destinations such as Havana, Panama, and Santiago de Chile. Over subsequent decades, the carrier operated a succession of turboprops and jet aircraft, including Douglas DC-3 and DC-6 aircraft, Hawker Siddeley HS 748s, Lockheed L-188 Electras, Boeing 727s, Fokker F28s, a Boeing 757, Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft, and Embraer 170 and 190 regional jets. Its fleet strategy reflected the geography of Ecuador: larger aircraft served principal domestic and international routes, while smaller aircraft were used for thinner regional services. The airline also supported Ecuador’s international connectivity through cooperation with foreign carriers. It entered an agreement with EVA Air in 1997 and later signed a codeshare agreement with Copa Airlines in 2010. TAME’s international network at different times included cities in Colombia and the United States, including Cali, Fort Lauderdale, and New York. Quito’s Mariscal Sucre International Airport served as its principal hub. In 2011, TAME’s legal and organizational status changed from an airline administered by the Ecuadorian Air Force to a state-owned commercial enterprise. This transition was intended to give the airline a more conventional business structure while retaining its public-service role. In 2013, TAME introduced an Airbus A330-200, formerly operated by Emirates, for long-haul service to New York. Its subsidiary TAME Amazonía also used Quest Kodiak aircraft on routes serving communities in Ecuador’s Amazon region. TAME was affected by years of financial and operational difficulties. The pressure increased sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted air travel and weakened already fragile airline finances. In May 2020, the Ecuadorian government announced that TAME would cease operations and enter liquidation. The airline consequently became one of Ecuador’s defunct national carriers. Its history remains closely associated with the development of Ecuador’s domestic aviation system, public-service air transport, and the country’s efforts to maintain links between Quito and geographically isolated communities.
History
TAME was created on December 17, 1962, as the Ecuadorian Air Force’s air-transport arm. Its establishment served several public and military objectives: providing a source of income for the Air Force, offering government transport to remote Ecuadorian communities, and creating a practical environment for pilot training. The airline’s early operations were conducted with Douglas C-47 aircraft. Initial services connected Quito with a number of coastal and highland cities, creating an air corridor across regions where road infrastructure was limited. During its first years, TAME expanded its aircraft inventory and service coverage. Douglas DC-3 and DC-6 aircraft were added, followed by Hawker Siddeley HS 748 turboprops in 1970. The airline began scheduled international services in April 1966, initially serving Havana, Panama, and Santiago de Chile. As the company developed, it acquired Lockheed L-188 Electras from Ecuatoriana de Aviación and later introduced Boeing 727-100 and 727-200 aircraft. Fokker F28 Fellowship aircraft were added in the 1980s, and the airline leased a Boeing 757-200 in the late 1990s. TAME’s international role developed through both its own routes and partnerships. In the 1990s, Ecuador and Colombia established a frontier-integration air route linking Quito, Esmeraldas, and Cali. TAME also provided Quito–Bogotá service for Air France passengers in the mid-1990s. A cooperation arrangement with EVA Air in 1997 further extended its international schedule, while a codeshare agreement with Copa Airlines in 2010 gave the airline access to a broader connecting network. A fleet modernization program began around 2000. The airline leased Airbus A320-family aircraft and retired its Boeing 727s. It subsequently selected Embraer 170 and 190 aircraft for routes where smaller jets were more suitable, while an Airbus A319 became part of the renewed fleet. This modernization changed TAME from a predominantly older-generation jet and turboprop operator into a mixed fleet airline centered on Airbus and Embraer equipment. The company underwent an important institutional change in 2011, when it ceased to operate as an Air Force-administered organization and became a state-owned commercial company. The change preserved its national-carrier identity but placed the airline within a more explicitly commercial framework. In 2013, TAME introduced its only Airbus A330-200, acquired from Emirates, to operate long-haul flights to New York. At the regional level, TAME Amazonía used Quest Kodiak aircraft to provide service to communities in Ecuador’s Amazon basin. TAME’s history also included serious aviation accidents. A 1976 HS 748 crash in mountainous terrain killed 34 people. A 1981 Twin Otter accident near Zumba killed 18 people, and another Twin Otter crash in 1984 killed 14. The 1983 crash of TAME Flight 173 near Cuenca killed all 119 people aboard and became the deadliest accident in Ecuadorian aviation history. In 1988, a Lockheed Electra crashed after an engine failure during a ferry flight from Lago Agrio, killing seven people. In 2002, TAME Flight 120 struck Cumbal Volcano near Tulcán, killing all 94 occupants. Later runway accidents in 2011 and 2016 did not result in fatalities. By the late 2010s, TAME was facing persistent financial and operational problems. The COVID-19 pandemic added a severe reduction in passenger demand and international aviation activity. In May 2020, the Ecuadorian government announced that the airline would cease operations and enter liquidation. TAME therefore ended nearly six decades of service. Its legacy is that of a state-supported carrier that helped integrate Ecuador’s major cities and remote regions, while also reflecting the financial and managerial challenges often faced by public airlines operating both commercial and social-service routes.
- 2020
Operations cease and liquidation begins
[1]The Ecuadorian government ends TAME’s operations and orders its liquidation amid longstanding difficulties and the COVID-19 crisis.
- 2013
Airbus A330 joins the fleet
[1]TAME adds an Airbus A330-200 to support service to New York.
- 2011
TAME becomes a state-owned company
[1]The airline changes its legal status and leaves direct administration by the Ecuadorian Air Force.
- 2009
Brand identity is redesigned
[1]TAME introduces a new logo and color palette while retaining blue, light blue, and gold as core identity colors.
- 2000
Fleet renewal begins
[1]TAME begins replacing older aircraft with Airbus A320-family aircraft and later adds Embraer regional jets.
- 1970
HS 748 aircraft enter service
[1]The airline adds Hawker Siddeley HS 748 turboprops as it expands domestic capacity.
- 1966
Regular international flights begin
[1]TAME starts scheduled international services to destinations including Havana, Panama, and Santiago de Chile.
- 1962
TAME is established
[1]The Ecuadorian Air Force establishes Transportes Aéreos Militares Ecuatorianos to support national transport, pilot training, and service to remote communities.
Products and positioning
Ecuador’s state-backed flag carrier and national connectivity provider, combining scheduled passenger services with regional and public-service aviation.
Passenger aviation · 1962
Domestic scheduled passenger services
TAME’s core offering was scheduled domestic air travel connecting Quito with Ecuador’s principal coastal and highland cities, including Guayaquil, Cuenca, Manta, Esmeraldas, Loja, and other regional destinations. These services supported both conventional commercial travel and Ecuador’s broader public-service objective of linking communities separated by difficult terrain and limited surface transport.
Passenger aviation · 1966
International passenger services
Beginning in 1966, TAME operated international flights at different times to Latin American destinations and the United States. Its international network included Cali, Fort Lauderdale, and New York, with the exact route structure changing over the airline’s history. Partnerships with EVA Air, Copa Airlines, and other carriers helped extend its effective international reach.
Air transport
Charter and cargo operations
In addition to scheduled passenger flights, TAME provided charter and cargo-related air transport. These activities complemented its national-carrier role and allowed the airline to use its fleet for government, commercial, and special-purpose transportation beyond the regular timetable.
Regional aviation · 2013
TAME Amazonía regional services
TAME Amazonía served communities in Ecuador’s Amazon region with smaller aircraft, including Quest Kodiaks. The subsidiary reflected TAME’s public-service mission by operating routes for which larger mainline aircraft would not have been economically or operationally suitable.
Marketing campaigns
- 2013New York long-haul expansion
Ecuador · United States
TAME introduced an Airbus A330-200 to support long-haul service between Ecuador and New York.
Outcome. The aircraft provided TAME with a larger long-haul platform, but the international expansion did not prevent the airline’s later financial decline.
- 2009TAME brand redesign
Ecuador · International
TAME introduced a redesigned visual identity with a new logo and revised color treatment. The identity retained the brand’s association with blue, light blue, and gold while presenting the airline as a modern commercial carrier.
Outcome. The rebrand accompanied the airline’s fleet modernization and commercial repositioning, although TAME ultimately ceased operations in 2020.
Brand decisions
2020
Cease operations and liquidate the airlineOtherBackground
TAME had experienced financial problems for several years, and the COVID-19 pandemic sharply reduced air travel and intensified its difficulties.
Action taken
The Ecuadorian government decided to stop TAME’s operations and place the airline into liquidation.
Aftermath
TAME ceased to operate and became a defunct Ecuadorian airline.
2013
Add Airbus A330-200 for New York serviceProduct launchBackground
TAME sought a larger aircraft for long-haul international operations.
Action taken
The carrier incorporated an Airbus A330-200 previously operated by Emirates and used it for flights to New York.
Aftermath
The move expanded TAME’s long-haul capability but represented a limited wide-body initiative rather than a broad fleet transformation.
2011
Convert TAME into a state-owned commercial enterpriseStrategyBackground
TAME had historically operated under the administration of the Ecuadorian Air Force and was being repositioned to function more like a commercial airline.
Action taken
The airline changed its legal status and became a state-owned company outside direct Air Force administration.
Aftermath
TAME retained its national-carrier and public-connectivity role while operating under a more conventional commercial structure.
2000
Begin Airbus and Embraer fleet modernizationGeneration changeBackground
TAME needed to replace aging Boeing 727s and other earlier-generation aircraft while matching aircraft size to Ecuador’s domestic and international route structure.
Action taken
The airline leased Airbus A320-family aircraft, retired its Boeing 727s, and subsequently added Embraer 170 and 190 aircraft for regional operations.
Aftermath
The modernization produced a more contemporary mixed fleet centered on Airbus and Embraer aircraft.
Recent events
- 2020
TAME announces cessation of operations and liquidation[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
The Ecuadorian government decided to end TAME’s operations and liquidate the airline after years of financial difficulty, compounded by the COVID-19 aviation crisis.
- 2016
TAME Flight 173 overruns Cuenca runway[1]
Other
An Embraer 190 slid off the runway after landing at Cuenca in poor weather. Everyone aboard survived.
- 2013
TAME introduces Airbus A330 service[1]
Product launch · Product generation
The airline added an Airbus A330-200, previously operated by Emirates, to support long-haul service to New York.
- 2011
TAME becomes a state-owned commercial company[1]
Leadership change
TAME changed from an airline administered by the Ecuadorian Air Force into a state-owned commercial enterprise.
- 2011
TAME Flight 148 overruns Loja runway[1]
Other
An Embraer 190 slid off the runway during takeoff from Loja. All passengers and crew survived.
- 2010
TAME signs codeshare agreement with Copa Airlines[1]
Other
The agreement expanded TAME’s international distribution and connecting-flight opportunities through Copa Airlines.
- 2002
TAME Flight 120 crashes on approach to Tulcán[1]
Other
A Boeing 727 operating TAME Flight 120 collided with Cumbal Volcano near the Colombian border, killing all 94 passengers and crew.
- 2000
TAME begins major fleet renewal[1]
Product generation
The carrier started replacing older aircraft with Airbus A320-family aircraft and later adopted Embraer regional jets for its network.
- 1997
TAME signs cooperation agreement with EVA Air[1]
Other
An agreement with EVA Air helped extend TAME’s international schedule and connectivity.
- 1983
TAME Flight 173 crashes near Cuenca[1]
Other
A TAME Boeing 737-200 crashed during final approach to Cuenca’s Mariscal Lamar Airport. All 119 people aboard died; the accident was associated with inadequate crew training on the aircraft type.
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