Venezolana Internacional de Aviación, Sociedad Anónima, also known as Viasa, was an airline based in Venezuela that began operations on November 21st, 1960. Viasa was considered one of the most important airlines in the world, being one of the symbols of Venezuelan aviation.
The company had its hub in Caracas, offering flights to the rest of the country and South America, Central America, Canada, the United States, Europe and some punctual routes to Africa and the Middle East.
Viasa’s intercontinental operations were carried out with Boeing 747, DC-8, DC-9 and DC-10 aircraft.
See also: #TBT: TAP flights between Portugal, Brazil and Argentina in 1972.
Schedule between Venezuela, Europe and Middle East in 1971 – Viasa
Amsterdam, Beirut, Frankfurt, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Milan, Paris and Rome were part of Viasa’s routes in Europe and the Middle East during the early 1970s.
DEPARTURES FROM VENEZUELA TO EUROPE AND MIDDLE EAST (Viasa)
- Tuesday and Thursday
To see all tables, place the mobile phone in a horizontal position
| Flight | From | ETD | To | ETA |
| VA 730 | Caracas | 16:30 | Madrid | 06:00 +1 |
| VA 730 | Madrid | 06:45 +1 | Paris | 08:50 +1 |
| VA 730 | Paris | 09:35 +1 | Amsterdam | 10:40 +1 |
- Wednesday
To see all tables, place the mobile phone in a horizontal position
| Flight | From | ETD | To | ETA |
| VA 720 | Caracas | 21:00 | Lisbon | 09:45 +1 |
| VA 720 | Lisbon | 10:30 +1 | Milan | 13:50 +1 |
| VA 720 | Milan | 14:35 +1 | Rome | 15:30 +1 |
- Friday
To see all tables, place the mobile phone in a horizontal position
| Flight | From | ETD | To | ETA |
| VA 728 | Caracas | 21:00 | Madrid | 10:30 +1 |
| VA 728 | Madrid | 11:15 +1 | Rome | 14:15 +1 |
| VA 728 | Rome | 15:00 +1 | Beirut | 17:55 +1 |
- Saturday
To see all tables, place the mobile phone in a horizontal position
| Flight | From | ETD | To | ETA |
| VA 710 | Caracas | 21:00 | Lisbon | 09:45 +1 |
| VA 710 | Lisbon | 10:30 +1 | Madrid | 11:30 +1 |
| VA 710 | Madrid | 12:15 +1 | London | 14:05 +1 |
| VA 710 | London | 14:50 +1 | Amsterdam | 15:45 +1 |
- Sunday
To see all tables, place the mobile phone in a horizontal position
| Flight | From | ETD | To | ETA |
| VA 722 | Caracas | 22:00 | Madrid | 11:30 +1 |
| VA 722 | Madrid | 12:15 +1 | Milan | 15:05 +1 |
| VA 722 | Milan | 15:50 +1 | Rome | 16:45 +1 |
| VA 722 | Rome | 17:30 +1 | Beirut | 20:25 +1 |
DEPARTUES TO VENEZUELA FROM EUROPE AND MIDDLE EAST (Viasa)
- Monday
To see all tables, place the mobile phone in a horizontal position
| Flight | From | ETD | To | ETA |
| VA 731 | Amsterdam | 09:30 | Paris | 10:35 |
| VA 731 | Paris | 11:20 | Madrid | 13:05 |
| VA 731 | Madrid | 13:50 | Caracas | 18:00 |
- Tuesday
To see all tables, place the mobile phone in a horizontal position
| Flight | From | ETD | To | ETA |
| VA 721 | Beirut | 08:00 | Rome | 11:15 |
| VA 721 | Rome | 12:00 | Milan | 13:00 |
| VA 721 | Milan | 13:45 | Lisbon | 15:20 |
| VA 721 | Lisbon | 16:05 | Caracas | 19:35 |
- Wednesday
To see all tables, place the mobile phone in a horizontal position
| Flight | From | ETD | To | ETA |
| VA 733 | Amsterdam | 12:30 | Paris | 13:35 |
| VA 733 | Paris | 14:20 | Madrid | 16:05 |
| VA 733 | Madrid | 16:50 | Caracas | 21:00 |
- Thursday
To see all tables, place the mobile phone in a horizontal position
| Flight | From | ETD | To | ETA |
| VA 723 | Rome | 22:10 | Milan | 23:10 |
| VA 723 | Milan | 23:55 | Madrid | 00:55 +1 |
| VA 723 | Madrid | 01:40 +1 | Caracas | 06:00 +1 |
- Friday
To see all tables, place the mobile phone in a horizontal position
| Flight | From | ETD | To | ETA |
| VA 711 | Amsterdam | 12:30 | London | 13:25 |
| VA 711 | London | 14:10 | Madrid | 16:05 |
| VA 711 | Madrid | 16:50 | Lisbon | 17:50 |
| VA 711 | Lisbon | 18:35 | Caracas | 22:05 |
- Sunday
To see all tables, place the mobile phone in a horizontal position
| Flight | From | ETD | To | ETA |
| VA 729 | Beirut | 08:00 | Rome | 11:15 |
| VA 729 | Rome | 12:00 | Madrid | 13:00 |
| VA 729 | Madrid | 13:45 | Caracas | 17:55 |
Total network
Due to high fuel costs and the drop in the number of passengers, Viasa went into debacle during the 1980s. The closure of one of the emblematic companies in Venezuelan history was in the 1990’s with a controversial privatization when it was bought by Iberia, finally ceasing flights on January the 23rd, 1997.
Over the 37 years of operations, Viasa had the following aircraft in its fleet:
- Airbus A300: 4
- Boeing 747-100: 1
- Boeing 747-200: 3
- Caravelle: 1
- Boeing 727-200: 5
- Convair 880-22M-3: 3
- DC-8: 14
- DC-9: 3
- McDonnell Douglas MD-80: 3
- DC-10: 9
Source
- Airline Timetable Images (departures from CCS).
- Airline Timetable Images (departures to CCS).
- La Venciclopedia.
See also: #TBT: Iraqi Airways’ flights between Iraq, Portugal and Brazil in 1980.
VIASA, una gran linea aérea formada con tezon y orgullo por venezolanos que aceptaron orgullososuh la asasesoría de personal de PANAN, KLM, AIRFRANCE Y SWISE AIR, y desarrollaron una empresa productiva con oficinas en las principales capitales del mundo coordinadas logisticamente desde su sede en Caracas Df con un directorio empresarial patriótico empeñado en conseguir llevar la imagen de VENEZUELA AL MUNDO COMO EL TESORO MEJOR GUARDADO DEL CARIBE. La elite de profesionales pilotos formados fue de un valor que aun perdura, asi como la mistica de los recursos humanos de mantenimiento formados en la empresa KLM quien brindl un desinterezado apoyo al logro de sus objetivos y metas. Desafortunadamente un grupo xe poligiqueros roñosos y corruptos se posesionaron de la junta directiva y nombraron como gerentes a personal divlrciado de la mística de la aeronáutica Civil y convirtieron los acuerdos de cooperación con la McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Co. y con KLM, en acuerdos de corruptelas que favorecieron a AVENSA y AEROPOSTAL por un lado en la formación de personal técnico para AVENSA sin pagar un céntimo. Ello auspiciado por esos pplotiqueros corruptos que se beneficiaban de la compra de las aeronaves y repuestos de VIASA y la tergiversación de los acuerdos de cooperación. Con la llegada de un disque economista a CORDIPLAN «Teodoro P» en el gobierno de RCaldera auspiciador de zambo de sabaneta, se termino de ir a pique VIASA, que la precursora del auge turistico hacia VENEZUELA. AHERNANDEZ Ing en Aeronáutica.