Soledad International Airport


Soledad International Airport was the main airport of Barranquilla, Colombia from 1936 to 1981 when it was replaced by Ernesto Cortissoz International Airport. It was the main international hub in the country from 1936 to 1959.

History

In the early 1930s, the airline SCADTA based its main hub at the Airport of Veranillo which was a seaplane port on the Magdalena River and had been operating since 1919. The airline operated several Fokker Universals and Sikorsky S-38s from the main terminal at the seaplane port to many different parts of Colombia. It had also been an important stopover for the airline Pan American World Airways since 1929. Operating Sikorsky S-42s to parts of Panama and Venezuela. However, during this time period SCADTA was expanding its fleet to land-based aircraft, such as Ford Trimotors and Boeing 247s and the current seaplane terminal could not accommodate the new aircraft. In response to this, a new airport was planned by SCADTA to replace the seaplane terminal. When it eventually opened, the old seaplane port as sold to the National government to be used as a port for the Colombian Navy.
The new aerodrome opened in 1936, located in the municipality of Soledad, Atlántico. Thus, it was named "Soledad International Airport". The airport included, a short paved runway, an office building, and a small terminal. The two airlines operating from the airport mainly used Boeing 247s and DC-2s. By 1937, the airport was already busy, and there were too little facilities to deal with the new aircraft. In response to this, the airport's first hangar opened in 1938. DC-3s were gaining in popularity at the time and in 1939 SCADTA finally acquired some. Pan Am also started flying DC-3s to the airport, and by the beginning of 1940, it became the first major hub in the nation.
By the summer of 1940, SCATDA had changed to Avianca, and Barranquilla became its first major hub.

Historical Airlines and Destinations

Passenger

Cargo

Accidents and incidents