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{{Short description|Defunct flag-carrier airline of Ecuador}}
{{About||the polyamine|1,1,1-Tris(aminomethyl)ethane|the fuel additive|Tertiary amyl methyl ether}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2009}}
{{original research|date=August 2025}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline = TAME
| logo = Logo of TAME.png
| logo_size = 175
| fleet_size = 5
| destinations = 16
| IATA = EQ
| ICAO = TAE
| callsign = TAME
| parent = Ecuadorian Government
| founded = December 17, 1962
| ceased = May 19, 2020
| headquarters = [[Quito]], [[Ecuador]]
| key_people = Fernando Guerrero ([[CEO]])
| subsidiaries = *TAME Amazonia
*TAME Xpress
| hubs = [[Mariscal Sucre International Airport]]
| focus_cities = [[José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport]]
| frequent_flyer = [http://www.tamemillas.com.ec TAME Millas]
| alliance = 
| website = {{URL|http://www.tame.com.ec}}
}}

'''TAME'''  or '''TAME EP Linea Aerea del Ecuador''' was an airline founded in Ecuador in 1962. TAME (pronounced "tah-meh") was the [[flag carrier]] and the largest airline of [[Ecuador]]. TAME headquarters were in [[Quito]], [[Pichincha Province]] and the main [[Airline hub|hub]] was [[Mariscal Sucre International Airport]] in [[Quito]]. The airline was formed by the Air Force of Ecuador. In 2011, it became a commercial entity and provided domestic, international and charter flights. On May 20, 2020, the Ecuadorean government decided to cease all operations and liquidate the airline.{{cn|date=June 2024}}

==History==
{{unreferenced section|date=August 2025}}
[[File:Douglas DC-6B FAE43266 TAM Ecuador MIA 170472 edited-2.jpg|thumb|TAME [[Douglas DC-6B]] at [[Miami]] in 1972]]
[[File:TAME Airbus A320 Ramirez.jpg|thumb|TAME [[Airbus A320]] with old livery at [[Quito]] in 2010]]
===Early years===
The military airline was founded on December 17, 1962, by Luis A. Ortega under Guillermo Freile Posso, both colonels. It was named '''Transportes Aéreos Militares Ecuatorianos (TAME)'''. At the time, the Air Force required an income source; governmental transport services to remote and difficult to reach parts of Ecuador; and an entity to train pilots. The airline gradually increased in size infrastructure and number of services.

On December 4, 1962, Luis A. Ortega, Hector Granja, Eduardo Sandoval, Alfredo Barreiro, Oswaldo Lara, Julio Espinosa, Teodoro Malo and Jose Montesinos made inaugural flights in the [[Douglas C-47]]. The pilots held the rank of major and [[noncommissioned officer]]s worked as flight attendants. The first commercial flight was made by Teodoro Malo on a route from [[Quito]], [[Esmeraldas, Ecuador|Esmeraldas]], [[Bahía]], [[Manta, Ecuador|Manta]], [[Guayaquil]], [[Cuenca, Ecuador|Cuenca]] and back to Quito. Initially, TAME made domestic flights using C-47 planes. Gradually, over the next two years, [[Douglas DC-3|DC-3]] and [[Douglas DC-6|DC-6]] planes were added and then in 1970, two [[Hawker Siddeley HS 748|HS-748 Avro]] were acquired.

On April 30, 1966, TAME began regular international flights to [[Havana]], [[Panama]] and [[Santiago de Chile]].

As its business grew, TAME purchased four [[Lockheed L-188 Electra]]s from Ecuatoriana de Aviación. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, TAME added three Boeing 727-100s. During the mid-1980s and up until 1992, Tame purchased four Boeing 727-200s. In 1986, three Fokker F28 Fellowship 4000s were added. In December 1998, TAME rented a Boeing 757-200.

In December 1992, the governments of Ecuador and Colombia signed the "Frontier Integration Agreement" establishing a Quito, Esmeraldas (Tachina), Cali, Esmeraldas (Tachina), Quito route. In 1995, TAME offered flights from Quito to [[Bogotá]] for [[Air France]] passengers.

===Development during the 2000s===
In 2000, TAME began a long process of fleet renewal beginning with the renting of two [[Airbus A320]]s. These planes were delivered at the European Corporation Assemble factory, [[Toulouse]] and were renewed in 2008. Also in 2000, the Boeing 727s were retired. TAME found the Embraer 170/190s suited the airline's needs. Over the next two years, two models of the 170 series and one of the 190 series were obtained. On August 25, 2008, one Airbus A319 was obtained and soon after the two Airbus A320s were replaced, completing the fleet renewal.

In 2011, Tame changed its legal status to a state-owned company, no longer under the administration of the [[Ecuadorian Air Force]].

In 2013, TAME incorporated its first and only [[Airbus A330-200]], formerly of Dubai’s [[Emirates (airline)|Emirates]], to cover flights to [[New York City]]. In addition, 3 [[Quest Kodiak]]s were incorporated for its subsidiary ''TAME Amazonía'' for the routes in the country's Amazon. 

On May 19, 2020, the Ecuadorean government decided to liquidate the airline and ceased all operations. The airline, which had been struggling for several years, claimed that its difficulties were compounded by the [[Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on aviation|impact]] of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].

==Logo==
[[File:TAME Línea Aérea del Ecuador logo (1962 - 2009).svg|thumb|TAME logo, 1962 to 2009]]

TAME's colours were blue, light blue, and gold as a decorative element. The original [[logo]], designed by Luis A. Ortega symbolized the flight of a bird with a sun in the background. In 2009, the airline was [[rebrand]]ed with a new logo and colour [[Color scheme|palette]].<ref>[https://aerospotter.blogspot.com/2009/08/tame-nuevo-avion-nueva-imagen.html Roll out: TAME Nuevo avion Nueva imagen] Accessed September 3, 2009.</ref>

==Destinations==
TAME's hub was in [[Quito]] at [[Mariscal Sucre International Airport]]. TAME flew internationally to [[Cali]] in [[Colombia]] as well as [[Fort Lauderdale]] and [[New York City|New York]] in the [[United States]]. The main destinations in [[Ecuador]] were [[Guayaquil]], [[Cuenca, Ecuador|Cuenca]], [[Manta, Ecuador|Manta]] and [[Esmeraldas, Ecuador|Esmeraldas]].{{citation needed|date=August 2025}}

===Codeshare agreements===
In 1997, TAME extended its international schedule through an agreement with [[EVA Air]] of [[Taiwan]]. On December 1, 2010, a [[codeshare]] agreement was made with [[Copa Airlines]].<ref>[http://www.eluniverso.com/2010/11/10/1/1356/tame-entra-mercado-panameno.html TAME enters the Panamanian market] El Universo company website. November 10, 2010. Accessed December 22, 2010. (In Spanish)</ref><ref>[https://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=es&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=es&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eluniverso.com%2F2010%2F11%2F10%2F1%2F1356%2Ftame-entra-mercado-panameno.html TAME enters the Panamanian market] El Universo company website. November 10, 2010. Accessed December 22, 2010 (in English)</ref>

==Fleet==
===Final fleet===
[[File:TAME Airbus A320 (HC-COE) at Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport.jpg|thumb|TAME [[Airbus A320-200]] wearing the airline's last color scheme.]]
As of March 2020, the TAME fleet comprised the following aircraft:<ref>{{cite journal|title=Global Airline Guide 2019 (Part One)|journal=Airliner World|issue=October 2019|page=13}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
|+ TAME fleet
|- 
!rowspan=2|Aircraft
!rowspan=2|In <br> service
!rowspan=2|Orders
!colspan=3|Passengers
!rowspan=2|Notes
|- style="background:#6495ED;"
!<abbr title="Business Class">J</abbr>
!<abbr title="Economy Class">Y</abbr>
!Total
|-
|[[Airbus A319-100]]
|1
|&mdash;
|10
|135
|145
|
|-
|[[Airbus A320-200]]
|1
|&mdash;
|12
|150
|162
|
|-
|[[ATR 42-500]]
|3
|&mdash;
|&ndash;
|50
|50
|
|-
!Total
!5
!&mdash;
!colspan=4|
|}

===Historical fleet===
Since its foundation, the airline's fleet has grown with the following aircraft:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aerobernie.bplaced.net/TAME.html|title=TAME fleet|website=aerobernie.bplaced.net|access-date=February 20, 2021}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
|+ TAME historical fleet
|- 
!Aircraft
!Total
!Introduced
!Retired
!Notes
|-
|[[Airbus A330-200]]
|1
|2013
|2019
|Former [[Emirates (airline)|Emirates]] aircraft
|-
|[[Beechcraft King Air|Beechcraft 200]]
|1
|1980
|1980
|
|-
|[[Boeing 727-100]]
|3
|1984
|2006
|One crashed as [[TAME Flight 120|Flight 120]]
|-
|[[Boeing 727-200]]
|6
|1990
|2009
|One crashed as [[Air France Flight 422|Flight 422]]
|-
|[[Boeing 737-200]]
|1
|1981
|1983
|[[1983 TAME 737-200 crash|Written off]]
|-
|[[Boeing 757-200]]
|1
|1999
|1999
|Leased from [[TAESA]]
|-
|[[de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo]]
|2
|1976
|1990
|
|-
|[[de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter]]
|6
|1975
|2011
|
|-
|[[Douglas C-47 Skytrain]]
|11
|1968
|1982
|
|-
|[[Douglas DC-3]]
|1
|1969
|{{unknown}}
|
|-
|[[Douglas DC-6B]]
|4
|1963
|1974
|
|-
|[[Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia]]
|2
|2007
|2016
|Leased from [[SAEREO]] <br> Operated by TAME Xpress
|-
|[[Embraer 170|Embraer 170LR]]
|2
|2006
|2015
|
|-
|[[Embraer 190AR]]
|5
|2006
|2019
|
|-
|[[Fokker F-28 Fellowship|Fokker F-28 Mk 4000]]
|3
|1985
|2009
|
|-
|[[Hawker Siddeley HS 748]]
|5
|1970
|2009
|
|-
|[[Lockheed L-188 Electra]]
|6
|1974
|1989
|Two used for spare parts
|-
|[[Daher Kodiak|Quest Kodiak 100]]
|3
|2013
|2020
|Leased from Air Amazonia<br>Operated by TAME Amazonía
|}

==Accidents and incidents==
{{more citations needed section|date=August 2025}}
*On September 6, 1969 twelve men and one woman, armed with machine guns, hijacked two TAME [[Douglas C-47]]s at Mariscal Sucre Airport. The hijackers shot and killed one crewman and wounded another. The hijackers told the passengers that the hijacking was in retaliation for the deaths of several students during anti-government rioting at the [[University of Guayaquil]] in May 1969. Both aircraft flew to [[Tumaco]], [[Colombia]] for refueling. One aircraft was left behind as the hijackers continued on to Panama's [[Tocumen International Airport]]. After a thirty-minute refueling stop, the aircraft continued to [[Kingston, Jamaica|Kingston]], [[Jamaica]]. After a 71-minute refueling stop, the plane left Kingston at 9 p.m., finally landing in [[Cuba]].<ref name=ASN060969a>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=1969096-3 Hijacking description] Aviation Safety Network. Accessed February 14, 2011.</ref><ref name=ASN060969b>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19690906-4 Hijacking description] Aviation Safety Network. Accessed  February 14, 2011.</ref>

*On January 20, 1976, A TAME [[Hawker Siddeley HS 748]] (registered HC-AUE) crashed while flying over mountainous terrain. The plane was flying at 10,000 feet then struck trees with its right wing, lost control and crashed into the side of a mountain. The plane was en route from [[Loja, Ecuador|Loja]] to [[Guayaquil]]'s [[José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport]]. Six crew members and 28 passengers died. There were eight survivors.

*On May 22, 1981, A TAME [[de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter]] (registered HC-BAX) crashed into a fog-shrouded mountain near [[Zumba]]. It was flying in formation with a Beech 200 (HC-BHG), which also crashed into the mountain. Fifteen passengers and three crew members on board died.

*On July 11, 1983, [[TAME Flight 173]], a Boeing 737-200 crashed while on final approach to [[Mariscal Lamar International Airport]] in [[Cuenca, Ecuador|Cuenca]]. The crash was caused by the crew's lack of training in the aircraft type. All 119 people on board were killed. This was the most lethal event in the history of Ecuadorian aviation.

*On November 20, 1984, A TAME [[de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter]] crashed into a hill while flying between [[Loja, Ecuador|Loja]] and [[Zumba, Ecuador|Zumba]]. Twelve passengers and two crew members died.

*On September 12, 1988, A TAME [[Lockheed L-188 Electra]] with registration HC-AZY took off from [[Lago Agrio]] airport on a ferry flight to Quito with the "number 2" engine inoperative. Immediately after takeoff, the "number 1" engine exploded causing the aircraft to veer left and crash. Six crew members and one passenger died.

*On April 20, 1998, [[Air France Flight 422]], a [[Boeing 727-200]] (registered HC-BSU), crashed into the "El Cable" cerro minutes after taking off from Bogota's [[El Dorado International Airport]] en route to [[Quito]]. In bad weather, the crew failed to execute proper departure procedures. Instead of turning, they flew in a straight line into the hill. Fifty-three passengers and crew members died.

*On January 28, 2002, [[TAME Flight 120]], a [[Boeing 727-100]] (registered HC-BLF), departed from [[Quito]] en route to [[Tulcán]]. Several minutes outside Tulcán, the control tower lost contact with the aircraft. The aeroplane collided with the [[Cumbal Volcano]] causing the death of all 94 passengers and crew. The crash occurred because the captain flew too fast into the final turn.

*On September 16, 2011, TAME Flight 148, an [[Embraer 190AR]] (registered HC-CEZ) departed from [[Loja Airport]]. On takeoff, the plane slid off the runway. All 97 passengers and 6 crew survived.

*On April 28, 2016, TAME Flight 173 from [[Quito]] landed at Cuenca airport in bad weather. The [[Embraer 190AR]] (registered HC-COX), slid off the runway. All 87 passengers and 6 crew survived.

==See also==
*[[Ecuatoriana de Aviación]]
*[[List of defunct airlines of Ecuador]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category inline|TAME}}
* [http://www.tame.com.ec/index.php?lang=en TAME]
* [http://www.tame.com.ec/ TAME] {{in lang|es}}
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20070115031852/http://www.tamevirtual.org/ TAME Virtual]}}
* [http://www.ch-aviation.ch/aircraft.php?search=set&airline=EQ&al_op=1 TAME Fleet]
* [http://www.laahs.com/artman/publish/article_112.shtml History of TAME's Electras]{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* [http://www.laahs.com/artman/publish/article_63.shtml History of TAME's Color Schemes]{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{Portalbar|Ecuador|Companies|Aviation}}
{{Airlines of Ecuador}}
{{Companies in Quito}}
{{IATA members|latinam}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tame}}
[[Category:TAME| ]]
[[Category:Defunct airlines of Ecuador]]
[[Category:Airlines established in 1962]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished in 2020]]
[[Category:1962 establishments in Ecuador]]
[[Category:2020 disestablishments in Ecuador]]
[[Category:Companies of Ecuador]]
[[Category:Ecuadorian brands]]
[[Category:Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association]]
[[Category:Military airlines]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished due to the COVID-19 pandemic]]