South American carrier launches charter service to Lima, Santiago and Bogota Miami, FL -  On August 16, Miami International Airport welcomed its latest international cargo airline – South American airline Trans American Airlines, S.A. (TACA Peru). The airline, part of Avianca Holdings S.A., will operate four weekly scheduled freighter flights with Airbus A330-200F aircraft between MIA and five South American cities with service to Lima, Santiago, Bogota, Medellin and Buenos Aires. TACA Peru is the second airline to begin all-cargo service at MIA this year, and the fifth since January 2016: In February, Qatar Airways launched two weekly cargo flights to Doha, with stops in Luxembourg, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Quito, and Liege; Mexican freighter airline AeroUnion began two weekly flights to Mexico City and Mérida last December; U.S. freighter airline Northern Air Cargo launched four weekly charter cargo flights to San Juan, Saint Martin, Santo Domingo and Port-au-Prince last November; and U.S. carrier 21 Air began six weekly frequencies between MIA and Bogotá, and two weekly flights on a triangular route between MIA, Panama City and Guatemala City, also last November; and Canadian airline KF Cargo launched six weekly charter freight flights to Bogota, Caracas and Lima last April. Thanks to growth by new and existing passenger/cargo airlines at MIA since January, freight tonnage at MIA is up 4.8 percent so far this year. “TACA Peru’s Miami launch will add to the significant growth trend we are experiencing in both international and domestic cargo traffic,” said Miami-Dade Aviation Director Emilio T. González. “With more all-cargo airlines expected to begin service in 2017, we look forward to shattering our record from last year and strengthening our position as America’s busiest international freight airport.” Avianca Holdings S.A. also includes Aerovías del Continente Americano S.A. Avianca (Avianca),  Tampa Cargo S.A incorporated in Colombia, Aerolíneas Galápagos S.A Aerogal incorporated in Ecuador, and the companies of the TACA Group: TACA Internacional Airlines S.A, incorporated in El Salvador; Líneas Aéreas Costarricenses S.A, LACSA, incorporated in Costa Rica; Trans American Airlines S.A. incorporated in Peru; Servicios Aéreos Nacionales S.A, SANSA incorporated in Costa Rica; Aerotaxis La Costeña S.A, incorporated in Nicaragua; Isleña de Inversiones C.A. de C.V. ISLEÑA incorporated in Honduras; and Aviateca S.A. incorporated in Guatemala. In addition to new all-cargo airlines, MIA is receiving significant infrastructure improvements as well. In 2016, the Miami-Dade Aviation Department (MDAD) launched a multi-million dollar facility improvement program at MIA that includes new surveillance cameras and lighting throughout the airport’s cargo area to enhance its security monitoring, situational awareness, crime deterrence, and overall safety of MIA and cargo partner property. MDAD has also completed the planning phase for MIA’s Cargo Optimization, Redevelopment and Expansion (CORE) Program - a long-term concept to modernize the airport’s existing cargo operation and double its capacity.