Susana Estrada does not mince her words.
     Straightforward and direct, Susana is the Director Cargo Systemwide for TAME, an airline with daily A330 flights from JFK to Quito, Ecuador, and A330 dailies from Ft. Lauderdale to Ecuador and beyond, interconnecting 800 flights to 32 destinations in South America.
     She says, “The driver in the creation of our airline was the need to connect the most remote regions of Ecuador, where communication channels were minimal or nonexistent.
     “Furthermore TAME also is the result of the need for an official Ecuadorian Airline and to achieve high standards of quality and services in the commercial aviation arena in South America, using the training skills of Air Force pilots..”

Enter Ortega

     “Colonel Luis A. Ortega wrote the first plan, including the organizational outline, operation costs, routes, and objectives to propose the creation of an Ecuadorian Air Force airline.
     “The Colonel’s proposal had the complete support of the Commanding General of the Ecuadorian Air Force, Colonel Guillermo Freile Posso, who gave the authorization to go ahead with the creation of TAME.
     “As Colonel Ortega told reporters:
     “‘Our goals have always been ambitious, we want to work with energy and dedication in order to place TAME as the most important airline in Ecuador.’”

The Road To Cargo

      Armed with the plan, financing, and airplanes, the new airline moved quickly to get into the air cargo business and went first class hiring Susana.
      Susana Estrada left her post at Swissport and moved in June 2015 to the top cargo spot at TAME.
      Prior to her stint at Swissport, Susana was a key executive at GSA Primeair, handling Centurion, Arrow Air, Atlas, and Polar.
      An alumnus of KLM/Martinair, Susana counts her experience in all facets of the industry—airline, ground handler, and GSA.
      “Susana brings professionalism and sense of the future to an exciting and very promising enterprise,” said my dearly beloved friend, Antonio Munoz, who now serves as TAME Cargo Administrator for Florida.
      “The best is yet to come,” Tony assures.
Geoffrey