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For over six decades, SATENA Airline has been an enduring symbol of connectivity and accessibility across Colombia. Founded in 1962 and operated by the Colombian Air Force, SATENA has built its reputation as a vital link between remote, underserved communities and the rest of the nation. Its deep-rooted commitment to social responsibility, inclusivity, and regional connectivity has made SATENA not only an airline but an engine of economic and social development across Colombia.
Today, SATENA operates a growing network of routes, serving remote areas of the Amazon, Orinoco, and Pacific regions, ensuring that countless communities have access to medical, educational, and economic opportunities. Under the visionary leadership of MG. Oscar Zuluaga Castaño, SATENA has embraced operational efficiency, digitalization, and service excellence, solidifying its role as the Leader in Enhancing Accessibility in Colombian Air Travel.
In 2024, SATENA was honored with the prestigious award for “Leader in Enhancing Accessibility in Colombian Air Travel – Colombia, 2024” by the Global Brand Frontier Awards 2025 conducted by Boston Brand Research & Media. This recognition celebrates SATENA’s unwavering focus on serving remote communities, providing safe and affordable air connectivity, and advancing the role of air travel in supporting national development.
In this exclusive conversation, MG. Oscar Zuluaga Castaño reflects on SATENA’s rich heritage, its role as a catalyst for inclusion and accessibility in Colombia, and its ambitious future plans to further expand its vital connectivity services across the nation.
Rta. MG. Oscar Zuluaga: Since 1962, when then-President Alberto Lleras Camargo signed Decree 940 on April 12, the birth of SATENA – Air Service to National Territories was officially established. Since then, the airline has developed a special mission: providing air connectivity to the most remote areas of the country, to those regions that no one else can reach for commercial reasons, infrastructure limitations, or simply financial infeasibility.
Today, after 63 years of history, that mission remains intact. SATENA connects 27 of Colombia's 32 departments, uniting the north with the south and the east with the west of the national territory. Despite the passage of time, many of these regions still face serious access difficulties due to poor road conditions, adverse topographic conditions, security challenges, and economic limitations. Therefore, SATENA continues to be the only alternative for connectivity and state presence in many of these territories.
Rta MG. Oscar Zuluaga: Being able to reach the most remote regions of the country, where the social purpose is the sole objective and there are no commercial conditions that define the destination of the operation, is what makes SATENA profoundly different from any other airline. Instead of favoring profitable routes, the priority is to provide real opportunities to communities living in historically excluded territories, so they can connect with their economic centers, their departmental capitals, and regions that offer opportunities for trade, development, and infrastructure.
That is precisely the essence of SATENA: an air service with a social purpose, designed by the State to guarantee inclusion, equity, and institutional presence. Beyond the financial or commercial results that operations in these areas may generate, what truly prevails is the social impact it represents for thousands of Colombians.
Today, reaching these territories not only makes a logistical difference, but also has a multiplier effect in terms of regional development: for every peso invested in SATENA, almost three pesos are generated in direct benefits for the communities, translated into employment, economic growth, tourism, and well-being.
Rta MG. Oscar Zuluaga: Undoubtedly, being internationally recognized for our commitment to connectivity generates profound pride and immense satisfaction for the entire SATENA team. It is a recognition that validates the work of each of our employees, whose daily work, effort, and dedication are reflected in the fulfillment of a unique mission, and which is now also valued beyond our borders.
The year 2024 has undoubtedly been the year of greatest growth in connectivity in the airline's 63-year history. SATENA managed to double its connection capacity thanks to a structured, institutionally endorsed business plan that enabled the acquisition of specialized aircraft to operate in remote and hard-to-reach regions. Aircraft that, as our own employees say, "are foolproof."
The impact of this transformation goes beyond the operational: when a Colombian, in a forgotten region of the country, sees a plane bearing the SATENA emblem land, it's not just an aircraft that lands; it's dreams, opportunities, and the State that arrives. That is the true essence of what we do: bringing hope, generating development, and connecting dreams. Therefore, this international recognition further strengthens our commitment to continue working with dedication, a sense of community, and the conviction that no territory is too far away for SATENA.
Rta. MG. Oscar Zuluaga: Colombian territory presents profound inequality in its development and access. Only one-third of the country is inhabited in a concentrated manner, while the other two-thirds correspond to geographically distant regions, with differential growth and significant limitations in connectivity and infrastructure.
Reaching these remote areas represents a real opportunity to bring development, progress, and equity. As I mentioned before, for the citizens who live in these territories, flying with SATENA means access to a medical center, fulfilling the dream of studying at a university, or simply traveling to conduct business or improve their quality of life.
Connecting a geographically and socially unequal country is much more than an air operation: it is a service that transforms lives. It is a task that generates satisfaction and a sense of purpose, both for those who provide the service and for those who benefit from it. In essence, SATENA not only unites regions: it unites hopes, needs, and opportunities.
Rta. MG. Oscar Zuluaga: Without a doubt, having increased regional connectivity by more than 100% is one of the most significant achievements in SATENA's history. This growth is reflected not only in the expansion of routes and the incorporation of new aircraft, but also in the daily commitment of a team that wakes up every morning with a clear purpose: to provide a social service that brings families together, integrates territories, and generates opportunities for tourism, economic development, and productive practices in various regions of the country.
Today, SATENA feels proud, satisfied, and fully fulfilled by consolidating its presence in a large part of the national territory. One of the most significant milestones that is about to be realized is the opening of routes to La Guajira, a region that historically had not been connected to the airline's route network and that, soon, will become part of our regular operations.
Being able to land in areas that have not had this opportunity for more than six decades reaffirms SATENA's commitment to the country. This is a momentous milestone, and at the same time a starting point for continuing to expand our mission of air and social integration, bringing development to every corner of Colombia.
Rta. MG. Oscar Zuluaga: Over the past two years, SATENA has made solid and sustained progress focused on developing systems, implementing technology, and adopting digital tools to improve operational efficiency. This process has been aimed at reducing workloads, eliminating historical reprocessing, and optimizing the availability of human talent.
Thanks to these technological advances, it is now possible to reduce operational burdens, free up time for strategic functions, and generate new opportunities for institutional and professional growth.
At SATENA, we understand that technology alone is not enough. It is highly trained human talent with a vocation for innovation that truly makes the difference. Robust, committed, and prepared teams have been responsible for carrying the flag of change and leading this transformation that strengthens the airline and projects its operational capacity into the future.
Rt. MG. Oscar Zuluaga: In 2023, thanks to rigorous work carried out in conjunction with the consulting firm KPMG and the Universidad de los Andes, it was determined that SATENA has a social return on investment (SROI) of 2.67. This result means that for every peso invested in the airline, 2.67 times more social and economic benefits are generated in the remote regions where it operates.
As I have pointed out, this figure reflects the real value of guaranteeing air connectivity in historically excluded territories: an investment in SATENA translates into direct development for the communities.
The impact is also evident in terms of employment:
In this way, we can demonstrate with facts and figures that investment in SATENA not only guarantees connectivity, but also drives local development, strengthens the regional economy, and improves the living conditions of thousands of Colombians in the most remote areas of the country.
Rta MG. Oscar Zuluaga: I would say that the key, from the leader's role, is to inspire their team to be passionate about what they do. And the only way to turn that passion into real results is by working hand in hand, one-on-one, with each employee. It's about identifying and removing the obstacles that stand in their way.
At SATENA, we use a phrase that has become deeply rooted in the hearts of every member of the airline: "make things happen." And for that to happen, the most important thing is to teach them to see each difficulty not as a setback or an impediment, but as an opportunity to act with determination and find solutions.
From the leadership perspective, the goal is clear: to ensure that each employee, in their daily work, faces challenges with a constructive attitude. They understand that an adverse situation doesn't have to become an insurmountable obstacle, but can be the way to propose a new strategy, a better process, a creative solution.
At SATENA, if we have to move a mountain to make things happen, the team is committed to moving it together. That's our culture: transforming the impossible into the possible. And we do it through willpower, consistent leadership, and the collective drive to achieve what we set out to do.
Therefore, I can confidently say that at SATENA we have a cohesive, motivated, and innovative-minded team. A team that every day seeks ways to overcome challenges, improve processes, and create best practices, so that difficulties diminish and challenges are no longer seen as barriers, but as opportunities for growth. For us, no obstacle is too great if the goal is to ensure the success of our mission.
Rta. MG. Oscar Zuluaga: One fact that sets the tone for all our strategic planning is the commitment to connecting 100% of the country's most remote municipalities. SATENA will not rest until it reaches the deepest corner of Colombia's geography, connecting it to its capital, its natural economic center, or those markets that allow it to generate development and well-being.
Furthermore, the air connectivity network we are building is not static: it will continue to expand naturally as the regions evolve, grow, and acquire greater social, economic, or institutional relevance.
Therefore, if we talk about major milestones for the next five years, the first and most important is to complete the connection of 100% of Colombia's most remote territories, fulfilling our social and integration mission.
The second milestone is related to technological efficiency: we want to consolidate robust systems that allow the company to operate more transversally, efficiently, and in a synchronized manner across all its areas, thus ensuring modern, coordinated, and sustainable management.
And the third milestone is to guarantee SATENA's financial stability, understanding that global macroeconomic conditions directly impact our operations. This is even more relevant for an airline like ours, whose role is purely social. Any change in the economic environment affects not only the company but also the accessibility and stability of the regions that depend on our air presence to continue moving forward.
Rta MG. Oscar Zuluaga: SATENA was born as a transportation branch of the Colombian Aerospace Force, and after 63 years of history, it continues to operate under the leadership of the same force that gave it its origin. During all this time, it has not only established itself as an airline but has also become a vital tool for the country's social, economic, and territorial development.
Today more than ever, the commitment is clear: to ensure that no Colombian, no matter how remote their location, is left off the national connectivity map. SATENA not only lands in the most remote places in the country; it arrives as a symbol of hope, an engine of development, and a platform of opportunity.
Rta MG. Oscar Zuluaga: It is important to highlight that approximately 70% of the Colombian air market is concentrated on just 12 trunk routes, which connect the country's main economic centers. These routes have historically played a significant role in national mobility, but they represent only a fraction of the country's territory and reality.
Today, thanks to the work being done by SATENA, this network is expanding significantly throughout the country, allowing for the integration of regions that have historically been marginalized by development and major economic dynamics.
In this context, SATENA is becoming the airline that represents the opportunity, growth, and strategic importance of these remote regions within the national development model. For every Colombian who travels in the most remote regions of the country, there is another who travels on trunk routes. This means that regional connectivity is as important as central connectivity, and its social impact is profound.
Therefore, as SATENA continues to grow and expand, as it has been doing, it will continue to mark a milestone in the country's territorial development, especially in those areas that are geographically distant from traditional capital and economic centers.
Rta MG. Oscar Zuluaga: “To our customers, employees, and stakeholders:
SATENA is not just an airline. SATENA is the living expression of the State's commitment to its regions, its people, and its development. Every flight we undertake not only transports passengers: it transports hope, equity, and opportunities for thousands of Colombians who for decades have been disconnected from the country's major centers.
Today, after 63 years, and with the institutional strength that supports us, we look to the future with determination. A future in which we will continue to expand our route network, strengthen our fleet, modernize our processes, and, above all, reach ever further, where no one else can.
To our employees: thank you for being the driving force that makes this mission possible. To our customers: thank you for trusting us. And to our allies and stakeholders: thank you for joining this cause, which is none other than connecting the country with a social sense and a vision of State.
SATENA's future is as broad as the sky we soar. And in that horizon, we will continue moving forward, committed to Colombia, its regions, and its people.”
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