The
Colombian-German Air Transport Society (, ), or
SCADTA, was the world's second airline, and the first
airline in the
Americas, operating from 1919 until
World War II. After the war, SCADTA merged with Colombian regional carrier Colombian Air Service , or
SACO. Together, SCADTA and SACO formed
Avianca - Aerovías Nacionales de Colombia, the Colombian flag-carrier. After Avianca was purchased by Brazilian entrepreneur German Efromovich's company
Sinergy in 2004, the name of the company was changed to Airline of the American Continent (
Aerovías del Continente Americano) -
Avianca). Avianca still operates to this day.