Category Archives: Avianca

Avianca firms up its order for 100 Airbus A320neo Family aircraft

Airbus (Toulouse) has issued this statement:

Following a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) announcement in February, Avianca (Bogota) has signed a purchase agreement for 100 A320neo Family aircraft, the largest single order ever made in Latin America’s aviation history. The agreement, which includes A319neo, A320neo and A321neo aircraft (below), will allow Avianca to maintain one of the youngest fleets in the region as the airline aims to replace airplanes currently operating from their Bogota, Lima and San Salvador hubs.

Image Above: Airbus.

Established in Colombia in 1919, Avianca was the first airline in the Americas, and is the second oldest airline in the world. The Airbus-Avianca partnership was taken to a new level in 1998 when TACA (now part of Avianca), LAN, and TAM placed a joint order for 90 single-aisle aircraft. This was the largest joint contract ever signed in Latin American commercial aviation history. To date, the Avianca airline group has ordered nearly 300 aircraft including 276 A320 Family (among them, 133 A320neo Family) and 15 A330 Family.

To date, the A320neo program has 345 firm orders from six customers in Latin America — Avianca, Azul, Interjet, LATAM Airlines Group, VivaAerobus and Volaris. With more than 950 aircraft sold and a backlog of nearly 500, more than 550 Airbus aircraft are in operation throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. In the last 10 years, Airbus has tripled its in-service fleet, while delivering more than 60 percent of all aircraft operating in the region.

Top Copyright Photo: Jay Selman/AirlinersGallery.com. Avianca will remain an Airbus A320 Family operator. Current generation Airbus A320-214 N724AV (msn 6153) climbs away from Miami International Airport (MIA).

Avianca (Colombia) aircraft slide show:

Avianca brings the Boeing 787 to Sao Paulo, outlines its upcoming 787 routes

Avianca (Colombia) (Bogota) landed for the first time in Guarulhos Airport in Sao Paulo on February 11 at 6:50 am. Coming from Bogota, Colombia, the aircraft is one of two that will make four daily flights between the two cities.

Avianca recently received four Boeing 787s, a total of 15 to be delivered over the next three years. The four new aircraft will serve routes that include, in addition to São Paulo and Bogota, Buenos Aires, New York, Santiago (Chile), Mexico, and, from June, Madrid, Barcelona and London (Heathrow).

Avianca aircraft slide show:

Avianca takes delivery of its first Boeing 787

Avianca (Colombia) (Bogota) and Boeing (Chicago, Seattle and Charleston) celebrated the delivery of the first 787 Dreamliner for the Latin American carrier. The pictured Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner N780AV (msn 37502) was handed over to the carrier today (December 18).

Avianca’s Boeing 787-8 will carry 28 passengers in business class and 222 in economy class. Passengers in both classes will also experience cabin environment improvements made possible on the 787 such as dynamic LED lighting, the largest windows, bigger overhead bins, a lower cabin altitude, a more humid environment, low interior noise, cleaner air and a smoother ride.

With 95 years in operation, Avianca is working to fly a younger fleet than ever, flying with leading-edge technology to 24 destinations in Colombia and 98 destinations in South America, North America and Europe.

To date, 58 customers have ordered 1,055 787s, making the Dreamliner the fastest-selling twin-aisle airplane in Boeing history.

Avianca aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-CSAmerica-1/Airlines-Latin-America1-AF/Avianca-Colombia

Video: A test flight at Paine Field near Everett:

Avianca to resume Bogota-London flights, grounds its Fokker 50s

Avianca (Colombia) (Bogota) has announced it will resume regular service between Bogota and London (Heathrow) in July. Airbus A330s (above) are expected to be operated on the restored route.

In other news, the company has also announced its has temporarily grounded its remaining Fokker 50s. The company issued this statement:

“In line with the fleet renovation and modernization plan, Avianca S.A. is in the process of renewing its regional fleet by replacing the Fokker 50s with ATR 72-600 aircraft. The company currently operates a combined turbo prop fleet, consisting of four F okker 50s and four brand new ATR 72s.

In spite of the high technical standards and strict preventive maintenance processes, the company has in place, on January 28, a malfunction on one of the engines of a Fokker 50 operating on the Cali-Tumaco route before take-off. After performing all the proper inspections and going through all the safety procedures, Avianca S.A. has taken the preventive decision to temporarily ground its Fokker 50 fleet.

This preemptive security measure will allow Avianca S.A. and the engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney to establish the causes of the event, and implement the necessary corrective measures that will guaranty the aircraft ́s operational reliability.”

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A330-243 N948AC (msn 948) rotates off the runway at Miami International Airport (MIA).

Avianca (Colombia):

Is Avianca’s German Efromovich the savior of Alitalia or LOT Polish Airlines?

Avianca’s (Bogota) owner, German Efromovich, is considering making a deal to acquire a share of struggling Alitalia (2nd) (Rome) or state-owned LOT Polish Airlines (Warsaw). Any acquisition would be completed as an individual, not through Avianca which has expressed it does not have any interest in either airline.

Read the full story from Reuters: CLICK HERE

Avianca Holdings reports adjusted net income of $99.1 million in the third quarter

Avianca Holdings S.A. (Avianca) (Bogota) for the third quarter of 2013 reported a consolidated adjusted net income of $99.1 million (all amounts in US dollars) excluding FX effects related to liabilities denominated in Colombian Pesos and on the gain on sale of assets. This represents an increase of 151.3% over the same period in 2012. Avianca´s adjusted net profit margin increased by 450 basis points reaching 8.5%. Including the aforementioned effects on net income, Avianca Holdings S.A. and its subsidiaries generated a net income of $39.9 million.

Operating revenue came in at $1.182 million, representing an increase of 9.6% over the same period of 2012. Said increase is the result of a rise of 9.4% in passenger income resulting from a growth of 3.5% in carried passengers. Cargo and other revenues grew by 10.9%. This increase is mainly driven by the cargo and loyalty program business unit.

Revenue per Seat Kilometer (RASK) grew 3.6% whereas the Cost per Available Seat Kilometer (CASK) in 3Q 2013, grew from USD$10.3 cents to USD$10.4 cents, an increase of 1,5% with respect to the same period in 2013.

EBITDAR (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortization and aircraft rentals) increased 23.1% with respect to 3Q 2012. The EBITDAR margin reached 20.1%.

Operating income (EBIT) for 3Q 2013 rose to $132.2 million, a 32.2% increase with respect to the $100.0 million reached in the same period in 2012. The operating margin in 3Q 2013 came in at 11.2%, increasing by 1.9pp with respect to 3Q 2012. Said rise was generated by an increase in operating revenue as well as by cost control measures.

Capacity, measured in ASKs (Available Seats per Kilometer) grew by 5.87% throughout 3Q 2013. This growth is driven by the expansion of Avianca’s operations in its core markets, the incorporation of larger aircraft as well as an improvement in operating cycles of 1.1%. Traffic measured in RPKs (Revenue Passenger Kilometer) grew 5.9%, resulting in a Load Factor of 82.0% representing an increase of 20 basis points with respect to the Load Factor of 3Q 2012.

In accordance with the fleet renovation and modernization plan, between July and September 2013, the company through its subsidiary Avianca S.A., took delivery of one Airbus A320 aircraft equipped with Sharklets (see above), one ATR 72-600 and one A330-200 freighter. As a result, Avianca Holdings S.A. subsidiaries ended the quarter with a consolidated operating fleet of 154 aircraft.

With these third quarter results, Avianca Holdings S.A. reports a consolidated net income for the last 9 months of $183.4 million, reaching accumulated net margin of 5.4% year to date.

During the remainder of 2013, the company expects to continue with a capacity expansion in its key markets, as a result the company forecasts ASK growth between 7% and 8% for the full year 2013 compared to 2012. In terms of passenger traffic, the company expects a sustained growth during the remainder of 2013. Passenger numbers are expected to increase between 9% and 10% for the full year 2013 and as a result the load factor should stand between 79% and 80%.

Avianca Holdings S.A. is an investment firm that serves as an instrument for the execution of the shareholders agreement which resulted in the integration process known as AviancaTaca and acts as the controlling company for the integrated operation of various airlines that operate both domestically and internationally: 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 that make up 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. TACA Peru incorporated in Peru, Servicios Aéreos Nacionales S.A., SANSA incorporated in Costa Rica, Aerotaxis La Costeña S.A., incoporated in Nicaragua and Isleña de Inversiones C.A. de C.V. ISLEÑA incorporated in Honduras.

Copyright Photo: Gerd Beilfuss/AirlinersGallery.com. The pictured Airbus A320-233 D-AXAS (msn 5840) was handed over to Avianca (Colombia) as N603AV on November 5.

Avianca (Colombia):

Avianca Colombia cancels 160 domestic flights due to a pilot pay dispute

Avianca Colombia (Bogota) has cancelled 160 domestic flight through next Wednesday because its pilots are refusing to work overtime due to a pay dispute according to Reuters.

Avianca’s 1,000 pilots are demanding a 15 percent pay increase from the company. Avianca Colombia is a part of Avianca Holdings. TACA’s pilots and other pilots under the Avianca brand are not involved in the dispute.

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Aldo Ciarini. Avianca added its first ATR 72 on July 3, 2013 when the pictured ATR 72-212A (ATR 72-600) F-WWEE was handed over as HK-4954 (msn 1092). The new type is pictured landing at Toulouse before the delivery.

Avianca (Colombia):

Avianca takes delivery of its first ATR 72-600

Avianca (Bogota) took delivery yesterday (June 18) of the first of 15 ATR 72-600s that it commissioned in late 2012, with the signing of a contract which also included options for 15 more aircraft and which was valued at over $700 million.

The aircraft was delivered at the Paris Air Show is configured with 68 seats and is equipped with the new ‘Armonia’ cabin, a major development of the ATR ‘-600’ series, ensuring optimal passenger comfort. With the delivery of this aircraft, Avianca begins an ambitious process of developing and modernizing its regional network in Colombia and Central America.

Avianca will gradually replace the Fokker 50s and ATR 42s currently in service. The first ATR 72-600 will serve destinations including Barrancabermeja, Florencia, Manizales, Neiva, Pasto, Popayán, Tumaco and Yopal in Colombia. Later, other ATR 72-600s will be used to connect Guatemala City and Flores (Guatemala), Tegucigalpa, Roatán and San Pedro Sula (Honduras), San Salvador (El Salvador), Managua (Nicaragua) as well as San José and Liberia (Costa Rica).

Alongside with the introduction of the ATR 72-600s, ATR and Avianca are preparing to jointly set up the first ATR-approved pilot training center in South America, which will open in the coming months at Avianca facilities in Bogota, Colombia.

The first ATR 72-600 is really officially an ATR 72-212A still with the test registration of F-WWEE (msn 1092). The props are multi-colored.

Avianca:

Avianca to deploy the Airbus A330 on the Lima-Miami route starting on July 15

Avianca (Bogota) is planning to deploy its Airbus A330-200s on the daily Lima-Miami route starting on July 15 per Airline Route.

Top Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A330-243 N948AC (msn 948) taxies to the runway at Miami International Airport dressed in the now old 2005 livery (please click on the photo for the full-size view).

Avianca:

Bottom Copyright Photos: Avianca. The new look for AV. Airbus A320-214 N538AV (msn 5398) is one of the first aircraft to display the new look.

Video:

Avianca Holdings today retires the TACA brand, updates its logo, livery and product

Avianca Holdings S.A. (Avianca) (Bogota) today (May 28) as planned, formally retired the TACA brand and the previous AviancaTaca Holding company. All aircraft will be repainted in the new Avianca brand. Avianca is updating its logo, livery and product as we previously reported. This announcement will end the history of TACA and AviancaTaca Holding. Our slide show below recalls the aircraft and many liveries of TACA International. The holding company issued this statement:

As announced in late 2012 and after three years of intense work aimed at integration and reorganization of operations and processes, ground and air equipment modernization, and the adoption of industry best practices, the airlines in Avianca Holdings S.A. (formerly known as AviancaTaca Holding S.A.) begin a new stage in their business development under the commercial brand Avianca, with its new visual standards.

Honoring the business development reached by Avianca and TACA Airlines with 94 and 82 years of uninterrupted operations, respectively, the new identity bonds the heritage of the route network, envisioning connecting the continent through all cardinal points, capturing in the logo the service provided through the skies of the Americas.

The image of the “new Avianca” will be displayed in over 160 airplanes, 14 thousand seats onboard, 214 ticket offices, 100 airports, VIP lounges in 25 countries, as well as the corporate buildings in the Americas and Europe. This new image will also dress over 13,000 employees with client service positions -out of the 18,000 total-, and identify our new integrated website, social networks, onboard reading materials, and corporate communications media in general.

This new image highlights a very important chapter in the airline´s history, striving to provide a strong product and service offer in order to become the ideal partner for business and leisure travelers.

Fabio Villegas, Avianca Holdings CEO said: “The single commercial brand represents a very important milestone for an improved flight offer and an interesting challenge to Avianca’s service capacity. For that reason, the airlines’ background and the professionalism and experience shared by the many generations of men and women who have contributed with their work to Avianca, TACA Airlines, Aerogal, and Tampa Cargo, have become our inspiration.”

“More than 5.100 weekly flights operated on a modern fleet enable us to help our travelers reach 100 destinations in 25 countries throughout the Americas and Europe, provide access to 21.900 daily flights served around the world by Star Alliance member airlines, be preferred by more than 23 million passengers who choose our services yearly for their travel plans and the transportation of 300 thousand tons of goods. This motivates us to assure the “new Avianca”, as the leading airline in Latin America preferred by the world´s travelers,” quoted the executive.

Three years of achievements

Fleet. The combined fleet size between Avianca and TACA Airlines at the moment of their integration was 129 aircraft. Currently the company has 151 aircraft in operation. Within its fleet modernization plan, Avianca recently announced the incorporation of Airbus A320neo airplanes equipped with new generation engines, as well as aircraft fitted with sharklets, which provide a 4% better fuel economy than previous models. Avianca welcomed the first aircraft of this type to its fleet in February.

Tampa Cargo acquired four new A330-200 freighters with cargo capacity of 68 tons in order to strengthen the cargo business. The first aircraft of its type joined the fleet in December of last year.

The company also announced the standing offer to purchase 15 ATR 72-600 aircraft, along with the option to purchase an additional 15 of the same model. This turboprop fleet is intended to serve routes within Colombia and Central America and will join the fleet beginning July this year. Finally, the company has confirmed the purchase order for 15 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, to operate transatlantic routes starting in 2014.

Route Network. Currently, the “new Avianca” covers 100 destinations in 25 countries in the Americas and Europe, through 5,100 weekly flights. The domestic and international connections operate from and to Bogota (Colombia), with more than 2,656 weekly flights, San Salvador (El Salvador), with 532 weekly flights, and Lima (Peru) with 483 frequencies per week. Also connections to and from other Latin American capitals are part of this comprehensive route network.

In addition to its own network, travelers connecting through Avianca are able to reach more than 1,320 cities around the world thanks to code-share and interline agreements with world renowned airlines, granting access to 990 VIP lounges and enjoying multiple benefits provided by the Star Alliance network around the world.

Transported Passengers. As a result of the synergies of the route network, the airlines in Avianca Holdings S.A. have experimented passenger growth. A comparison between 2010 and 2012 reflects an increase of 31.88%. In 2010, the airlines transported 17´510.881 passengers, reaching 20´454.924 in 2011, while in 2012 the number increased to 23´092.533 passengers.

Joining Star Alliance. Avianca and TACA Airlines officially joined Star Alliance on June 21, 2012, which is the largest global airline network in terms of daily flights, coverage, and services. As a result travel advantages and options for our travelers multiplied. In order to be accepted as member airline of the alliance, multiple requirements had to be fulfilled along with several service and operational standards. The “new Avianca” maintains these standards and complies with the periodical audits required.

Avianca Cargo. In 2010 the Cargo businesses of Avianca, TACA, and Aerogal were integrated to Tampa Cargo, building on more than 100 years of experience in the field. After centralizing management, operations, and service the cargo offer underwent a strengthening process. As part of this process the airline announced the acquisition of 4 A330-200 freighters with 68 ton capacity and became the first airline to operate this model in Latin America.

With the expansion of capacity through dedicated aircraft, as well as the bellies of the passenger fleet, the route network was also broadened to meet importer and exporter needs in Latin America, accompanied by the implementation of new integrated technologies for all the business. Today, under the name “Avianca Cargo” this business unit focuses on delivering increased connectivity and services through advanced technology and a highly specialized human team.

Technology. Avianca continues moving forward in the implementation of the latest technology in order to better serve its passengers. In addition to online tools for checking fares, booking reservations, purchasing tickets and seat selections, the airline has been implementing self-check-in modules in 36 of the airports where it currently operates. Travelers can also make use of the web check-in feature for routes in the Americas, allowing them to check-in from the comfort of their home or office.

Passengers may also check-in using their smartphones. This service is initially available for domestic flights in Colombia and Peru, and direct international flights, except Europe, from El Salvador and Medellin and from Bogota to South America, improving check point and boarding times by showing the boarding pass on their smartphones.

VIP Lounges. This past February, Avianca opened its new 2,000 square meter VIP Lounge located in the international terminal of Eldorado Airport in Bogota, aimed at the members of its frequent flyer program, LifeMiles, and business class travelers. In meeting its service improvement plan, the airline will also refresh the VIP lounges in Cali, Barranquilla, Medellin, Cartagena, and San Salvador.

LifeMiles. It was the first joint business deliverable. The unified loyalty program was the result of integrating best practices of both Avianca and TACA, and improving them based on studies on the leading loyalty programs from top airlines around the world. LifeMiles has more than five million members and was recognized by travelers with a Freddie Award in the category of Best Redemption Ability, making it the only loyalty program in Latin America to receive a Freddy Award during the 2013 edition.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. All others by Avianca. A look back at one of the first jets for TACA International. BAC 1-11 407AW YS-17C (msn 093) taxies to the runway at Miami on October 19, 1980.

Avianca:

TACA: