The Colombian carrier Avianca has announced a new route to Brazil, increasing its connectivity between both South American countries. Starting on March 26, Avianca will launch flights between Bogota’s El Dorado International Airport (BOG) and Belo Horizonte’s Confins International Airport (CNF).
Avianca’s newest route
Avianca has been strengthening its connectivity to Brazil in the last few months. Earlier this month, the Bogota-based carrier launched its first international route of the year between Cartagena International Airport (CTG) and São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport (GRU). The same week, Avianca also sent a different international route from Cartagena to Santiago de Chile International, which we will discuss later.
On Wednesday, Avianca announced it will launch flights to Belo Horizonte, the capital of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. These operations will begin on March 26. Avianca will deploy an Airbus A320 family aircraft with the capacity to carry up to 180 passengers.
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Avianca will offer five flights a week on three different schedules. Departure flights from Bogota will be operated on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The airline will also launch flights from Bogota to Manaus International Airport (MAO) in March.
Strengthening Avianca’s international connectivity
This year, Avianca is poised to increase its global reach across the Americas. In order to do that, Brazil is a crucial market, and the airline knows it. That’s why it is launching three new non-stop routes from Colombia.
Gustavo Esusy, Avianca's commercial manager for Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, says that 2022 was a period of consolidation for the company in Brazil. He added,
“We continue in 2023 with our commitment to offering more and more point-to-point routes, adding new destinations for Brazilians. Brazil is an extremely strategic market and is on our radar. For this year, we will have great news, with tailor-made flights, with the goal of being an Avianca for everyone.”
The Belo Horizonte-Bogotá route is part of a series of Avianca novelties for 2023. On March 27, a direct flight from Manaus to Bogotá will also begin. Overall, the airline will have five routes between Colombia and Brazil by April. It also flies from Bogota to Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Avianca’s goals in Brazil go beyond the launch of new routes. In 2022, Avianca and the Brazilian airline GOL Linhas Aéreas announced the launch of the Abra Group Limited. This holding would encompass these two carriers, plus a minority stake in Chile’s Sky Airline and the ultra-low-cost carrier Viva.
Nonetheless, the addition of Viva Colombia and Viva Peru to the Abra Group remains on hold at the moment as it was dependent on the independent approval of the merger of Avianca and Viva. This week, the Colombian government formally annulled the first rejection of this merger and will review the proposal by both carriers again, meaning the integration process could be approved shortly.
The Abra Group Limited would create South America’s largest carrier, surpassing the LATAM Airlines Group, and be the major consolidation move in the region since LAN and TAM merged in the last decade.
What do you think about Avianca’s newest routes to Brazil?
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Avianca
- IATA/ICAO Code:
- AV/AVA
- Airline Type:
- Full Service Carrier
- Hub(s):
- El Dorado International Airport, El Salvador International Airport
- Year Founded:
- 1919
- Alliance:
- Star Alliance
- Airline Group:
- Avianca Group
- CEO:
- Adrian Neuhauser
- Country:
- Colombia
- Region:
- South America
