Airbus: Colombian airline Avianca signs deal to buy 100 new jets

Avianca the Bogotá headquartered Colombian flag carrier has signed a deal to buy 100 Airbus A320neo aircraft.

The airline fleet replacement programme will be based around the A320neo family of jets.

The airline has a long relationship with Airbus with the airline group having combined orders for nearly 200 of the firms aircraft, all of which will have the wings manufactured in Broughton.

Avianca Chief Executive Officer Fabio Villegas Ramirez said:

“After a thorough technical evaluation, we selected the A320neo Family for its excellent fuel efficiency, reliability and comfort, these qualities are essential to further our growth and fleet modernisation strategy and improve our passenger experience.”

“Airbus is privileged to work with Avianca on this important agreement,we are proud that Avianca will rely on the A320neo, its unbeatable productivity and fuel efficiency to renew its fleet” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers. 

Avianca flies to 98 direct destinations in 26 countries throughout the American and European continents with a fleet of 168 short, medium, and long haul aircraft.

To date, the A320neo programme has 245 firm orders from seven customers in Latin America — Avianca, Azul, Interjet, LAN, TAM, VivaAerobus and Volaris. With more than 850 aircraft sold and a backlog of nearly 400, 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.