Abra moves to consolidate Avianca, Gol and Sky Airline networks

Abra is working to bring its airlines' networks together under a single operation, according to the Latin American holding group's chief executive, who pointed to Rio de Janeiro as a growth opportunity.

Abra holds Colombian carrier Avianca and Brazilian operator Gol, has agreed a shareholding deal with Chile's Sky Airline, and holds a stake in Spanish charter carrier Wamos Air. Speaking at the World Aviation Festival in Lisbon on 14 October, group chief executive Adrian Neuhauser said recent years had centred on Gol's financial restructuring, which took the airline through Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Attention has now turned to creating a consolidated network.

The carriers were set up to serve their own markets, each with its own hubs and routes, Neuhauser said. Running them as one network, operationally and commercially, is the opportunity being pursued.

Passengers in northern Brazil, he said, are better off connecting northwards through Avianca's hubs in Bogota and El Salvador than flying south through Gol's hubs. Gol has historically been a point-to-point carrier focused on Sao Paulo Guarulhos airport, and is now building a hub in Rio while keeping its focus on Guarulhos. The group sees a large opportunity in Rio, Neuhauser said.