A late surge for Airbus has seen a second Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today, this time for five A350-900s from the pan-Latin American network, Abra Group which is the majority stakeholder of Avianca & GOL airlines.
Abra has chosen the A350 as a tool to further expand its international network and increase capacity on key routes.
Adrian Neuhauser, CEO of Abra Group said: “We are delighted to announce this agreement with Airbus. We believe the arrival of these five A350s, which offer a best-in-class passenger experience, are more fuel efficient and have a lower cost per seat than competitor aircraft, will allow us to strengthen our commitment to make travel more accessible and responsible.
“This also means better prices for customers with better connectivity between our continent and Europe, and will further consolidate Abra as one of the largest and most competitive air transportation groups in Latin America. The aircraft selection is consistent with the strategic announcements we have done this year and further executes on our long-term vision.”
Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, Executive Vice President Sales of the Commercial Aircraft business added: “We are delighted to see the Abra Group endorsing the A350 to continue its mission of strengthening air connectivity between Latin America and the rest of the world. The selection of the A350 reaffirms the aircraft as the undisputed leader in long-haul air travel.”
The A350-900 has proved popular with airlines as it is the world’s most efficient wide-body airliner and in the 300-410 seat market, is the long-range leader. The ability to operate on up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is also attractive to airlines looking to reduce their carbon output.