Etihad Airways, Abra Group sign MoU to boost connectivity between Latin America, Middle East and Asia
Abu Dhabi, July 22 (TNT): Etihad Airways and Abra Group have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening air connectivity between Latin America, the Middle East and Asia through the combined networks of Etihad and Abra’s airlines—Avianca, GOL and Wamos Air.
The partnership is designed to leverage the complementary strengths of both groups to create new growth opportunities, expand connectivity for customers and develop commercial cooperation across network development, loyalty programmes, aircraft leasing, ACMI services and other business areas, the airlines said in a release here on Wednesday.
As part of the agreement, Etihad, Avianca and GOL will explore reciprocal loyalty programme benefits, commercial collaboration and codeshare arrangements, with plans to roll out these initiatives in 2026.
The partnership seeks to enhance connectivity by giving Abra’s customers access to Etihad’s network across the Middle East, Asia, the Indian subcontinent and Australia, while enabling Etihad passengers to reach a wider range of destinations across Latin America through Abra’s airline network.
The two groups also plan to collaborate on fleet expansion initiatives. GOL and Etihad will evaluate a potential dry lease of an Airbus A330-900, targeted to commence in November 2026, while Wamos Air is expected to support Etihad’s expansion by deploying up to three aircraft from March 2027.
Abra Group Chief Executive Officer Adrian Neuhauser said the partnership reflected the group’s strategy of leveraging the strengths of Avianca, GOL and Wamos Air to expand connectivity and unlock new commercial opportunities.
Etihad Airways Chief Executive Officer Antonoaldo Neves said Latin America is an increasingly important market for the airline and that the partnership would create stronger links between the region, Abu Dhabi and destinations across Etihad’s expanding global network.
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