Gol and Avianca owner Abra to invest in Spanish charter carrier Wamos Air

Latin American airline holding company Abra Group plans to make a “strategic investment” in Spanish charter carrier Wamos Air, a deal the companies say will allow them to expand operations in both Latin America and in Europe. Abra, the UK-based parent of Colombian airline Avianca and of Brazilian carrier Gol, disclosed the deal on 9 May, saying it “has agreed to carry out a strategic investment in Wamos Air”. “This partnership will bring about the possibility of improving connectivity between Latin America and Europe, leveraging the potential increase in coverage and operation of the [Abra’s] widebody fleet,” Abra adds. The companies do not provide financial or other details about their plan. Abra came into being in 2022 when shareholders of formerly independent Avianca and Gol agreed to form Abra as the parent of both. Gol, an all 737-operator, primarily flies within South America, while Avianca flies Airbus A320-family jets and Boeing 787s across a network that includes cities in both North America and Europe, among them Madrid. Madrid-based Wamos flies charters and operates flights on behalf of other companies under aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance (ICMI) agreements. It has a fleet of three Airbus A330-200s, according to Cirium data. Wamos’ “business model perfectly complements Abra’s vision and strategy of being a leader in air transportation in Latin America”, says Abra chief executive Adrian Neuhauser. “This partnership will allow us to participate in long-haul markets with widebody aircraft in other countries beyond our current Colombia operation.”<br/>