Brazil's Azul to launch E195-E1 freighter ops in 1Q22

Avianca Airlines, GOL to merge under single holding

Avianca Group has agreed with GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes (G3, Sao Paulo Congonhas) to merge under a newly created holding company - Abra Group - although both entities will retain their individual branding and operational independence.

GOL's controlling shareholder, MOBI Fundo de Investimento em Ações Investimento no Exterior (MOBI FIA), and Avianca Group's major shareholders, which include Kingsland International Group, Elliott International, and South Lake One, will contribute their shares in the respective firms in exchange for a stake in the new holding, which will be incorporated in England. Upon completion of the transaction, the investors will jointly control Abra Group, which, in turn, will be both Avianca and GOL's controlling shareholder.

Abra Group will be headed by Roberto Kriete (the current chairman of Avianca, who will become the chairman), Constantino de Oliveira Junior (the current chairman of GOL, who will become CEO), and Adrian Neuhauser (the current CEO of Avianca) and Richard Lark (the current executive vice-president and CFO of GOL), who will become co-presidents. The managers will retain their current posts at the...

Embraer's 1Q22 order book changes revealed

Brazilian Air Force to buy Azul A330s for $80.6mn

Força Aérea Brasileira (FAB, Brasilia) has confirmed it has selected Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras (AD, Sao Paulo Viracopos), the only bidder, as the supplier of two A330-200s that will be converted into Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) variants for USD80.6 million.

The Brazilian MRTT aircraft will be formally known as KC-X3s. The conversion of the two passenger planes will be tendered separately, although it is widely expected to be performed by Airbus Defence and Space at Madrid Getafe airport.

The ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows there are currently fifty-four A330-200(MRTT)s in service globally. The biggest operators are Royal Air Force with ten and Royal Australian Air Force with seven. The Azul jets will be the first large transport jets used by the Brazilian Air Force since the retirement of four KC-137s (converted B707-300(C)s) in 2013.

The tender required that the aircraft be manufactured on or after January 1, 2014. Only one out of eight A330-200s currently operated by Azul is of the required age....

Azul tenders two A330s for Brazilian Air Force tanker RFP