Is Avianca Getting Airbus A350s? Abra Group Orders Five Jets...

I believe this might actually be for Wamos Air. Abra recently bought a stake in Wamos and wants to create a rival to Iberia's Latin America network. They already have feed and good networks on the Latin American side with Avianca and GOL (and potentially even Aerolíneas Argentinas in the future) but by buying a stake in Wamos they may potentially rebrand it into Avianca España and fully absorb the carrier into Abra. Then they could achieve synergies with Avianca's Latam ops and Gol's ops and begin scheduled long haul service from Madrid to Latin America. https://crankyflier.com/2024/07/02/aviancas-owner-abra-group-jumps-across-the-atlantic/

Breaking news: Avianca intends to codeshare with Delta since they both operate the A350. It will be called the A350 alliance.

There's a lot of interesting stuff going on behind the scenes here at Abra. I believe these might be meant for Wamos Air. Abra already owns Gol and Aviana and has an MOU with Aerolíneas Argentinas; recently Abra bought a stake in Wamos in order to challenge Iberia/IAG's latin American network and take advantage of Air Europe divestitures in MAD due to the upcoming IAG merger. Abra will likely turn Wamos into a scheduled carrier operating as Avianca España which will connect Madrid to Latin America (beginning by taking over Air Europa routes that overlap with Iberia), creating an intercontinental competitor to Iberia with feed on the Spanish side from Volotea, on the Latin side from Gol, Avianca, and potentially Aerolíneas in the future, and the new Wamos scheduled services acting as Abra's longhaul Latin American connector based in Madrid.

You missed that Avianca had a fleet of A330 that they just retiered and might need replacement for.

While possible, a switch to the A350 to replace the A330 seems unlikely. The A350 is substantially bigger, and their existing 787 would be a far better fit. Barring that, the A330neo has sold poorly and Abra would be able to get good delivery positions and a low price for purchasing them. So using the A350 here doesn’t add up

While possible, a switch to the A350 to replace the A330 seems unlikely. The A350 is substantially bigger, and their existing 787 would be a far better fit. Barring that, the A330neo has sold poorly and Abra would be able to get good delivery positions and a low price for purchasing them. So using the A350 here doesn’t add up

Strange order. While the A350 is a great aircraft, Avianca's soft product is really bad. They need to step it up a lot.

Remember Avianca Brazil, let's also remenber Latam and Azul and their ill fated A350 fleets, I don't see this being a good idea for Avianca. I don't think they could pull this type of increase off. Could this be GOL trying a hybrid low cost or leisure type of approach on long haul international market? Avianca is the pits when it comes to long haul and business class.

it makes more sense to place such a fleet on Wamos Air, it doesn't make any sense for Avianca, too much of an airplane for their long haul market.

Agree 100% with your comments. Just seems crazy to have only FIVE A350's, while they have lots of the 787's. Could have gone with 787-9 and would seem to be a nice fit with their existing fleet. Even if the A350's were to all go to GOL, Abra could have had significant fleet commonality benefits from ordering 787s instead for GOL. They could at minimum swap/share spare parts, share simulators, crew trainers, etc.

"let's also remenber Latam and Azul and their ill fated A350 fleets"

Both had more to do with the fact that those aircraft were both leased and divestible due to being at the end of those leases, than the aircraft itself.

it wasn't only about leases, you should take the mistakes done before the pandemic, COVID-19, and many airlines at the edge of bankruptcy into account, having such a fleet for a very short spam of time is very telling of their planning and stategies, the A350 was a big mistake for both airlines, LATAM even leased A350s to Qatar Airways long before the pandemic, Azul couldn't make it work either, that speaks volumes about their planning before, during and after COVID-19. The A350 is a wonderful plane but not the right plane for south american carriers. Having decent 777 and 330 fleets and ordering the A350 was a big mistake, too much capacity for both carriers, a true mistake, hadn't it be a mistake why aren't they keeping or ordering the A350?

So those 350’s are only to fly from Bogota to Europe what to New York City from Bogota ? We have to fly in regular 320’s Neo’s on a 6 hours flight . Make it make sense !!!

The order has been finalized , confirmed and announced

https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2025-10-abra-group-discloses-order-for-50-a320neo-family-aircraft-and-five

from Airbus: "Abra Group, the holding company that controls Avianca and Gol and is a strategic investor in Wamos Air, has disclosed an incremental order for 50 A320neo aircraft and five A350-900s which were previously announced in 2024 as a Memorandum of Understanding. This order is part of the Group’s fleet growth strategy, aimed at enhancing connectivity to new destinations within the Americas and to Europe. "