Star Alliance regains footing in Brazil

Star Alliance has re-established its presence in Brazil with the addition of Sao Paulo-based Avianca Brasil to its network.

The world’s largest airline alliance was left without a carrier in Latin America’s largest country after TAM Airlines withdrew and joined oneworld in 2014.

But now it has now regained a Brazilian footing with the addition of Avianca Brasil, the Brazilian arm of Avianca, Colombia’s national carrier. Bogota-based Avianca has been a Star Alliance member since 2012.

“Adding Avianca Brasil to our network is an important step in enhancing our customer proposition in Latin America. Brazil is the most important aviation market on the continent and we are pleased that from today onwards, we can once again offer domestic connections in Brazil,” said Mark Schwab, CEO of the Star Alliance.

Avianca Brasil adds 15 new destinations in Brazil to the Star Alliance route map, boosting the group’s total Brazilian network to 27 cities. In addition to a large domestic network, Avianca Brasil also operates 88 weekly flights from 12 airports in Brazil to destinations in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa.

In total, 13 member Star Alliance carriers (Air Canada, Air China, Avianca, Avianca Brasil, Copa Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP, Turkish Airlines and United) now serve Brazil.

“Today we are setting the future pace of our airline and close a two-year process which saw us move to a new IT platform, review and update our internal processes and specific training programme for our employees to ensure they can provide the best possible service to customers,” said Jose Efromovich, president & CEO of Avianca Brasil. “We are proud to be part of the most experienced airline alliance and are pleased to put Brazil back on the Star Alliance map.”

The addition of Avianca Brasil cements Star Alliance’s position as the world’s largest airline alliance, with 27 member carriers on six continents.