Abra Group, the owner of avianca airlines (AV, Bogotá) and GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes (G3, São Paulo Congonhas), has agreed to acquire shares in Wamos Air (EB, Madrid Barajas) as part of a strategic investment in the Spanish ACMI/charter specialist.
Adrian Neuhauser, chief executive officer of Abra Group, said the move will allow the holding to participate in long-haul markets with widebody aircraft in other countries beyond its current Colombia operation.
"We celebrate the signing of this agreement for multiple reasons. First, because Wamos Air is a gem in the world of ACMI and air charter operations and has global experience operating in multiple markets. Second, because its business model perfectly complements Abra's vision and strategy of being a leader in air transportation in Latin America. And third, because this partnership will allow us to participate in long-haul markets with wide-body aircraft in other countries beyond our current Colombia operation," Neuhauser said in a statement.
The amount invested in Wamos and the percentage acquired were not disclosed. However, European Union law caps non-European ownership of EU-flagged carriers at <50%. Abra Group declined to comment further. Wamos Air was not available for comment.
Similarly to avianca and GOL Linhas Aéreas, Wamos Air's management will remain in place and continue to operate independently under its existing business model.
The investment still requires regulatory approvals before it can close.
The ch-aviation fleets module shows that the Wamos Air fleet comprises ten aircraft, including four A330-200s and six A330-300s. It has ACMI customers such as Corsair International, Air Europa, Saudia, and TAP Air Portugal. Meanwhile, avianca operates an Airbus narrowbody fleet and a Boeing widebody fleet, while GOL Linhas Aéreas runs the B737 family exclusively.
Abra Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Aerolíneas Argentinas (AR, Buenos Aires Jorge Newbery) in October 2023, seeking to strengthen collaboration and explore opportunities specifically in the fields of commercial, operations, and technology.
