Avianca

Colombian airline group Avianca Holdings has placed a $10.6bn preliminary order with Airbus to purchase 100 A320neo family aircraft.

Avianca CEO Fabio Villegas Ramirez said: "After a thorough technical evaluation, we selected the A320neo family for its excellent fuel efficiency, reliability and comfort."

The carrier plans to rely on A320neo family airliners for its fleet renewal programme.

Airbus chief operating officer Customers John Leahy said: "The A320neo family is the ideal aircraft for Avianca’s longest, single-aisle routes and high-altitude airports within their network."

"In Latin America, the A320neo programme logged 245 firm orders from seven customers, including Avianca, Azul, Interjet, LAN, TAM, VivaAerobus and Volaris."

In 2012, Avianca placed an order for 51 A320 family aircraft as part of its fleet modernisation and expansion programmes.

The airline group holds combined orders of 200 aircraft with Airbus, with 130 aircraft currently in operation.

In Latin America, the A320neo programme logged 245 firm orders from seven customers, including Avianca, Azul, Interjet, LAN, TAM, VivaAerobus and Volaris.

More than 550 Airbus aircraft are said to be in operation across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Avianca Holdings operates AviancaTaca, which was formed from the merger of Avianca and El Salvador’s Taca.

Image: Avianca plans to rely on A320neo family airliners for its fleet renewal programme. Photo: courtesy of Fixion / Airbus SAS.