Passenger traffic on Colombia’s largest airline has increased 19.4% over the last year.
Avianca, Colombia’s primary airline, announced Wednesday that it has carried 8.7 million passengers so far this year, a significant increase over last year’s performance. For the month of June, Avianca carried 17.6% more people than it did last year, an additional 1.6 million people.
Avianca’s president attributed the airline’s growth to superior customer service and Avianca’s integrated network of international and domestic flights.
“These results are a product of the reception given to our travelers via the proposed integrated multi-hub system, whereby our clients have access to multiple connections through hubs located in Bogota, San Jose (Costa Rica), San Salvador (El Salvador)” said Fabio Villegas, president of Avianca. “(This system) allows us to integrate our international operations with domestic operations in Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia.”
In February of 2010, Avianca merged with the TACA group, an alliance of domestic airlines in Central America. Avianca currently boasts South America’s largest commercial airline fleet and has recently announced plans to upgrade its aircraft. Avianca is said to have the newest fleet in South America. In November, Avianca announced plans to join the Star Alliance, the world’s largest airline alliance composed of select Asian airlines, numerous European carriers, as well as Continental, United Airlines, and U.S. Airways.