Air Canada Partners with Abra Group, Parent Company of Avianca and GOL
- Joe Breitfeller
- Jun 7
- 3 min read
Air Canada has today announced the signing of a MoU with Abra Group, parent company of Avianca and GOL, to expand connectivity between Canada, Latin America and beyond.
On Sunday (June 7, 2026), Air Canada announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Abra Group to develop a broad, long-term strategic partnership. The agreement with Abra Group, whose carriers include the Avianca and GOL brands, would enable both companies to expand their global reach, providing customers and shippers greater connectivity across North, Central and South America and beyond. Any final agreement will be subject to final documentation and regulatory approval.
In Sunday’s announcement, Air Canada’s EVP and Chief Commercial Officer, and President of Cargo at Air Canada, Mark Galardo, said,
“Air Canada and Abra Group are building the foundations for an enhanced partnership that will further unlock the Americas. With Latin America acting as a fast-growing and strategic component of Air Canada’s global presence, our customers to and from the region have long benefited from existing codeshare partnerships with Abra Group. Building from a highly complementary presence across the Americas, this Memorandum of Understanding between our world-class airlines creates a pathway to further bolster our partnership, improve the customer experience, and enhance global connectivity. We look forward to working alongside Abra Group to deliver meaningful value to our customers and partners.”
Also commenting on the new commercial partnership, Air Canada’s VP – Revenue Management, Partnerships and International Affairs, Mary-Jane Lorette, said,
“The Canada–South America market is accelerating, and we are investing to capture this momentum, expanding into key markets such as Lima, Santiago and Rio de Janeiro, with further growth ahead in Quito while building on our strong foundation with Avianca through Star Alliance and our long-standing collaboration with GOL to shape connectivity across the Americas and unlock greater value for our customers.”
Abra Group’s Chief Commercial Officer, Angus Clarke, added,
“This milestone agreement with Air Canada reinforces our ambition to redefine connectivity across the Americas and beyond. At Abra Group, we believe in building seamless, integrated networks that bring people, cultures, and economies closer together. Our complementary strengths with Air Canada expand travel options and create a more connected hemisphere, unlocking new opportunities for our customers, our partners, and the regions we serve. This is a significant step toward shaping a more accessible and dynamic aviation ecosystem.”
Abra is a leading air transportation company across Latin America that brings together the iconic Avianca and GOL airline brands, along with a strategic investment in Wamos Air, on a unified, pan-Latin American platform. The Company also encompasses leading loyalty programs (LifeMiles and Smiles) and robust cargo operations. Additionally, Abra holds convertible debt representing a minority ownership interest in Sky Airline.
Avianca, the second-oldest airline in the world, operates a fleet primarily comprised of A320 and B787 passenger aircraft, as well as cargo aircraft, while GOL, one of Brazil’s leading airlines, operates a fleet largely composed of B737 passenger aircraft. Wamos Air is a leading European provider of widebody Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance (ACMI) services, operating A330 passenger aircraft. Abra has approximately 30,000 team members and operates a fleet of over 300 aircraft, with scheduled flights serving more than 25 countries and over 145 destinations.
Source: Air Canada
