Etihad Airways and Abra Group, the Latin American airline holding company behind Avianca, GOL, and Wamos Air, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a strategic commercial partnership aimed at connecting their respective networks across Latin America, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia.
The agreement covers a broad range of potential cooperation areas, including network development, codeshare agreements, reciprocal loyalty benefits, aircraft leasing, and ACMI services. Both sides said they plan to launch the first commercial initiatives in 2026, with further operational arrangements following in 2027.
On the fleet side, GOL and Etihad are evaluating a potential dry lease of an Airbus A330-900, targeting a start date of November 2026. Wamos Air, Abra’s charter and wet-lease operation, is expected to deploy up to three aircraft in support of Etihad’s expansion plans from March 2027.
“This partnership reflects Abra’s strategy of leveraging the complementary strengths of Avianca, GOL and Wamos Air to expand connectivity and unlock new commercial opportunities. Together with Etihad, we are building a new bridge between Latin America and the Middle East, while exploring innovative ways to bring our brands and operations together across network development, loyalty and fleet cooperation. It is an honor for our teams at Avianca to work alongside Etihad — from South America to the United Arab Emirates, this joint effort reflects our shared commitment to outstanding service, offering our customers the best of both worlds. This is an important step in advancing Abra’s vision of a more connected and competitive airline,” Adrian Neuhauser, Chief Executive Officer of Abra Group said in a statement.
“Latin America is an increasingly important market for Etihad, and this partnership creates a powerful platform to connect more travellers with Abu Dhabi and destinations across our expanding global network. This partnership brings together two complementary airline groups to create stronger connections between our regions. Together, we are creating stronger links between Latin America, Abu Dhabi and destinations across our global network, expanding opportunities for our guests while supporting Abu Dhabi’s continued growth as a destination and hub,” Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways added.
The MoU remains subject to regulatory approvals, definitive commercial agreements, and operational feasibility assessments before any of the contemplated arrangements become binding.
