News

• Thanks to their achievements over the past years AVIANCA and TACA advance in their global positioning by being unanimously accepted into this important global alliance.

• The entry of AviancaTaca into the STAR ALLIANCE group constitutes an historic and determining step in the group development plan and represents an increase in the number of services on offer to its passengers.

The AviancaTaca Group was unanimously granted entry into the global network of the most important airlines in the world by its member airlines, as well as the STAR ALLIANCE Board of Directors

After being accepted AviancaTaca put into effect a plan to implement the standardization of processes that will allow it to offer the routes, destinations and services of the 27 airlines that make up the STAR ALLIANCE network. Members include Lufthansa, United-Continental Airlines, Thai Airlines, Air Canada, TAP, Singapore Airlines, among other internationally recognized airlines

STAR ALLIANCE was founded in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance, with the objective of offering clients throughout the world the greatest number of destinations possible and an excellent travel experience. This network today offers passengers a powerful fleet of aircraft made up of more than 4,000 of the latest generation short, medium and long range planes and 990 VIP lounges on five continents. Almost half a million direct employees of the member airlines attend 21,200 flights per day in more than one thousand airports situated in 181 countries. 627.52million passengers are transported annually by the network generating a sales income of US$156.8 billion

The combined AviancaTaca network will give the STAR ALLIANCE an important presence across the length and breadth of the American continent. Passengers will soon have access to a wide range of destinations and flights connected through the hubs in Bogotá (Colombia), San Salvador (El Salvador), Lima (Peru), San Jose (Costa Rica).

Referring to the Latin American airlines entry into this global network, Jaan Albrecht, CEO of the STAR ALLIANCE said: "The entry of AviancaTaca into the STAR ALLIANCE concludes a strategic process to consolidate the Alliance's presence in Latin America. The outlook for aviation in the region is quickly changing and alliances are playing an ever more important role in the continuing development of Latin American countries" , he noted.

With respect to the incorporation of AviancaTaca into the STAR ALLIANCE, Fabio Villegas Ramírez, Executive President of the group of Airlines underlined that: "The entry of AviancaTaca into the most important global network of world airlines (in terms of daily flights, destinations/countries that they fly to and the number of member airlines), is a determining factor in our competitive strategy, which represents a leap in terms of growth and increasing benefits for our passengers."

"After AviancaTaca has been formally accredited as STAR ALLIANCEmembers, our users will have access to hundreds of cities in more than 180 countries through more than 20 thousand flights a day and also have access to exclusive benefits in more than a thousand airports around the world".

"I feel proud to be able to give AviancaTaca passengers access to the largest route network in the world, operated and supervised under the highest international standards of the airline industry", the company executive concluded.

In the context of this grand alliance AviancaTaca has many opportunities to expand and improve benefits and services for all its passengers. The action plan regarding their entry as new stars in the STAR ALLIANCE includes the interchange of best practices, joint IT development, the implementation of a fleet plan under standardized specifications, the strengthening of the route network through connectivity with airlines around the globe and the administration and implementation of new codeshare agreements among others.

About STAR ALLIANCE: The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance that offers international travelers global reach, recognition and complete service. It has been internationally recognized with a number of awards including the Premio al Liderazgo (Leadership prize) at the Mercado Mundial del Transporte Aéreo (World Air Transport Market) and Best Air Alliance by both Business Traveler Magazine and Skytrax. The Alliance member airlines are: Adria Airways, Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Blue1, bmi, Brussels Airlines, Continental Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Spanair, SWISS, TAM Airlines, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI, United and US Airways. India Air and Ethiopian Airlines have already been announced as future members. In total, the Star Alliance network offers more than 21,200 flights per day to 1,172 airports in 181 countries.

About AVIANCA and TACA: the airlines generate a joint annual income of approximately USD3 billion. They service more than 100 destinations around the world, operating a fleet of more than 150 modern short, medium and long range aircraft; directly employing almost 12,000 people. Their frequent flyer loyalty programs have more than 3 million members.