
The Sao Paulo-based airline is officially exiting the network following the withdrawal of its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) by Brazilian regulator ANAC, and several months of bankruptcy protection.
According to Star Alliance, the withdrawal of Avianca Brasil in no way affects the membership of Colombia-based Avianca S.A, which it says “continues to be a significant contributor to the Alliance in South America”.
Commenting on Avianca Brasil’s exit, Star Alliance’s CEO, Jeffrey Goh, says: “Initially joining Star Alliance in 2015, Avianca Brasil made important contributions to our customer proposition in the Brazilian market, and we regret this unfortunate development.”
There are now 27 member airlines in the Alliance, with eleven of them offering international flights to Brazil, including Air Canada, Lufthansa, SWISS, TAP Air Portugal and Turkish Airlines.
Together, Star Alliance members operate more domestic and international flights in Brazil than any other airline group.