Airline industry at South America rises with the innovative Airbus A320

This milestone makes JetSMART the first South American airline to receive an aircraft manufactured at this plant. On the other hand, LATAM Airlines Group received an A320neo that marked a historic moment for the company by using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for the first time on a delivery flight (Ferry Flight).

The Airbus A320 Family has played a key role in the recovery and development of aviation in South America, thanks to its efficiency and profitability. In Chile, LATAM operates more than 200 Airbus aircraft, while JetSMART and SKY, the country's two low-cost airlines, have opted for an exclusive Airbus fleet with more than 25 A320 aircraft each. 

In a similar way to what has happened in Chile, the A320 Family is promoting the airline industry in South America, with Ecuador being an exemplary case. Ecuador's aviation sector is reaching new horizons as the country boosts its connectivity and modernizes its infrastructure, taking advantage of air traffic as an engine of growth and development. In recent years, new low-cost airlines have come into operation, new routes to national and international destinations have been inaugurated, and state-of-the-art aircraft have begun to operate to better serve tourists and business travelers.

Aviation is crucial in Ecuador, where road travel is often complex due to natural hazards and the wide variety of altitudes and terrain, from the Amazon basin to the Andean mountains. International tourism is also being reactivated in the South American nation after its inactivity due to the pandemic.

The comeback and evolution of the Ecuadorian airline industry depends largely on the single-aisle aircraft manufactured by Airbus, especially the A320 Family, which has become the preferred option of the country's market-leading airlines, Avianca Group and LATAM Airlines. Group.

Due to its fuel efficiency, its spacious interior and its ability to operate in different climates and challenging altitudes, the A320 Family fits perfectly into the growing Ecuadorian airline sector. The model range features exceptional versatility and compatibility with other Airbus fly-by-wire aircraft, allowing operators to match aircraft size to route demand.

Other advantages of the innovative A320 Family include the widest single-aisle cabin on the market, offering passengers more personal space and larger overhead bins. The next-generation A320neo version also features new jet engines and fuel-saving devices on the wingtips.

Avianca Ecuador, part of the Colombia-based Avianca Group, expanded its fleet to nine aircraft by adding two Airbus A320neos earlier this year. With capacity for 180 passengers on national and international routes, the units present fuel savings and a CO2 reduction of 20% compared to previous generation Airbuses.

In June, Avianca Ecuador inaugurated direct routes between Quito, the Ecuadorian capital, and New York, offering five weekly flights with Airbus A320 aircraft. The airline expanded its network by incorporating a non-stop route between Quito and Orlando (Florida) in August with A320 models.

LATAM Ecuador, a unit of Chile-based LATAM Airlines Group, is also expanding its reach with Airbus aircraft. The airline resumed direct service between Quito and Miami in October 2022, operating daily flights with economy class A320s on the 2,875 km route.

Ecuador marked another connectivity milestone last June, with the inauguration of flights between Quito and Cancún (Mexico) by the Mexican ultra-low-cost airline Viva Aerobus. The route consists of three weekly flights with Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft.

As the A320 continues to spread its wings in Ecuador, the country's airline sector benefits from supportive policies. The Ecuadorian government has recognized the importance of air travel through the reduction of the Eco Delta and Tourist Potential taxes in July, which has reduced the price of international air tickets for all travelers in the country.

Ecuador also signed the Open Skies Agreement with the United States in November 2022, becoming one of more than 130 partners in the international air transport framework. The reopening of the important General Eloy Alfaro International Airport in Manta in December of last year, after a rehabilitation effort, should further position the country to receive international travelers.

Recent data suggests that Ecuador is participating in the recovery of the global airline industry after the pandemic. Figures published by Corporación América Airports SA, one of the main private airport operators, show that passenger traffic in Ecuador grew by 15% year-on-year in July 2023, with total traffic exceeding the recorded level by 10.1% in July 2019.

At the same time, the country of some 18 million inhabitants is expanding its network of air connections, with a growing fleet of narrow-body Airbus aircraft. This improved connectivity will provide greater mobility for the Ecuadorian population, while raising the country's profile as a destination for business and tourism, bringing the world closer to the eighth largest economy in Latin America.

Source: AIRBUS.