At the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, the company AviancaTaca Holding S.A. signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the acquisition of 51 A320 family aircraft.

This order includes 33 new eco-efficient A320neo aircraft, available from 2017.

AviancaTaca Holding S.A., the parent company of the recently integrated airlines Avianca and Taca, and its subsidiary in Ecuador, Aerolíneas Galápagos S.A., signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Airbus for the acquisition of 51 new A320 family aircraft.

This order includes a total of 33 A320neo generation aircraft, characterized by their incorporation of eco-efficient technology and aerodynamic sharklet wingtips, that together allow fuel savings of up to 15%, equivalent to a reduction of approximately 3,600 tons of CO2 per plane per year. Powered by ecological engines the A320neo allows a double digit reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as well as a notable reduction in engine noise.

The A320neo has over 95 per cent airframe commonality with the A320 family models currently in service at AVIANCATACA, seamlessly integrating with the existing fleet and giving the group great flexibility.

Once firm, this order for 51 aircraft will be the largest request by a single organization in Latin America in the history of Airbus, and the largest order of A320neo aircraft in the region.

This new Airbus aircraft order constitutes a new impetus for AviancaTaca in its fleet renewal process, allowing the organization to expand into new local and international markets.

Since 1998 we have relied on the advantages of the A320 family, especially with regards to its benefits for travelers, operational performance and proven technical reliability. The addition of the A320neo to the fleet of airlines that comprise AviancaTaca will result in more efficiency, lower fuel consumption and greater range", said Fabio Villegas, President and CEO of AviancaTaca. "The Memorandum of Understanding signed today reinforces our ongoing commitment to provide customers with an exceptional service aboard the most modern fleet in the region"

The AviancaTaca Airbus fleet

Even before their integration as a airline group both AVIANCA and TACA based their fleet modernization and expansion programs on Airbus aircraft. The number of firm orders directly with the manufacturer totals 133 Airbus aircraft. In addition the companies also operate 22 leased aircraft.

Avianca and Taca are the only airlines in the region (and the third in the world), to operate all the family of A320 aircraft that includes the A318, A319, A320 and A321 models.

"The A320neo will be the defining factor in allowing Avianca and Taca to achieve new levels of savings and efficiency", said John Leahy, COO Clients Airbus. "We are very proud that this well known airline group continues to count on Airbus as its ally in its project to modernize and reduce operating costs".

About the A320 family

Sources from Airbus indicate that "the A320 family (A318, A319, A320 and A321) is recognized as the benchmark for single-aisle aircraft. The aircraft offer the most advanced technology available today, the most spacious and comfortable cabin, and the highest grade of operative communality. With 99.7 percent reliability and extended service periods, the A320 family also has the lowest operating costs of any similar aircraft type".

About AviancaTaca Holding S.A.:is a holding company for the leading airlines in Latin America of which the most well known are Avianca and Taca. With a modern fleet of more than 140 short, medium and long range aircraft in operation and an exceptional team comprised of more than 15,000 Employees, Avianca and Taca directly serve more than 100 destinations in the Americas and Europe, which connect to more than 750 destinations in the world through interline partner airlines and codeshare agreements around the world. With more than four million members in their loyalty program, the integrated companies register annual combined sales revenues of approximately three billion dollars. Their multi-hub operating model offers passengers varied and convenient travel options, through Bogotá, Colombia; San Salvador, El Salvador; Lima, Peru and San Jose, Costa Rica. The group also offer a wide portfolio of air products and services, including cargo, mail, courier and specialized aeronautical assistance and tourism plans. For more information about the airlines visit www.taca.com o www.avianca.com