Yesterday, Avianca revealed an Airbus A320 with a livery promoting Disney’s new movie Encanto. The aircraft will have this new painting for a few months, and it is also showcasing Colombia’s cultural and natural diversity. Let’s investigate further.
A charming Encanto
Avianca selected an Airbus A320, registration N939AV, to receive the Disney-related livery. N939AV is an A320-200, over ten years old. It had its first flight on November 30, 2011, and Avianca received it on December 19 of that same year. The Colombian carrier owns the plane rather than leases it.
Onboard, N939AV has Avianca’s new SpaceFlex cabin with two classes, plus, and economy. Up to 180 travelers can fly on this A320, said Avianca in a statement. Currently, Avianca and Airbus are working towards increasing the seating capacity in the airline’s A320 fleet. We wrote on the subject at Simple Flying en Español.
Over 90 people transformed the A320 at Avianca’s MRO, located in Rionegro, Colombia. Applying the new painting took 12 days, said Avianca. The A320 will fly throughout Colombia on 38 domestic routes. Yesterday, it had its first flight, operating between Bogota and Barranquilla.
What’s unique about the livery?
Many airlines collaborate with movie studios to promote upcoming movies. We have seen LATAM’s B777 stormtrooper, which recently landed at Heathrow International Airport; other airlines like United Airlines, Azul, and much more, have also joined the movie craze on different occasions.
Nonetheless, Encanto is a particularly important movie for Colombia. This movie tells the story of the Madrigal, a family that lives deep in the Colombian mountains in a place called Encanto. The film studio launched this movie following the success that was Coco for Disney in the Latin American market. Therefore, associating with Avianca, the quintessential Colombian carrier, must have been a no-brainer.
José Pablo González, Brand and Insights Manager at Avianca, said,
“Along with a unique film, we also present an unbeatable flight experience with two of our new chairs, seeking to bring to every corner of the country a small sample of the diversity, colors, and cultures that are part of Colombia, Avianca’s land. We are proud to make our travelers feel how charming our country is onboard the only plane that reflects what Colombia is: diversity and cultural richness, in the most complete network in Colombia with 38 domestic routes and the best travel itineraries.”
How’s Avianca doing right now?
In December 2021, Avianca has 14,758 scheduled flights across South America. The airline has had a mix-and-matched recovery throughout the year due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to 2019 levels, Avianca’s capacity is still 29.8% below in terms of flights and 26.2% below in terms of seats.
Nonetheless, Avianca has big plans for 2022. The airline has recently announced its exit from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It spent 18 months in financial reorganization under US law and is now ready to move forward and keep on flying for many years.
By 2023, Avianca plans to serve approximately 200 routes and reduce fares by 30%. The airline wants to compete better against low-cost carriers in South America like Viva, JetSMART, and more.
Do you like Avianca’s new livery? Let us know in the comments below.