Ecuador's AeroGal has confirmed it will launch services in December to New York Kennedy using a Boeing 767-300ER owned by new Colombian sister carrier Avianca.
ATI reported last month AeroGal was planning to launch service to New York JFK from Guayaquil on 7 December with a 767 that seemed to be coming from Avianca. Speaking to ATI at the ALTA 2009 Airline Leaders Forum, AeroGal CEO Maria Gabriela Sommerfeld confirms the carrier has agreed to take a 767-300ER as well as a 757-200 from Avianca.
Both aircraft are owned by Avianca but are coming out of Avianca's fleet as the Colombian carrier takes new Airbus A330 and A320 aircraft.
Sommerfeld says the 767-300ER will be used to launch a daily service on the Guayaquil-New York JFK route in December while the 757-200 will be used to replace the 757 that is now operating on the Guayaquil-Miami route. Sommerfeld says the 757 that AeroGal now operates is being returned to its lessor.
AeroGal currently operates one 757 along with nine 737-200s, one 737-300 and one 727, according to Flightglobal's ACAS database.
AeroGal last year signed a memorandum of understanding to sell 80% of the carrier to Avianca parent Synergy. Sommerfeld says the deal has been consummated and should be completed shortly. She says her father will retain the remaining 20% in the airline.
Synergy already owns a smaller Ecuadorean airline VIP, which according to Flightglobal's ACAS database operates three Fairchild Dornier 328 turboprops. Sommerfeld says she has been serving as CEO of VIP since last year.
Avianca earlier this week said it is planning to include a combined AeroGal and VIP as well as Brazil's OceanAir in its planned merger with El Salvador-based Grupo TACA.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
