Abra has introduced its Insignia suite for long-haul services on Avianca's Boeing 787s.
Following recent comments from AerCap CEO Aengus Kelly that airlines are overcomplicating seats and thereby contributing to delivery delays, Aviation Week talked to Abra Group, one of South America’s biggest airline groups, about its approach to aircraft modifications.
Abra Group owns Colombian full-service carrier Avianca and Brazilian airline Gol, giving it different priorities across all parts of the cabin. It has maintenance facilities in Colombia and Central America, while Gol Aerotech in Brazil provides line and heavy maintenance, aircraft modifications, component work, painting and other specialized services.
“Depending on the technical requirements of each program, modification work can draw on these capabilities and [on] specialized certified providers, helping support aircraft availability and operational reliability,” says Francisco Raddatz, Abra’s chief procurement officer.
“Our strategy reflects demand across different customer segments. Maintaining an accessible base product remains fundamental in Latin America, while we are also seeing strong demand for greater comfort, flexibility and premium services,” Raddatz says.
To address this, Abra has just launched its Insignia suite for long-haul services on Avianca’s Boeing 787s, incorporating sliding doors, lie-flat beds and 4K IFE screens. The seats are based on a Collins Aerospace design that was certified in late 2022.
In the first quarter of 2026, Abra’s premium revenue grew 56%, supporting this investment in its business class product, which also includes Wi-Fi on routes longer than three hours.
Abra is also progressively incorporating seven Airbus A330-900s during 2026 and 2027 to support its international growth and long-haul premium strategy. The first of these aircraft equipped with the new Insignia cabins will enter service in 2027.
For a full analysis of the aircraft modifications market, see the next issue of Inside MRO.
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