The position was newly created following Frederico Pedreira’s announcement that he would be stepping down as CEO effective 28FEB26. To ensure a smooth transition in leadership, Oliva will assume his new role with immediate effect. In addition to his tasks as airline President, the Argentine national will remain Chief Operating Officer of Avianca, thus holding a dual position.
Founded more than 100 years ago, on 05DEC19 as SCADTA – Sociedad Colombo-Alemana de Transporte Aéreo, today known as Avianca, the airline has never had a President. Until now. In creating this new position, management intends to ensure continuity and alignment throughout the organization during the succession process, says Avianca. Shortly before Pedreira’s arrival in 2021, the Bogota-headquartered carrier had exited Chapter 11 proceedings based on a reorganization concept, and managed to raise fresh investments of USD 1.7 billion. Emerging from insolvency with a solid balance sheet and over USD 1 billion in liquidity, Pedreira managed to optimize its route network, consolidating and strengthening the airline’s financial position and cementing its role as a leading passenger and cargo carrier in Latin America. During this restructuring phase, Pedreira stepped up from COO to CEO and will remain at the helm until his departure in FEB26.
Mix of passenger and freighter fleet
Currently, Avianca serves more than 150 routes, with most of them point-to-point. It operates 700 daily flights and manages a fleet of 140 Airbus A320 passenger jetliners and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, connecting more than 80 destinations in 25 countries in the Americas and Europe. The fleet includes 5 Airbus A330-200F and 4 Boeing 767-300F. The A330-200F can carry up to 65 tons of cargo per take-off, making it ideal for long-haul flights, while the Boeing 767-300F has a payload capacity of 58 tons, suitable for medium or long-haul routes. Avianca Cargo operates a state-of-the-art cargo terminal at Bogota’s El Dorado International Airport, equipped with advanced handling and storage facilities.
Pedreira has put Avianca on a growth path
The Board of Directors of the Abra Group (Avianca’s shareholders) expressed its appreciation for Fred Pedreira’s tenure. Roberto Kriete, Chairman of the Avianca Board and member of the Abra Group Board of Directors, said: “In recent years, Fred has led Avianca through an extraordinary transformation, making it more efficient, competitive, and connected. His dedication and leadership have left a lasting mark on our company and our people. We are excited about the future that lies ahead for Avianca and warmly welcome Gabriel in his new role.”
Strengthening performance indicators
On behalf of Grupo Abra, CEO Adrián Neuhauser underscored the importance of this succession process and the continuity of the transformative momentum: “We continue to strengthen Avianca’s leadership team while executing the succession plan designed for our talent. I want to thank Fred for his leadership and the transformation he has driven, and welcome Gabriel as President to continue this momentum. We are confident that, as a team, we will continue to strengthen our performance indicators, as well as the product and service offered to our customers, ensuring that they continue to choose us for their travel needs. Avianca enters this new phase from a position of strength and stability.”
Gabriel Oliva’s career spans more than twenty years in leadership positions, fourteen of them in the aviation industry, including LATAM Cargo. He joined Avianca in 2021 as CEO of Avianca Cargo, where the Argentine national repositioned the unit as a regional leader, and later assumed the role of COO. “Under his leadership, and with an integrated vision of the cargo and passenger business, he strengthened operational safety, efficiency, and customer experiences,” the company applauded.
AeroUnion became Avianca Cargo Mexico
Upon assuming his new position, Oliva expressed his commitment to the company’s future: “I am very grateful, excited, and motivated by this appointment. Together with the more than 15,000 members of the Avianca team, we will continue to strengthen this company, hand in hand with the Abra group.”
Under his leadership, the Mexican cargo airline, AeroUnion, was also integrated into the parent company, Avianca, and renamed Avianca Cargo Mexico.The rebranding of the freight carrier, which took place in early SEP25, kicks off a new phase focused on fleet growth combined with regional and international network expansions.
For more information, please see: https://cargoforwarder.eu/2025/06/29/aerounion-becomes-avianca-cargo-mexico/
