Avianca Cargo, the Abra Group’s freight division, has obtained GDP Pharma (Good Distribution Practices) certification for its entire European network. The admission applies to its ground handling and air transport services at Madrid (MAD) and Barcelona (BCN), and will include London, Paris, and Lisbon come 2027.
Meanwhile, LATAM Cargo has announced to operate additional flights from Europe to Buenos Aires, to keep supply chains intact during the upcoming partial runway closure of Ezeiza Airport.
Back to Avianca: The approval of the audit process conducted by SGS makes the Abra Group’s cargo division the first airline headquartered in the Americas to receive this recognition for its operations in Europe.
SGS SA, headquartered in Geneva, has been a household name in the world of inspection, verification, physical testing, and certification. Its checks and inspections are based on standards defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), which demand strict compliance with requirements for the storage, preservation, and transport of medical and pharmaceutical supplies under temperature-controlled conditions. The certification process at Madrid and Barcelona, served by Avianca Cargo, was completed within six months.
A new milestone
“Becoming the first airline in the Americas to earn Good Distribution Practices (GDP) Pharma certification for our operations in Madrid and Barcelona, marks a new milestone in our strategy to strengthen our specialized pharmaceutical transport services. Together with our IATA CEIV Pharma certification, this achievement reinforces our commitment to an industry that depends on safe, consistent and traceable operations,” said Diogo Elias, CEO of Avianca Cargo.
Good Distribution Practice is based on official regulatory guidelines as defined by the EU or the World Health Organization, for example. The scheme focuses primarily on storage conditions at warehouses and ground facilities, handling practices, packaging and inventory tracking.
The commitment and expertise of Avianca Cargo’s teams were key to achieving the certification in just six months, compared with the usual 12 months or so that it typically takes to complete the process for this type of audit, the carrier emphasizes in a release.
MAD and BCN are strategic hubs
Obtaining the GDP pharma recognition reinforces Avianca Cargo’s commitment to its customers and strengthens its ability to meet the pharmaceutical industry’s needs. Madrid and Barcelona serve as strategic hubs for consolidating pharmaceutical shipments from across Europe. Both cities are part of a network that gives Avianca Cargo greater control over its operations and enables it to offer a specialized, reliable supply chain connected to major markets.
Competitor LATAM Cargo obtained its first certification, IATA-developed “Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics”, already in 2017. CEIV Pharma certified companies guarantee safe and efficient transportation of valuable and delicate cargo such as pharmaceutical products. “Being the first airline in the Americas to earn this recognition reflects the effectiveness of our efforts to position ourselves as the preferred choice for pharma transportation to, from, and within Latin America,” stated Andrés Bianchi, CEO of LATAM Cargo at the time of the acknowledgement.
Avianca Cargo followed suit some years later, when the airline obtained all of the IATA certifications including CEIV Fresh, CEIV Lithium Batteries and CEIV Pharma, after a monitoring process lasting less than two years.
LATAM Cargo increases EZE flights
Meanwhile, LATAM Cargo has announced that it will be operating additional frequencies from Europe to Buenos Aires (EZE), reaching up to eight weekly flights. This is a reaction to the construction work at the airport in the Argentinian capital, that will be carried out between 19OCT26 to 15NOV26. During this period, the runway infrastructure allows for only limited operations. “In this challenging environment, the capabilities of the B767F enables us to continue serving EZE safely and reliably. For shippers and forwarders, this means greater planning certainty and continued market support,” states Jorge Carretero, Sales Director Central Europe, LATAM Cargo.
