Recently nominated as ‘Sexiest Route’, Avianca, the flag-carrying airline of Columbia, has been recognised as the ‘Most Improved Network’. In its fifth edition, the Cranky Network Awards awarded this accolade in recognition of Avianca’s increase in seats and destinations. The annual event, held in Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport, attracted 170 attendees and involved airlines across an international scale.
What are the Cranky Network Awards?
The Cranky Network Awards are an internationally recognised event that awards airlines in various aspects of the industry. Created by aviation expert Brett Snyder and analyst Courtney Miller, the ceremony awards the best of the best in routes, strategies, innovation and operational excellence.
Claudio Vélez, Senior Vice President of Network and Alliances at Avianca, said:
“Receiving two nominations was an honour for us, and winning the ‘Most Improved Network’ award is undoubtedly a testament to the hard work of our entire team to provide greater connectivity and access to air travel. 2024 was a historic year — we consolidated the largest network in our history and carried the highest number of passengers in 105 years. We are proud to invest in new destinations and strengthen our U.S. offering”
Why them?
As mentioned above, much of the airline’s improvement was in expansions to the US, now operating 21 routes. These include:
- Miami-Medellín
- Orlando-Medellín
- New York-Pereira
- New York-Medellín
- Guayaquil-New York
- Quito-New York
- Fort Lauderdale-Medellín
- Cartagena-Miami
- Cartagena-Nueva York
- Cali-Miami
- Cali-Nueva York
- Bogotá-Tampa
- Bogotá-Chicago
- Bogotá-Miami
- Bogotá Orlando
- Bogotá- Nueva York
- Bogotá-Washington
- Bogotá-Fort Lauderdale
- Bogotá-Dallas
- Bogotá-Boston
- Barranquilla-Miami
Writing on LinkedIn, Juan Carlos Pinzón, Network Planning Specialist at Avianca, said:
“This achievement reflects the hard work, dedication, and strategic vision of our entire Network Planning team, enhancing connectivity across Latin America and beyond. From our major hubs to unique destinations, we continue to offer more choices, better connectivity, and an optimised network for our passengers.”
Avianca is the biggest airline in Columbia, and second biggest in South America. It is the oldest operating airline in the Western Hemisphere, and second globally to KLM.
The Bogotá-Tampa service for which it was nominated ‘Sexiest Route’ is due to take off March 30 2025.
For more information, please visit crankyflier.com
Have you had any experience flying with Avianca? Do you think they deserve such an accolade? Do let us know!
