Germán Efromovich Announces: "Avian Will Fly Again"
The businessman stated that the money for the bankruptcy settlement has already been deposited and denounced "maneuvers" aimed at preventing the company's return from materializing.
Businessman Germán Efromovich stated today that “Avian will fly again” and explained that, to achieve this, he met with Argentina’s Secretary of Transportation, Franco Mogetta, and the Undersecretary of Air Transport, Hernán Gómez.
In an interview with Aviacionline, Efromovich emphasized that he was "warmly received" and that officials responded "very positively" to the possibility of Avian’s return. "We told them that we are working to lift Avian’s bankruptcy, despite some obstacles created by certain individuals, whom I will refrain from mentioning at this time," he said.
He warned that the situation "could become very serious, even reaching the level of extortion." According to Efromovich, legal action is already underway. "There are people trying to prevent the bankruptcy from being lifted, but I believe the court will recognize what is happening. We have a meeting with the judge tomorrow to present all the evidence and ensure the necessary legal precautions are taken."
"That way," he added, "we can move forward with the long-awaited dream of flying again and doing what we were not allowed to do before."
The Fleet and Legal Challenges
Efromovich confirmed that the airline will operate the same ATR aircraft currently parked at Aeroparque Jorge Newbery in Buenos Aires. "The planes belong to a lessor that originally purchased them from ATR. They must return to the lessor, but the company has committed to leasing them back to us once the legal issues are resolved."
However, he acknowledged that there are efforts to block the airline’s revival: "There are people working against this, and I have informed the judge. We are fighting this battle because the court has been misled. What’s happening behind the scenes is extremely serious, and it could even lead to criminal lawsuits against several individuals."
Future Plans and Regional Expansion
Efromovich also announced that once the legal process is complete, he plans to reveal everything that happened "as an example for other businesses and entrepreneurs, so they do not find themselves in similar difficult situations."
Regarding Avian’s operations, he confirmed that the airline will restart with two ATR aircraft. "Additionally, I was in talks with ATR, and they are interested in providing us with more planes to expand regional connections. We are even considering operations on shorter runways in lower-demand areas, using new 19-seat aircraft."
"The plan is to offer flights of up to an hour and a half, connecting major hubs," he explained. "This was our original business model—we never intended to centralize operations in Buenos Aires."
No Government Aid, Just No Obstacles
Efromovich made it clear that he is not seeking government assistance. "I did not ask the Secretary of Transportation for help. I don’t want help—I just don’t want obstacles like the ones placed in our way by the previous administration and even by Macri’s government before that."
He revealed that the company has already deposited the necessary funds to lift the bankruptcy, and once that process is complete, the airline will move forward with ANAC certifications and, finally, the realization of the dream to fly again.
Avian's History and Challenges
Avian began regular flights in November 2017, becoming the first airline established under Mauricio Macri’s “Aviation Revolution” initiative. As part of Efromovich’s group of companies, it operated under the Avianca Argentina brand. However, in terms of management, it was not directly linked to Colombia’s Avianca, but rather to the Brazilian Oceanair, which also used the Avianca Brasil name.
The airline focused on a regional flight model using 70-seat aircraft, which allowed it to serve routes no other airline covered—such as Buenos Aires-Rosario-Reconquista—or to offer higher frequencies on routes where larger aircraft had limited schedule flexibility.
However, Avian was ultimately impacted by Oceanair’s financial crisis in Brazil, as well as challenges within Avianca Holdings. As a result, Avian ceased operations in June 2019, and its ATR aircraft have remained parked at Aeroparque Jorge Newbery ever since.
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