On 26 October 2020, Avianca signed a collective agreement with the Colombian Civil Pilots Association (Asociación Colombiana De Aviadores Civiles – Acdac), with the goal of securing social peace and gaining competitiveness in the market. The agreement, of a duration of 4 years (for some items 6 years) was reached after 11 years since the last collective agreement entered in force.

Through this agreement the parties decided to establish a new organisation of work based on a rotation scheme so that pilots and cabin crew continue to fly and agreed to implement a salary reduction of 15%.

Anko van der Werff, President and CEO of Avianca, welcome the agreement saying “The trust, the willingness of both parties to embark in dialogue and negotiations, as well as the common goal of supporting the airline to emerge from this crisis, were fundamental to be able to reach the agreement that we are announcing with ACDAC. Definitively, it is for us a new beginning and the strengthening of social dialogue in our relations. We appreciate the commitment of our pilots to voluntarily accept the agreed terms”. He continued, “we are confident that, after closing the negotiations with the other trade unions, and by progressing in the reorganization process, we are going in the right direction to respond to the financial and operational commitments. This will allow us to emerge from this situation as a strengthened airline”.

Acdac President, Captain Jaime Hernández Sierra, stated “The signature of this agreement is definitively an important achievement since, in addition to successfully ending the negotiation around the proposed recovery of the company, presented by Acdac, it also marks the beginning of a new era within Avianca and for labour relations. Indeed, this agreement shows that the interests of the current management and the workers are aligned. Achieving this outcome was for us a commitment to our pilots, the company and the country”.

Following this process, the company was also able to reach an agreement with the Colombian Association of Cabin Crew (Asociación colombiana de auxiliares de vuelo – ACAV), again for a duration of 4 years. This agreement is restoring dialogue after 15 years since the last agreement was signed.