South American carrier, Avianca, has appointed Versilia Solutions as its provider of airline onboard retail.
The deal involves Versilia Solutions creating a bespoke buy-on-board retail offering across all aspects of the retail value chain, tailored to the airline’s brand, demographic and strategy.
This work includes Versilia providing training in support of the airline’s 2,000-plus cabin crew, creating a compliant trading infrastructure, and developing a retail service for domestic and international flights from Avianca’s five operating countries.
Avianca is the largest airline in Colombia and the second-largest in Latin America (after LATAM), and as its 103rd anniversary approaches this month, this is its first implementation of a buy-on-board offering, which is part of a new business model.
Caroline Ulbrich, CEO of Versilia Solutions, said of the deal: “Welcoming Avianca to our client list is a big milestone; one which marks an ambitious period of strategic growth for the business. “We recognise the challenges airlines of all sizes face in developing their ancillary revenue streams and are there to support and guide them to solve any possible issues that might surface. Our approach is unique because we are not wedded to a particular systems, product or logistic solution. Our independence means we find the most competitively priced products and services to our customers. As a result, we are the quickest to react when an airline has need and can remain flexible throughout our partnership as their operational model changes and the retail needs and expectations of their passengers evolves.
From December, the Avianca in-flight sales program will be available on Avianca aircraft, with a menu that will include more than 40 beverage options, snacks, combos and other comfort products such as blankets, many of which have been tested and chosen by the travellers themselves.
In addition, in order to support the local entrepreneurial industry, Avianca invites entrepreneurs from Colombia, El Salvador and Ecuador to make their products available for sale at 36,000 feet in the second phase of the program.
“We want customers to continue to decide what they want to pay for, so we are now giving them the option to choose their food on board.” We are introducing a new in-flight sales offer with more than 40 options that are in line with our purpose of offering an increasingly personalized product, since through our fare scheme, our customers already choose how to fly and now they will be able to choose what to eat among the clouds. This is how we continue to keep in tune with the industry and the customer, and consolidate our vision of being an Avianca for All,” said Frederico Pedreira, chief operating officer of Avianca.
The new sales offer will be available for domestic flights in Colombia and Ecuador and international flights within the Americas, while onboard service on trips to and from Europe and on the Bogota-Los Angeles-Bogota route will remain included in the ticket fare.
This project is planned in phases to include more products and means of payment in a second stage and has the participation of a team of gastronomy experts as well as Versilia, Avianca’s partner and supplier of products for leading airlines, with a presence in four continents.
