Abra's latest partnership with Volotea is a refreshing take on creating a competitive global network

After GOL and Avianca unveiled plans to establish Abra a couple of years ago, it appeared that Abra was attempting to build a powerful South American airline group.

And while that likely remains a major goal for the airline, recent moves by Abra indicate the company is working to create a more globally focused airline group to further enhance its network reach - evidenced by Abra and Volotea now working to establish a joint venture.

It shows a certain nimbleness by each company, and in the case of Abra, reflects its approach to thinking outside the norms of traditional airline tie-ups.