By Michela DellaMonica, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) has authorized 1,973 requests for new flights at 25 airports during the World Cup in June and July, greatly expanding transportation offers for fans traveling to matches in the country’s twelve host cities.
These sanctioned flights are authorized for the airports that are in the twelve cities that will host the games, in addition to thirteen other airports up to 200 kilometers outside of these major cities. This authorization entailed approximately 78,000 changes in flight schedules made only by commercial airlines Avianca, Azul, Gol and TAM.
As approved by ANAC’s president, Marcelo Guaranys, the new flights will offer an extra 20,000 seats for the opening of the World Cup in São Paulo on June 11-June 13, 2014. An additional 25,000 seats will be offered on flights to Rio de Janeiro on the dates close to the World Cup final, July 12-July 14, 2014.
The five routes with more requests for flights were between Brasília and Guarulhos, São Paulo; Santos Dumont, in Rio, and Viracopos, in Campinas, São Paulo; between Galeão, in Rio, and Ezeiza, Argentina (262); Galeão and Aeroparque, Argentina (242); and between Fortaleza and Guarulhos (205).
The president of ANAC confirmed that companies can begin to sell tickets for these flights beginning on Friday, January 17th since no more changes are expected to be made. “We guarantee that flights are being approved within the capacity of airports”, Guaranys said. The government will monitor the prices every fifteen days and promised to question abusive practices.
Just two days ago, Brazilian airline Avianca pledged to cap its domestic flights for the first half of 2014 at R$999 reais, the latest carrier to commit to stabilize its prices for the World Cup dates after low-cost Azul last week.
FULL LIST OF AIRPORTS WITH EXTRA FLIGHTS
Brasília
Bayeux (PB)
Cabo Frio (RJ)
Caxias do Sul (RS)
Campina Grande (PB)
Confins (MG)
Congonhas (São Paulo)
Fortaleza
Galeão (Rio de Janeiro)
Goiânia
Guarulhos (SP)
Joinville (SC)
Juiz de Fora (MG)
Manaus
Pampulha (Belo Horizonte)
Parnamirim (RN)
Porto Alegre
Recife
Salvador
Santos Dumont (Rio de Janeiro)
São Gonçalo do Amarante (RN)
São José dos Campos (SP)
São José dos Pinhais (PR)
Várzea Grande (MT)
Viracopos / Campinas (SP)
Read more (in Portuguese).
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