Low-cost Airlines Begin Operating International Flights in Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – While operating at low cost and charging less for airfare, these companies typically charge for services such as dispatched luggage and seat booking.

In general, they also do not offer food on flights, nor do they offer printers at airports for travelers to obtain their boarding passes.

The Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) approved the operation of four of these airlines in Brazil, two of which operate scheduled flights. The first was Norwegian, which ranks third among low-cost airlines operating on the European mainland.

It was granted authorization to operate in August 2018 and, since May, it has been flying the London-Rio de Janeiro route.

Chilean Sky Airline, the second to be allowed to fly in the country, has been flying since November 2018 connecting Brazil to Chile, with the Santiago-Guarulhos (SP) and Santiago-Galeão (RJ) routes.

Sky Airline intends to operate flights on the Santiago-Florianópolis route starting in November. The company will be the first low-cost airline to fly to the recently inaugurated Florianópolis airport. The airline should soon operate on the Santiago-Salvador (BA) route, which is scheduled to start on December 30th.

Next week, Argentina’s FlyBondi will begin flights connecting the neighboring country to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, on the routes El Palomar-Guarulhos (SP) and El Palomar-Galeão (RJ). The airline promises prices between 30 and 40 percent lower than the competition. In December the company will also operate flights to Florianópolis.

The Chilean subsidiary of North American JetSmart starts to fly from December on the Santiago-Salvador route. In January 2020, the company will begin operating flights on the Santiago-Foz do Iguaçu route, and as of March on the Santiago-Guarulhos route.

Other companies

ANAC advised Agência Brasil that it was in the process of approving the license for Air Europa to operate domestic flights in Brazil. Part of the Spanish tourist conglomerate Globalia, Air Europa is already operating in the international market on the Madrid-Recife, Madrid-Guarulhos and Madrid-Salvador routes.

“In addition to these companies, we have Air China which resumed its regular operations in March 2019, with two weekly flights on the Guarulhos-Madrid-Beijing route, and announced its intention to expand in Brazil, as well as Virgin, which will start operating in March 2020, with daily flights between Heathrow (London)-Guarulhos and Heathrow-Galeão,” said the agency.

In addition to the change in legislation to allow 100 percent of foreign capital in airlines, charging for checked luggage also contributed to the entry of companies.

The return of the free baggage allowance was approved in the Chamber of Deputies, but the provision was vetoed. In late September, Congress failed to overturn the presidential veto.

Since the enactment of Resolution No. 400/2016 of ANAC, in June 2017, airlines are allowed to charge for checked baggage.

The rule further says that a passenger is entitled to carry a volume of up to ten kilos as hand luggage on domestic and international flights, with a limit of up to 55 centimeters (cm) in height by 40 cm in length.

Source: Agência Brasil