Brazil - GOL Increases Boeing 737-800 Next Generation Order to 161 Aircraft

The new order has GOL with 161 more aircraft on order and preserves their all-Boeing status.

http://www.amtonline.com/article/article.jsp?id=4900&siteSection=1

I would not call Gol a "low-cost airline" (as does the press release). They started out that way, but now sometimes they cost less than TAM for the same route and date, and sometimes more. And if they buy U.S.-made planes, vs. Airbus (which TAM uses), fine. If they would update their Web site(s) to make it easier for foreigners to buy tickets, or if one could buy them through one of Gol's code share partners, such as American (I'm talking about trips that are strictly Gol), that would increase the number of U.S. travelers flying them. If they do become part of the Oneworld Alliance at some point, that would be a plus. Interesting that I've flown Embraers more in the U.S. than in Brazil.

Odd that the only Embraer operator in brazil these days seems to be Azul, started by a dual US/Brazil citizen. GOL announced they no longer were interested in an alliance late last year after being deeply engaged with OW. I agree with you that their growth has been almost entirely domestic and that their systems are fairly hostile to non-Brazilian use (I don't know about their Argentine site).

TAM has changed rapidly to internationalize itself, partly for entry to *A. They still have a way to go, don't they?.

I would not call Gol a "low-cost airline" (as does the press release). They started out that way, but now sometimes they cost less than TAM for the same route and date, and sometimes more. And if they buy U.S.-made planes, vs. Airbus (which TAM uses), fine. If they would update their Web site(s) to make it easier for foreigners to buy tickets, or if one could buy them through one of Gol's code share partners, such as American (I'm talking about trips that are strictly Gol), that would increase the number of U.S. travelers flying them. If they do become part of the Oneworld Alliance at some point, that would be a plus. Interesting that I've flown Embraers more in the U.S. than in Brazil.

I've also noticied that in Brazil the use of RJs is much more limited. Yeah, I would very much like to see GOL become OW. Also, the "buzz" appears to be that upon the merger with LAN TAM will leave *A and also go OW. It would certainly allow me to get to some cities in Brazil I would very much like to see.

I would not call Gol a "low-cost airline" (as does the press release).

They now insist on calling themselves a "hybrid" airline: though Lord knows what that is supposed to mean. For me they are simply a run-of-the-mill regional carrier.


If they would update their Web site(s) to make it easier for foreigners to buy tickets.

I've never had any problem at all buying GOL tickets overseas, at the BR fare, using a non-BR credit card registered at my UK address.

I've also noticied that in Brazil the use of RJs is much more limited.

Azul is the only E-jet airline operator in the country, oddly enough. Most routes seem to be quite high load factors with the airport capacity constraints of GRU, CGH, GIG and SDU seeming to drive most to larger aircraft capacity, thus lots of A320 and B737 medium/high capacity models. The longer international routes get A330/B767, with infrastructure holding back anything larger even if the efficiency and demand would justify it.

AF manages to keep the two daily flights GIG-CDG full day after day, despite having a 744 and an A330 on the route. Several carriers do that at GRU, with lots of 777 too.

GOL, having decided to be non-aligned, although ready to codeshare and FF share with several airlines, seems ready to emulate the "COPA strategy" internationally. They are certainly planning to increase both cities covered and frequencies in the Southern Cone, but some of those aircraft will be North-bound too, but probably not heading to Europe or the US.

"Probably not" is based on fleet choices, despite the reality that a couple years from now it will begin becoming quite cheap to buy/lease B767, A330 and even B777 as airlines begin to finally receive the B787 and A350 models that will make these aircraft much less desirable. I will happily make book that this strategy will be publicly evident well before the Olympics arrive and maybe even in time for some World Cup business.