Until some years ago they had two flights a day, one with A330 and one the NEV4 777. Then down to one flight a day, NEV4 777. Then up again to 10 flights a day, where the day flight from Paris was on a B772.

Lufthansa from FRA, not sure they currently the operate the route and with what equipment. But LH obviously has the horrible J class with no single seats on their 747-400 (or any other plane). First class is no longer offered since the 747-8i was pulled from the route. Alternatives include Swiss/Edelweiss through ZRH, Alitalia through FCO (not too bad I hear), Iberia and TAP that don't have fantastic service levels but single seats, BA with their terrible J - and there is KLM! Took them a few times to GIG, on a 787-9, and the seats were OK.

Flying to SDU via GRU can work well, if the schedules work out. But it costs more time - immigration in GRU usually takes much longer than in GIG (more flights arriving at the same time). On the other hand, I have on several occasions been traveling to Sao Paulo with colleagues, they on the direct flight and me via GIG to CGH. I arrived at our hotel in Brooklin before him, every time.