Can AA keep affording to fly their 773 to GRU?
 

With Brazil's economy in recession, no sign of recovery in the near future, the dollar/real currency in it's extreme devaluation mode ever, can AA keep flying those huge planes to GRU?

I think they can at least remove one of those frequencies.

I'm sure AA revenue staffers are watching this, no?

Brazil is unequal enough (more so than the USA) that even if it's in recession, there will be quite a few very rich people there who could pay for the J seats in a 77W.

Can AA keep affording to fly their 773 to GRU?
 

If yields fall, I'm sure they'll consider reducing capacity. Same with EZE. But it's not a decision made in a vacuum.

If the part of the plane under where you sit your poto is heavy with exports to the USA, it will continue to fly.

Network Planning would conduct that analysis and make that decision. The job of RM is to maximize revenue within the schedule that is set and loaded. Network can see much of the same info as RM and they are in constant communication of course.

The reason I mention this is the fare prices, $384 RT GRU-MCO.

My friend just bought J GRU-JFK for New Years for $450.

Hopefully they can keep it up.

If it did come to that (downsizing the route), where would AA move those 77Ws to? Obviously speculation, but would they increase capacity to LHR or another current route? Maybe a new route to HKG. Fun to think about.

That has to have been the mistake fare that happened about 6 weeks ago due to a mistake in the currency conversion tables. AA is not selling J tickets GRU-JFK for $450.

As someone who just took a bunch of these flights, they were pretty damn full both directions LAX-GRU-LAX and GRU-DFW-GRU

Which, as anyone on this board will tell you, is not indicative of their profitability.

Well it depends on whether the premium cabines are full. I last flew to GRU in March and all classes were full on a weekday. I have another flight coming up soon and we'll see whether the recent devaluation etc has had an effect. One thing that I'm afraid this will affect is adding new flights when the open skies agreement between the US and Brazil takes effect in October. For years I've been hoping for no -stops between Brazil and SFO, but I'm afraid that's a pipe dream now.

I don't think any route in the AA system has that many upgrade and premium award (A/C/Z/U) seats available. On most of the dates I was checking, it was 7+, regardless of whether I was checking for a flight far in advance or a couple of days before departure.

To GRU? Most of the availability I was seeing via the calendar was actually to VCP (which may or may not matter).

Starting in November, LAX-GRU will be flown on a 2 class 787.