zackery149

I have a GOL flight in March, REC-GIG. It is part of a UA itinerary in business class. This leg is listed as premium class (C). It is not labelled 'coach' as is the GIG-REC leg.
I note GOL does have some 737's with a so-called comfort class. I cannot imagine that they would use these on a domestic flight. Just curious if anyone has flowen GOL within Brazil on such equipment?
The balance of the ticket is business on United, perhaps it just books into that fare.
Only 3 hours, more curious than anything, but would be refreshing after many cattle car flights on Brazilian flights.

SoCal

I believe Class C means full fare business class. That's what you paid? Is that what's listed for all of your flights? I don't think it means you're in a premium class for domestic flights (and the only domestic flight in Brazil I've seen with more than one class was a TAM flight that had started in Buenos Aires, so had international flight configuration).

I believe that Gol, like TAM, classify certain seats (e.g., emergency row, bulkhead) as premium, and you'd normally have to pay about R$30 extra for those. My wife has also argued, usually with TAM, that we should be entitled to such seats at no extra charge since we were traveling internationally in biz, but that worked only once. I'd call United and ask what they mean by class C in your case. I'm aware of no Gol planes, at least on domestic runs, that have more than just economy class. Little room, and we had to pay for all snacks and beverages other than mineral water from a large bottle poured into cups for each passenger in Terminal 1.

You should be entitled to the international business class baggage weight limits for the GIG-REC leg, though once when we arrived on Delta biz class, and connected to a GRU-FOR flight on Gol, the Gol rep, while accepting that our checked baggage limits were covered by the international biz class rules, insisted that the carry-on bags had to adhered to the domestic flight limit of 5 kg (I later wrote to Delta and they said the Gol rep was in error). I assume you know you'll go through Immigration and Customs at GIG, then take your bags to a transit desk or upstairs to the Gol check-in counters.

zackery149

I think you are correct, SoCal, regarding the booking class and that the plane will be all economy. The fare is discount business (UA P). I buy these on a regular basis and normally any domestic legs book into something like Y, full economy , at least on TAM.
I have never found TAM accommodating to frequent flyer status, either. I was on a flight to SSA in November, bulk head seats on one side were empty, asked if I could move, FA said no and walked away. I find TAM reasonably pleasant on international but the young ones on domestic usually have major attitudes. Most of their energy expended in keeping the curtain closed.

pantanal

comfort class on gol generally means the bulkhead and some premium seats..i have never seen a gol plane domestically with a real business class

qfrodo

You can read about Gol's comfort class here:
http://www.voegol.com.br/en-us/servi...s/default.aspx

Seems to be a recent change and supposedly just for their international flights. Of course, the aircraft may occasionally be used for domestic routes if being repositioned.

Also seems to be more than just the normal bulkhead/exit row seats that normally have been caled comfort class.

I did on one occasion fly a TAM Airbii that had something similar, Three rows/two seats per side, on a short flight from VIX to GIG.

zackery149

http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/GOL...737-800_V3.php

Looking at ITA I see some fares of $1313 in March for Miami to GRU, pretty good fare. But does make a stop in Santa Domingo - SDQ. Might work for some folks. And the reverse for those living in Brazil for those shopping trips.

SoCal

Economy class? What dates? Before the end of Carnaval? Looking at arbitrary post-Carnaval dates, I saw much lower rates, with one-stop (e.g., Copa, Avianca) and a bit lower on non-stop (e.g., TAM). Gol flies a 737-800, so no widebody, but American uses a 757 on its flights to Recife and Salvador.

zackery149

I am talking about GOL's comfort class. I searched using premium economy (not economy). Looking at the GOL link and seat guru, I would compare their comfort to COPA's business (caveat, have not flown GOL comfort, have flown COPA business). Certainly superior to TAM/GOL economy. And not transiting PTY or BOG.

These random dates are March, post carnival, TAM economy $1200 , two stops, same dates. American $1300, economy and $2800, one stop, business.

SoCal

I think the answer is clear: domestic Gol flights have one class, no separate comfort class, though they may have some specific seats (e.g., exit row, bulkhead), designated as premium/comfort seats. I think one normally gets those at the check-in desk, usually after paying a fee (hopefully you won't have to). The seats should be the same as the regular economy seats, but the location is different (as with many airlines).

I've heard from friends that Copa's biz class is no great shakes, but it is biz class. If you do get a premium seat on the Gol leg(and I'd confirm that with United beforehand, and hope you get a pre-assigned seat), don't expect biz class. Do expect to pay for anything but water. But, heck, if you get a seat in one of the better locations, it's better than nothing. As noted, in theory you're supposed to be able to speak Portuguese to be seated in the emergency row.

SoCal

p.s. I am, as I said, referring to Gol's domestic flights. Maybe they have different seating configurations on their international flights.

zackery149

I agree a REC-GIG GOL flight is almost certainly economy.
Regardless, based on the links cited GOL most definitely does have a class of seat / service superior to their economy on at least some of their international routes. With a price, currently, quite decent. Which may be of interest to some looking for alternatives, if positioning out of Miami.

riva31

I found This video about Confort class in Gol, but they are making a reconfiguration in all their fleet, are going from 188 seats to 177 maybe you are lucky and get one of these planes already reconfigured.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQINhC4agxo

http://www.voegol.com.br/en-us/servi...s/default.aspx

nickab

For ppl landing here for info about "GOL Comfort Class" (I did when I searched), figured I'd update the thread with the latest. It looks like it's been renamed "GOL Premium" at some point. Here's the new landing page: http://www.voegol.com.br/en-us/servi...premium#header

qfrodo

Gol Premium is for their international flights. Looks like it might be the same seats as Comfort Class, they just block the middle seat as they do for business class in Europe.

rcrowe5999

I'm in Brazil now and flew Gol as part of Delta itinerary. Comfort is 3 across seating but with more legroom.