GOL To Serve Natal-Buenos Aires

yenne09 · Mon Mar 23, 2015 11:50 am

Gol Airlines is to serve the Natal-Buenos Aires route from the second semester of 2015.

http://aerolatinnews.com/2015/03/23/...-de-natal-a-ezeiza-no-2o-semestre/

C010T3 · Mon Mar 23, 2015 11:19 pm

Most Brazilian states with no international service are introducing the same scheme by cross-subsidizing international service. Taxes on jet fuel are lowered to airlines that fly international from the state. Since there are not many conditions, most airlines fly to BUE once weekly and gain tax advantage on the fuel used for domestic flights. Jet fuel used on international flights is not subject to taxation.

dcajet · Tue Mar 24, 2015 7:09 am

Quoting C010T3 (Reply 1):
Most Brazilian states with no international service are introducing the same scheme by cross-subsidizing international service. Taxes on jet fuel are lowered to airlines that fly international from the state. Since there are not many conditions, most airlines fly to BUE once weekly and gain tax advantage on the fuel used for domestic flights. Jet fuel used on international flights is not subject to taxation.

Is this tax exemption/reduction scheme only available to Brazilian airlines?

On a similiar note, TAM has started a new nonstop service from REC to EZE. Great news as air service between the 2 countries has never been this strong, not only on the number of flights but destinations served. AR has really expanded its foot print in Brazil as well, adding BSB, CNF, SAL and CWB to its long established flights to GIG, GRU, FLN and POA. Brazilian airlines have expanded their presence to COR and ROS and serving BUE both @ EZE and AEP.

SCL767 · Tue Mar 24, 2015 7:29 am

Quoting dcajet (Reply 2):
Is this tax exemption/reduction scheme only available to Brazilian airlines?

Yes.

Quoting dcajet (Reply 2):
On a similiar note, TAM has started a new nonstop service from REC to EZE.

TAM will soon launch BSB-EZE daily.

Quoting dcajet (Reply 2):
Brazilian airlines have expanded their presence to COR and ROS and serving BUE both @ EZE and AEP.

4M wanted to launch COR-GRU but was denied as expected so LAN just made TAM launch GRU-COR 7x weekly. When LAN Perú permit to operate the LIM-ROS route was revoked by the Argentine Government, LAN simply made TAM launch GRU-ROS 7x weekly in order to offer connections via the GRU hub.

C010T3 · Tue Mar 24, 2015 10:55 am

Quoting dcajet (Reply 2):
Is this tax exemption/reduction scheme only available to Brazilian airlines?

Yes, since the tax on jet fuel is reduced for the domestic flights the airline operates from that particular state. In the case of NAT, the fact that Gol will now fly NAT-EZE will make 12% tax on jet fuel be reduced to 9% on all domestic flights Gol operates from NAT to Brazilian destinations. As I mentioned, there is no impact on the international flight itself, because fuel is not subject to taxation when the flight it is being used for is international.
Other airlines that operated at NAT will only enjoy the reduced tax if they start international flights themselves.

Quoting SCL767 (Reply 3):
4M wanted to launch COR-GRU but was denied as expected so LAN just made TAM launch GRU-COR 7x weekly. When LAN Perú permit to operate the LIM-ROS route was revoked by the Argentine Government, LAN simply made TAM launch GRU-ROS 7x weekly in order to offer connections via the GRU hub.

That has only been possible because the demand for Buenos Aires on the Brazilian has continually fallen, allowing TAM to see the value of withdrawing some GRU-BUE frequencies in favour of other routes.

dcajet · Tue Mar 24, 2015 11:45 pm

Quoting SCL767 (Reply 3):
When LAN Perú permit to operate the LIM-ROS route was revoked by the Argentine Government, LAN simply made TAM launch GRU-ROS 7x weekly in order to offer connections via the GRU hub.

There was at least an 18 month gap between the above events so one is not a consequence of the other. LAN moves faster than that. ROS is the 3rd largest city in Argentina, and the center of Argentina's farming business, so a connection to GRU is a no brainer. Besides, TAM is just keeping up with the Joneses here, as GOL has been operating in ROS for years now. The difference in favor of TAM is that from GRU it can offer same airline connections to Europe and the US and much better schedules for connections.

AR385 · Wed Mar 25, 2015 12:27 am

Natal-EZE, wow, that is what? A close to 7hr. flight?

SJOtoLIR · Wed Mar 25, 2015 12:53 am

Quoting yenne09 (Thread starter):
Gol Airlines is to serve the Natal-Buenos Aires route from the second semester of 2015.

Good for Buenos Aires for their new services to the northeastern region of Brazil.
However, they are served on a weekly basis: JJ EZE-REC, G3 EZE-FOR and the upcoming G3 EZE-NAT.
I guess the limited demand of passengers implies no more than one weekly flight at this time.

Regards.

dcajet · Wed Mar 25, 2015 2:09 am

Quoting AR385 (Reply 6):

Natal-EZE, wow, that is what? A close to 7hr. flight?

A tad shy of 6 hrs. REC-EZE is just under 5 hours. Natal should be ~ 5h 45 mins. Perfectly within the range of the 737-800. AR does the double daily EZE-CCS which is around 6h 45 mins, also with the 737-800. One of those flights is just a technical stop in CCS, as it continues to PUJ 3x w, and to CUN and HAV 2x w each. EZE-CCS carries some weight penalties, out of 170 seats only 155 are sold plus one row in coach is reserved for crew rest, as per the labor contract with the AAA Asociacion Argentina de Aeronavegantes union.

AR385 · Wed Mar 25, 2015 5:04 am

Quoting dcajet (Reply 8):
A tad shy of 6 hrs. REC-EZE is just under 5 hours. Natal should be ~ 5h 45 mins. Perfectly within the range of the 737-800. AR does the double daily EZE-CCS which is around 6h 45 mins, also with the 737-800. One of those flights is just a technical stop in CCS, as it continues to PUJ 3x w, and to CUN and HAV 2x w each. EZE-CCS carries some weight penalties, out of 170 seats only 155 are sold plus one row in coach is reserved for crew rest, as per the labor contract with the AAA Asociacion Argentina de Aeronavegantes union.

Interesting. I thought that at least one of the CCS flights was with the A343 and the CUN one was still nonstop, also with the A343. Anyway, that is very smart utilization of the 737-800. Although REC and SAL do make a lot of sense as both are very important destinations in the Brazilian North and NorthEast in terms of business, Natal seems more leisure driven. Hope they make money on that one.

SCL767 · Wed Mar 25, 2015 5:35 am

Quoting C010T3 (Reply 4):
That has only been possible because the demand for Buenos Aires on the Brazilian has continually fallen, allowing TAM to see the value of withdrawing some GRU-BUE frequencies in favour of other routes.

LAN wanted to fly COR-GRU since the merger and the only possible way was to have TAM fly it. Since the frequencies are maxed out on the Brazilian side TAM had to remove frequencies from the GRU-EZE route. Another factor that played into this was the fact that LAN Argentina was forced to move its twice daily AEP-GRU services over to EZE. Then TAM reorganized its operations at BUE and launched GRU-AEP 3x daily.

Quoting dcajet (Reply 5):
There was at least an 18 month gap between the above events so one is not a consequence of the other. LAN moves faster than that. ROS is the 3rd largest city in Argentina,

And here is the answer:

Quoting dcajet (Reply 5):
The difference in favor of TAM is that from GRU it can offer same airline connections to Europe and the US and much better schedules for connections.

LATAM retimed the majority of their international flights at the Guarulhos hub in order to maximize connections. LATAM also wanted to compete effectively with GOL and would not have been able to do so if TAM's flights were not properly timed to offer better connections. Interestingly, G3 decreased frequencies to COR and ROS when TAM entered those markets.

dcajet · Wed Mar 25, 2015 6:04 am

Quoting AR385 (Reply 9):
Interesting. I thought that at least one of the CCS flights was with the A343 and the CUN one was still nonstop, also with the A343. Anyway, that is very smart utilization of the 737-800. Although REC and SAL do make a lot of sense as both are very important destinations in the Brazilian North and NorthEast in terms of business, Natal seems more leisure driven. Hope they make money on that one.

CCS has been all 738 since October last year, daily. I suppose AR took a page from CM's playbook but it is working quite well. It also freed up the A343 and allowed AR to put to pasture the A342s - all gone from the fleet.

CUN is now served 4x week, 2 with the 738 and the other 2 nonstop from EZE with the A343. LIM is now all 738 and as of Dec 1st, UIO and GYE come online, daily with the 738. All new 738s are being delivered with onboard WiFi so they are ideal for these So America and Caribbean hops, as well for domestic within Argentina, where flights like AEP-USH can take around 4 hours.

BOG is the one destination within South America that is served with the 330/340. Cargo space demand is huge to/from Colombia and pax demand far surpasses supply. The reason is the very restrictive bilateral between the 2 countries. The roadblock is Colombia's reluctance to grant AR 5th freedom rights beyond BOG, that would allow AR to resume flights to LAX. Obviously from Argentina, AV does not need any 5th freedom (to where? Antarctica?) so the Colombians hold the key to unlock this one. For the time being 330 4x week it is, on the AR side, and 787-8 on the AV side, 4x w.

winGl3t · Wed Mar 25, 2015 2:31 pm

Gol is also retiming its COR e ROS flights. Effective on April it will be:

GRU 12:10 - COR 15:05
COR 15:45 - GRU 18:45

GRU 12:10 - ROS 15:05
ROS 15:45 - GRU 18:45

GIG 23:41 - COR 02:30
COR 03:00 - GIG 07:21

They also applied this morning with brazilian ANAC flights from GRU to MDZ:

GRU 10:10 - MDZ 14:00
MDZ 16:45 - GRU 20:00

Marambio · Wed Mar 25, 2015 3:33 pm

Quoting AR385 (Reply 9):
Interesting. I thought that at least one of the CCS flights was with the A343 and the CUN one was still nonstop, also with the A343. Anyway, that is very smart utilization of the 737-800. Although REC and SAL do make a lot of sense as both are very important destinations in the Brazilian North and NorthEast in terms of business, Natal seems more leisure driven. Hope they make money on that one.

Just like all airlines flying to Venezuela, AR is stuck with millions of bolívares from sales revenue and is unable to change them into foreign currency. They are flying to many destinations in the Caribbean via CCS so as to spend the bolívares in fuel, hotels for the crew, etc. Once they get rid of those bolívares the idea is to fly to the Caribbean via VVI - the 738s would then have no restrictions and it might be posible to get 5th-freedom rights from Bolivia.

On a sidenote, I thought AR was already flying MDZ-GRU, although it may be just charter flights. Would be nice to see more international flights out of MDZ (other than the traditional LA MDZ-SCL flight).

[Edited 2015-03-25 08:36:14]

SCL767 · Thu Mar 26, 2015 4:50 am

Quoting winGl3t (Reply 12):
They also applied this morning with brazilian ANAC flights from GRU to MDZ:

GRU 10:10 - MDZ 14:00
MDZ 16:45 - GRU 20:00

It looks like G3 will soon reduce both GRU-ROS and GRU-COR to a twice weekly service in order to launch GRU-MDZ. Surprised they didn't apply for GRU-BRC for the Southern Winter season.

TAM applied for BSB-EZE effective 03JUL:

JJ8126 BSB 21:15 EZE 01:05+1 A320
JJ8127 EZE 05:00 BSB 08:22 A320

Quoting Marambio (Reply 13):
Would be nice to see more international flights out of MDZ (other than the traditional LA MDZ-SCL flight).

Absolutely! AR briefly flew EZE-MDZ-SCL daily but surprisingly the service didn't last long. Interesting to note that the SCL-MDZ route is the shortest international route in LAN's entire network (106 nm) and it works very well for LA. Even though PUQ-RGL is 101 nm, it only operates once a month and really doesn't count since the service continues to MPN. T0 used to operate LIM-MDZ 3x weekly and had very high LFs. However the service was pulled after two weeks since T0's operating permit was revoked.

AR385 · Thu Mar 26, 2015 4:53 am

The MDZ-GRU flight stopped about 5 months ago. It was a failure. Lasted two months I believe. But, given what I read on the local press and what my relatives told me, the issue was the schedule. It was truly crazy.

Maybe a better schedule would work. Then again, people in MDZ are used to do all their travelling through SCL and I just can´t see enough O&D to sustain a MDZ-GRU flight.

OB1504 · Thu Mar 26, 2015 5:24 am

Quoting Marambio (Reply 13):
They are flying to many destinations in the Caribbean via CCS so as to spend the bolívares in fuel, hotels for the crew, etc.

Are AR crews willing to overnight in CCS? I remember AA stopped overnighting crews in Venezuela as a result of the social unrest in February 2014.

AR385 · Thu Mar 26, 2015 6:28 am

Quoting dcajet (Reply 11):
The roadblock is Colombia's reluctance to grant AR 5th freedom rights beyond BOG, that would allow AR to resume flights to LAX. Obviously from Argentina, AV does not need any 5th freedom (to where? Antarctica?) so the Colombians hold the key to unlock this one. For the time being 330 4x week it is, on the AR side, and 787-8 on the AV side, 4x w.

Frankly, I can´t believe that both countries would engage in such petty concerns. Eight flights weekly between AR and AV? That´s just crazy. If there are two city pairs in South America that would benefit from more flights it´s those. What are the fares?

The 737-800 to CUN, where does it stop?

SCL767 · Thu Mar 26, 2015 6:47 am

Quoting AR385 (Reply 17):
The 737-800 to CUN, where does it stop?

It operates via Caracas.

AR385 · Thu Mar 26, 2015 7:06 am

Quoting SCL767 (Reply 18):
It operates via Caracas.

Thank you for the response. That must be an interesting flight. I would like to take it someday. As dcajet said, they must have take some ideas from CM. Good for them. I hope to see them back at MEX someday...

dcajet · Thu Mar 26, 2015 7:08 am

Quoting OB1504 (Reply 16):
Are AR crews willing to overnight in CCS? I remember AA stopped overnighting crews in Venezuela as a result of the social unrest in February 2014.

Layovers are not in Caracas proper, but at the many resorts on the beach not too far from the airport so there is no need to go to the city. Same goes for IB, AF, LH, TP and any other European airline that are still around in Maiquetia. Crews rarely leave the resorts while there.

SCL767 · Thu Mar 26, 2015 7:10 am

Quoting AR385 (Reply 17):
What are the fares?

It's always over USD1000. This has to be one of AV's most profitable routes with-in South America, especially since they introduced the 787-8 on the BOG-EZE route.

Quoting AR385 (Reply 19):
Thank you for the response. That must be an interesting flight. I would like to take it someday

I forgot to mention that AR operates to PUJ via CCS as well. GOL offers flights to both AUA and PUJ via CCS.

SCL767 · Thu Mar 26, 2015 7:29 am

Quoting AR385 (Reply 19):
I hope to see them back at MEX someday...

I would guess that AR would want to go daily on both the EZE-BCN and EZE-FCO routes first before resuming EZE-MEX. Didn't AR resume EZE-MEX a while back but closed the route quickly after the resumption of service? Does AR even codeshare with AM on the EZE-MEX route? It's strange that SCL has more flights to MEX compared to EZE; especially since B.A. is an "Alpha City".

AR385 · Thu Mar 26, 2015 7:37 am

Quoting SCL767 (Reply 22):
It's strange that SCL has more flights to MEX compared to EZE;

I´m not biting...

Yes, they resumed it three years ago but it did not work. It must have been their fault, because MX flew it 14x w and now AM flies it at least daily (I´m not sure), it may be more than daily. And at least once on the weekend it is with the 777.

Fares are pretty high and the planes are filled. All the time. There are also many Argentine nationals in Mexico and many Argentine businesses in Mexico. They should look at it again. It´s a win-win VFR and high yield.

SCL767 · Thu Mar 26, 2015 7:52 am

Quoting AR385 (Reply 23):
it may be more than daily. And at least once on the weekend it is with the 777.

It's 9x weekly. AM will deploy the 787-8 on the route starting next week with some frequencies operated with the B762.

Quoting AR385 (Reply 23):
They should look at it again. It´s a win-win VFR and high yield.

AR could resume the route at anytime. However, it seems that AR prefers to operate non-stop flights to CUN with the A343 instead of resuming MEX.

Marambio · Thu Mar 26, 2015 5:33 pm

Don't want to turn this into an AR thread but since you're mentioning...

Quoting AR385 (Reply 15):
The MDZ-GRU flight stopped about 5 months ago. It was a failure. Lasted two months I believe. But, given what I read on the local press and what my relatives told me, the issue was the schedule. It was truly crazy.

Maybe a better schedule would work. Then again, people in MDZ are used to do all their travelling through SCL and I just can´t see enough O&D to sustain a MDZ-GRU flight.

There might be enough O&D during the ski season, but the rest of the year I highly doubt. Any destination in Argentina save for BUE and to a lesser extent COR needs small planes and connecting flights. For MDZ, SCL is the natural hub - it's very close and LA's been operating the route for decades.

Quoting AR385 (Reply 17):
Frankly, I can´t believe that both countries would engage in such petty concerns. Eight flights weekly between AR and AV? That´s just crazy. If there are two city pairs in South America that would benefit from more flights it´s those. What are the fares?

As mentioned by DCA, Colombia is not willing to give AR 5th-freedom rights. All EZE-BOG flights are packed (there's a big Colombian community in Buenos Aires and over the last years Colombia's become a popular beach destination for Argentines) and fares are quite high, but so far because of (Colombian) politics we are stuck with very few frequencies on each side.

Quoting AR385 (Reply 23):
Yes, they resumed it three years ago but it did not work. It must have been their fault, because MX flew it 14x w and now AM flies it at least daily (I´m not sure), it may be more than daily. And at least once on the weekend it is with the 777.

Fares are pretty high and the planes are filled. All the time. There are also many Argentine nationals in Mexico and many Argentine businesses in Mexico. They should look at it again. It´s a win-win VFR and high yield.

AR couldn't make EZE-MEX work because it lacked a medium-sized aircraft that could fly all the way without restrictions (remember MEX is at 2,300 m a.s.l). In some point they flew via ACA because of this, but of course it was hard to compete with the AM nonstop flights. I don't know whether AR codeshares on AM's flights now that they are both Skyteam members, but in case AR decides to resume MEX, the A330 looks like the perfect plane for that route.

AR385 · Thu Mar 26, 2015 5:53 pm

Quoting Marambio (Reply 25):
AR couldn't make EZE-MEX work because it lacked a medium-sized aircraft that could fly all the way without restrictions (remember MEX is at 2,300 m a.s.l). In some point they flew via ACA because of this

It´s at 2,200 mts, and they never flew through ACA. They started MEX in 1967 with their 707s which they kept on the route alongside the 747 until the mid 80s. Then it became all 747, including their single SP.

It used to be LAX-MEX-LIM-EZE. They had fifth freedom on the MEX-LIM part. Sometimes they did LAX-MEX-BOG-EZE but that one was rare.

But I really can´t remember them stopping at ACA. Others did, such as CP-Air and AeroPerú I think but not AR.

Marambio · Thu Mar 26, 2015 7:45 pm

Quoting AR385 (Reply 26):
It´s at 2,200 mts, and they never flew through ACA. They started MEX in 1967 with their 707s which they kept on the route alongside the 747 until the mid 80s. Then it became all 747, including their single SP.

It used to be LAX-MEX-LIM-EZE. They had fifth freedom on the MEX-LIM part. Sometimes they did LAX-MEX-BOG-EZE but that one was rare.

But I really can´t remember them stopping at ACA. Others did, such as CP-Air and AeroPerú I think but not AR.

In 2007/2008 AR flew the A310s on EZE-MEX-ACA-EZE rotations, without traffic rights on the MEX-ACA leg.

AR385 · Thu Mar 26, 2015 8:56 pm

Quoting Marambio (Reply 27):
In 2007/2008 AR flew the A310s on EZE-MEX-ACA-EZE rotations, without traffic rights on the MEX-ACA leg.

Are you sure? I recall it was EZE-MEX-PTY-EZE and then it changed EZE-MEX-CUN-EZE, not ACA. I took the A310 via PTY a few times and then through CUN.

AR385 · Thu Mar 26, 2015 10:38 pm

Just for fun trivia, sometimes that A310 landed at AEP when EZE was closed for weather...must have been interesting that sight.

incitatus · Fri Mar 27, 2015 2:34 am

Quoting SCL767 (Reply 14):
TAM applied for BSB-EZE effective 03JUL:

JJ8126 BSB 21:15 EZE 01:05+1 A320
JJ8127 EZE 05:00 BSB 08:22 A320

Good route. Bad schedule.

The 5 am departure out of EZE is particularly bad.

dcajet · Fri Mar 27, 2015 2:46 am

Quoting SCL767 (Reply 21):
I forgot to mention that AR operates to PUJ via CCS as well.

HAV as well. 2x week.

SCL767 · Fri Mar 27, 2015 2:47 am

Quoting incitatus (Reply 30):
Good route. Bad schedule.

The schedule is to maximize connections onto domestic flights via the BSB hub. TAM isn't looking for MCO/MIA connections ex-EZE.

dcajet · Fri Mar 27, 2015 2:59 am

Quoting Marambio (Reply 25):
Colombia is not willing to give AR 5th-freedom rights. All EZE-BOG flights are packed (there's a big Colombian community in Buenos Aires and over the last years Colombia's become a popular beach destination for Argentines) and fares are quite high, but so far because of (Colombian) politics we are stuck with very few frequencies on each side.

AV can and is funneling traffic to BOG via its LIM hub using the ex-TACA twice daily EZE-LIM flights too. That is an A330 and an A321 every day on top of the 4x week 787-8 nonstops. So the Colombian side has little to no incentives to get into a revisionist mood and let another competitor poach away traffic from their main hub under the 5th freedom scheme. And LAN is also a player here, to BOG either via SCL and LIM. The biggest loser here? AR. I am surprised the ANAC has been this quiet, considering how quick they reacted to situations that were less harmful to AR - such as Lan Peru's ROS-LIM. Politics I guess.

dcajet · Fri Mar 27, 2015 6:50 am

Quoting SCL767 (Reply 22):
I would guess that AR would want to go daily on both the EZE-BCN and EZE-FCO routes first before resuming EZE-MEX.

Beginning 1/1/16 -

Buenos Aires Ezeiza – Barcelona eff 02JAN16 Increase from 5 to 6 weekly
AR1160 EZE2255 – 1535+1BCN 343 x12
AR1160 EZE2335 – 1615+1BCN 343 1

AR1161 BCN1820 – 0400+1EZE 343 x3

Buenos Aires Ezeiza – Rome eff 01JAN16 Increase from 4 to 7 weekly
AR1140 EZE2235 – 1610+1FCO 343 D
AR1141 FCO1825 – 0500+1EZE 343 D

Already on GDS and available for booking. MAD was also supposed to go to 2x daily, an early afternoon departure and a late evening departure from EZE, both on A332. But the increase has not been announced yet, I suppose it is on account of a further A332 needed for the route and it won't be delivered until July 2015.

SCL767 · Fri Mar 27, 2015 7:06 am

Quoting dcajet (Reply 34):
Buenos Aires Ezeiza – Barcelona eff 02JAN16 Increase from 5 to 6 weekly

Quoting dcajet (Reply 34):
Buenos Aires Ezeiza – Rome eff 01JAN16 Increase from 4 to 7 weekly

Those new frequencies were removed from the GDS a while back.

jfk777 · Fri Mar 27, 2015 12:16 pm

Quoting dcajet (Reply 34):
Buenos Aires Ezeiza – Barcelona eff 02JAN16 Increase from 5 to 6 weeklyAR1160 EZE2255 – 1535+1BCN 343 x12 AR1160 EZE2335 – 1615+1BCN 343 1AR1161 BCN1820 – 0400+1EZE 343 x3Buenos Aires Ezeiza – Rome eff 01JAN16 Increase from 4 to 7 weeklyAR1140 EZE2235 – 1610+1FCO 343 DAR1141 FCO1825 – 0500+1EZE 343 DAlready on GDS and available for booking. MAD was also supposed to go to 2x daily, an early afternoon departure and a late evening departure from EZE, both on A332. But the increase has not been announced yet, I suppose it is on account of a further A332 needed for the route and it won't be delivered until July 2015

Why does AR only fly to Madrid, Barcelona, and Rome ? Paris would seem a natural destination for them as well as London. All the main European airlines fly to EZE including AF and BA.

2travel2know2 · Fri Mar 27, 2015 2:16 pm

Back to G3 NAT-EZE, seems that flight it's a weekly scheduled charter operating on behalf of Argentinean tour-operator and resorts in Natal.
If G3 happens to have aircraft R.O.N. in both NAT and EZE good idea to swap them once per week.

Marambio · Fri Mar 27, 2015 6:44 pm

Quoting jfk777 (Reply 36):
Why does AR only fly to Madrid, Barcelona, and Rome ? Paris would seem a natural destination for them as well as London. All the main European airlines fly to EZE including AF and BA.

EZE-CDG is well covered by Air France, which flies daily and is an AR partner. I don't think there is enough demand to have more flights on that route.

London could work but only if flying to LHR (at LGW there are no connections), and at Heathrow the first problem is getting a reasonable slot. Things could change if LHR's 3rd runway is finally built.

And last but not least, given the recent fleet reshuffle AR's priority is to get enough A330s to fly daily to MAD, BCN and the USA and only afterwards analyse new routes in Europe (EZE-FCO remains served with the A343 since it's off-range for the A330).

Quoting 2travel2know2 (Reply 37):
Back to G3 NAT-EZE, seems that flight it's a weekly scheduled charter operating on behalf of Argentinean tour-operator and resorts in Natal.

Does it mean the flight won't be sold on Gol's website and only through the travel agent?

[Edited 2015-03-27 11:45:57]

2travel2know2 · Fri Mar 27, 2015 9:06 pm

Quoting Marambio (Reply 38):
Does it mean the flight won't be sold on Gol's website and only through the travel agent?

The opposite, the flight is flown because a tour operator is involved but G3 gets to sell as many seats as they not sold via tour.-operator.

dcajet · Sat Mar 28, 2015 5:12 am

Quoting AR385 (Reply 23):
Fares are pretty high and the planes are filled. All the time. There are also many Argentine nationals in Mexico and many Argentine businesses in Mexico. They should look at it again. It´s a win-win VFR and high yield.

Restarting MEX is planned, at least that is what I have heard, but not right away. AR wants to concentrate first on the US and Europe. I expect MEX to be resumed when more 330s are in the fleet. Lots of traffic to/from MEX but it is not incredibly high yielding. The cream of the crop is scooped by AA via MIA. I know, madness. But AA has incredible brand preference in Argentina and a huge number of premium AAdvantage members - 4 daily 777s packed full, especially up front, take off from EZE to the US within a 3 hour period, so that's got to hurt AM. For the time being, AR prefers to focus on CUN, and has contracts with a few large wholesalers that guarantee traffic all year long, plus they can sell their own tickets as well. Certainly not high yielding traffic, but given the preference that one week all inclusive packages enjoy with the Argentine middle class, it seems the right strategy until more premium hardware arrives in the fleet to compete better and capture the upscale market.

LipeGIG · Mon Mar 30, 2015 2:50 am

G3 is doing a lot of changes on their network adding such limited services.

ROS is the next... moved from an all GRU operation to 2x weekly GIG-ROS, 2x weekly GRU-ROS, probably focusing to better serve the focus of Argentinians.

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