The goal of the Brazilian government is to expand the number of airlines in the country, including attracting foreign groups, previously banned from opening subsidiaries. Instead, airlines from countries neighboring Brazil expanded their flights in 2019.
The latest of these companies to debut in Brazil is JetSmart, which belongs to the Indigo Partners group, which now flies to Salvador operated four times a week. Chilean low cost will also link Santiago de Chile to Sao Paulo and Foz do Iguaçu in January.
Chilean rival Sky Airline also flew to Salvador days ago with Airbus A320neo jets, but seasonally and is scheduled to close on March 1, 2020. Sky Airline had debuted in November last year with flights to Florianopolis and Rio de Janeiro, and the following month to Sao Paulo.
“Salvador is one of Chilean’s favorite destinations and being able to provide passengers with the ability to fly directly between Santiago and Salvador means a breakthrough for our operation,” celebrated Sky Airline Commercial Director Carmen Gloria Serrat.
Founded in 2001 by Chilean entrepreneurs, Sky went through an uncertain period before deciding to invest in the low-cost model. The airline is currently renewing its fleet with Airbus jets and has just ordered 10 units of the long-range version A321XLR that will be used on routes to the United States, among other destinations.
More competition
Largest aviation market in the South American continent, Brazil has been prioritized by other companies in the region. In Argentina, in addition to the traditional Aerolíneas Argentinas, low-cost Flybondi has expanded its destinations. Another recent company, Amas Bolivia, has resumed routes to Brazil including flights between Santa Cruz de La Sierra and Galeão and Foz do Iguaçu this month.
Even the small airline Paranair has flown between Asuncion and Brasilia on a third-party LATAM flight that uses the CRJ-200 50-seat jets, and has its own flights to Florianopolis and Rio de Janeiro.
