Good news for travel to-and-from Brazil and the UK with British Airways to expand its São Paulo, Guarulhos – London Heathrow operation from 29 October 2024 by three weekly flight from 7 to 10 frequencies.
The new flight is a daytime service from London (11.30-20.20) and overnight back (23.40-14.10 +1). Services to operate Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
These flight are in addition to the daily service between Heathrow and GIG Rio de Janeiro, that also connects to Buenos Aires.
LATAM Airlines has painted a number of its Airbus A320s in the colours of the countries it serves. These include Brazil, Chile, Peru, Colômbia and Ecuador.
LATAM Airline will launch the first route connecting Israel and Latin America with a new flight from Tel Aviv to Santiago (Chile), via São Paulo (Brazil), as of December. There will be three weekly flights by Boeing 787 aircraft offering 217 economy seats and 30 in premium business.
For 2018 the airline has announced a further 14 international routes that include flights to Rome from São, Paulo, which began in March as well as new operations to Las Vegas (June), Boston (July), Lisbon, and from Fortaleza, in the Brazilian northeast, to Orlando, Florida.
Amaszonas Paraguay, a subsidiary of the Bolivian operator Amaszonas, has added two new Brazilian destinations to its route map this week, with the carrier launching flights to-and-from Asuncion (ASU) to Rio de Janeiro Galeao (GIG) and Sao Paulo Viracopos (VCP).
Fights to Rio are flown three times weekly, while Sao Paulo is served four times weekly.
The one-hour flight between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo is again the busiest airline route in the Americas, new research by Routesonline has found.
More than four million people travelled the 378 km between São Paulo Congonhas (CGH) and Rio de Janeiro’s Santos Dumont Airport (SDU) over the past 12 months, putting it comfortably at number one in the rankings.
With an average of 110 flights per day – or one every 13 minutes – the short hop connects São Paulo with Rio de Janeiro. The route is served by GOL Linhas Aereas, LATAM Airlines Brasil and Avianca Brasil, with the three airlines having a 42 percent, 40 percent and 18 percent capacity share of the market respectively. The average base fare for the journey is $93.
Routesonline’s research used OAG’s Schedules Analyser to identify the top 200 routes in North and South America by capacity from 1 November 2016 to 31 October 2017. The routes were then ranked by passenger figures using data provided by Sabre Airline Solutions over the same time period.
The second busiest route in the Americas connects the capital of Mexico with the tourist hotspot of Cancún. Almost 3.7 million passengers travelled the 1,294 km between Mexico City Juarez (MEX) and Cancun (CUN), with the average cost of a ticket $72.
TAM Airlines, Brazil’s major international carrier, moved its operations on 27 May at London’s Heathrow Airport from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3 where it joins a number of other oneWorld partners.
As a member of oneWorld, TAM’s passengers flying in business or with the right card, will be able to use the British Airways’ lounge in the terminal.
TAM currently offers a daily service between London and São Paulo with connecting onward services, while British Airways offers daily services to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro from London Heathrow’s Terminal 5.
LAN and TAM Airlines have opened new VIP Lounge in Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport in Santiago, Chile. The new lounge is thought to be the largest in South America , offering a sleeping area, showers and entertainment rooms as well as areas serving food and beverages.
With a design inspired – like the LATAM lounge in São Paulo – by South American culture and natural heritage, the lounge features natural materials, such as marble, onyx and leather, with colours and details that represent the region.
The new lounge is located on the 4th and 5th floors of the western sector of Santiago’s international airport, with direct access from the LAN and TAM check-in area.
Like the lounge in São Paulo, the new Santiago lounge is available to all clients travelling in Premium Business on LAN, TAM or any oneWorld alliance airline, and those traveling in LAN’s Premium Economy class. Members of the top categories in the LANPASS loyalty program (Black, Comodoro, Premium Silver), TAM Fidelidade (Black, Vermelho Plus, Vermelho) and respective oneWorld categories (Emerald, Sapphire) can also enjoy the lounge space. Members of the LAN and TAM Black, Emerald and Sapphire categories along with oneworld and World Member clients have the right to bring a guest.
The LATAM Airline Group has opened its new VIP lounge at the new Terminal 3 in São Paulo International Airport in Guarulhos. The lounge is for passengers flying with TAM or LAN in business or first, as well as passengers flying on oneworld alliance members that include British Airways, American, and Iberia.
The lounge covers an area of 1.800 m², and can accommodate 450 passengers at any one time. It operates daily from 05.00 to midnight.
Opened in May 2014, the new Terminal 3 at São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport continues to expand. During August 2014 four more airlines moved to the new terminal. These included Air France, British Airways, KLM, and Iberia. They join Air Canada, Alitalia, China Airlines, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Qatar, Singapore Airlines, Swiss Airlines, TAP, Turkish and United, that have already moved their operations to the new terminal. The main Brazilian carrier, TAM, will move later in the year by which time 80% of the airport’s international flights will be using the terminal.
A number of new shops and restaurants have also opened including landside the first Brazilian branch of Red Lobster which is located in the hallway that links Terminal 3 and 2. Other food options include Garrets, Carl’s Jr., Jimmy’s Buffet Margaritaville Ráscal, Viena Snacks, Desfruti, Olive Garden, Piola Piola and Casa Bauduco.
Stores include the bookshop Saraiva, FNAC, and airside, along GRU Avenue, can be found Amsterdam Sauer, Kate Spade, Lacoste, Track & Field, Coach, Burberry, Emporio Armani and Victoria’s Secret.
Star Alliance has also opened its new Lounge. About 1,350 square meters in size, the lounge can accommodate up to 295 guests and is open daily from 12.00 noon to 03.00. Access is for passengers traveling on Star Alliance member airlines from Guarulhos in First or Business Class or holding Star Alliance Gold Status. The lounge is located on the mezzanine level, overlooking the atrium and the airport apron beyond, and can easily be reached by escalators or elevators.
In line with the new Star Alliance lounge concept, local touches and flavours have been combined with global branding elements. This has allowed for the creation of a very Brazilian look and feel, reflecting a strong artesian heritage. The use of wood, rope, natural fibers and typical ceramic finishing bring coziness to a sophisticated interior and provides a relaxing and welcoming atmosphere to customers.
The lounge was developed and is operated by In Flight Solutions Brasil on behalf of the Star Alliance. For those wishing to work, free Wi-Fi access is provided throughout the lounge, with convenient power and USB outlets available. A dedicated business center and free Wi-Fi printing is also provided.
The new international Terminal 3 has opened at São Paulo’s main Guarulhos Airport that is located close to Arena de São Paulo where the opening game of the 2014 World Cup will take place on 12 June.
The first airlines to move into the new 12 million capacity terminal – that has 20 gates – were TAP and Lufthansa on 12 May. They were to be followed by six further international carriers in the coming three weeks.
After the World Cup another 17 companies will move into the new terminal with the Brazilian carrier, TAM, the last to move in September 2014. At that point, further modernisation will take place at terminals One and Two.
By 2022 the entire airport is expected to have doubled its current annual capacity to 60 million passengers.
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