From Bloomberg – By Jose Sergio Osse
Dec. 9 (Bloomberg) — Azul Linhas Aereas Brasileiras, Brazil’s third-biggest domestic carrier, said it plans to expand its fleet next year and bid for a stake in an airport, while bigger rivals Tam SA and Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA scale back their plans to increase capacity.
Azul aims for a net gain of 14 planes and bid for a 1 percent stake in the Viracopos Airport in Campinas, Brazil, where its hub is located, said founder David Neeleman, who also founded JetBlue Airways Corp. The stake is the maximum that airlines are allowed to own in airports. Tam, Brazil’s biggest airline by market share, and Gol, the second largest, have said they aren’t interested in bidding in auctions for stakes.
