The Senate approved on March 6, the international open skies agreement on air
transport between Brazil and the United States. After the approval, the
text becomes valid and brings some changes to the airline industry.
The Agreement provides that air transport companies in both countries may
undertake international air transportation to any point in the other country.
The agreement does not, however, allow an airline of one country to operate
domestic flights in the other country (cabotage flight).
The opening or closing of new areas routes between Brazil and the United States
will be free, according to the decision of the companies, without limit of
weekly flights.
In practice this limit of flights and tariff freedom was no longer applied by
either side because of a memorandum of understanding between the two countries.
The approval of the treaty only solidifies the practice.
Latam Airlines CEO Jerome Cadier commented on the approval: "The Open Skies will
encourage increased international air operations between our country and the
United States, providing passengers with more travel options, destinations and
connections, as well as better schedules".
It is worth remembering that Latam had a special interest in approving the
agreement, without which it has no way of following up on the commercial
agreement it intends to make with American Airlines.
On the other hand, in a recent interview, the president of Avianca Brasil,
Frederico Pedreira, pondered that "There are many limitations that the
airlines in Brazil have that the American ones do not have. If you open
today there will be a difference of competitiveness that will not benefit Brazil."
