Spanish Airlines air Europa is planning to step into Brazil’s domestic aviation market, to do so the company has requested authorization to operate domestic flights in Brazil. This investment is seen as a ray of hope in deflated aviation market of Brazil by government officials.
The CEO and owner of the company Grupo, has submitted an application to regulators in Sao Paulo, Brazil to launch a new airline that will operate domestic flights in the South American country.Currently the company operates flights to the country, but only on its international routes from Madrid to destinations in the Northeast and Southeast of Brazil.
The news comes as the Brazilian government is set to pass legislation allowing for 100% foreign capital in Brazilian airlines.Now the company is waiting for the joint approval.Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency, for which Air europa has to submit application.
Tha minister of infrastructure, Tarcisio Gomes de Freitas, tweeted on Saturday.
“Air Europa is the first company to operate in the Brazilian domestic market due to executive decree, that opened a path for foreign capital in domestic companies. Obtaining the authorization, it will hire Brazilian pilots and crew, generating jobs, competition in the sector, and new investments in the country,”
Currently Avianca has filed bankruptcy, meanwhile the entry of new companies has been defended by the government as fundamental for rebalancing the offer of flights and reducing the price of tickets. Avianca was one of the four largest airline companies operating in the country. Today, it has returned most of its aircrafts to creditors and has laid off most of its employees, including pilots and crew. Now Spain’s Air Europa tries to fill in the void in the domestic market.
Last year, at least three foreign low-cost airline companies requested authorization from Brazil’s National Aviation Agency to fly international routes to and from Brazil.In July, Norwegian Air requested authorization to fly into the country. It was the first request from a foreign low-cost airline to operate in the country.
Norwegian Air is the third low-cost airline in Europe, only behind EasyJet and RyanAir. The service started at the end of March, flying non-stop flights between London Gatwick and Rio de Janeiro International Airport four times a week.
In November, it was Chilean company Sky Airline’s turn to the Brazilian aviation regulator to authorize its flights from Chile to several destinations in Brazil.
The Argentinian company Flybondi also expressed the wish to operate between Argentina and Brazil. In August, the company received authorization from the Argentine government to operate international routes between the two countries and is now seeking approval from Brazilian authorities. All these aviation companies from various companies will hopefully generate revenue and jobs in the market, which further leads to strong economy of Brazil.
