Brazilian Aviation Authority Grants JetSMART Argentina Permission to Fly to Rio de Janeiro

Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) authorized JetSmart Airlines SA to begin regular international operations in the country. The low-cost carrier will start its first flights between Argentina and Brazil on December 6, connecting Buenos Aires/Ezeiza (EZE) with Rio de Janeiro (GIG).

The company had announced that it would return to Brazil with the Chilean subsidiary in mid-2022, but at the end of August it announced that JetSMART Argentina would land in Rio de Janeiro instead, with five weekly flights.

Rio de Janeiro is Argentina’s main tourist destination: in 2019, 842,552 passengers were mobilized between Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro through five companies (Aerolineas Argentinas, Emirates, Flybondi, GOL and LATAM).

It is worth noting that ANAC Brazil’s authorization to operate between Argentina and Brazil, includes other destinations that the ultra-low-cost had approved by ANAC Argentina after the 2018 Public Hearing: Brasilia, Belo Horizonte, Curitiba, Florianópolis, Porto Alegre, São Paulo and Viracopos/Campinas from Buenos Aires, Bariloche, Córdoba, Mendoza, Neuquén, Puerto Iguazú, Rosario, Salta and Tucumán.

JetSMART Argentina is the fifth low-cost airline to be authorized in Brazil, adding 8 routes connecting four Brazilian cities with four South American cities:

Flybondi

According to ANAC Brazil, between January and September 2022, Flybondi transported 184,394 passengers. The company doubled its operations compared to the 2019/20 summer season.

From Buenos Aires/Ezeiza (EZE) to Rio de Janeiro/Galeão (GIG) it operates double daily flights. São Paulo/Guarulhos (GRU) with 6 weekly flights. Florianópolis (FLN) with 7-9 weekly flights.

JetSMART Chile

The company had suspended all its operations to Brazil during the COVID-19 health crisis, and for brief periods operated to Foz do Iguaçu. By December it would recover this last destination and launch a new one: Rio de Janeiro.

From Santiago (SCL) it operates to Rio de Janeiro/Galeão (GIG) with 6 weekly flights and to Foz do Iguaçu (IGU) with 2 weekly flights.

SKY Airlines

The Chilean airline transported 162,453 passengers in the first nine months of the year. The only destination it has not resumed is Salvador (SSA), but its current operations have increased its frequencies and seat offer compared to 2019, since it incorporated the Airbus A321neo in its routes.

From Santiago (SCL) it flies to Rio de Janeiro/Galeão (GIG) with 9 weekly flights, increasing to double daily flights as of January 2023. In addition, it covers the route to São Paulo/Guarulhos (GRU) with 6 weekly flights, increasing to double daily flights in January 2023. Florianópolis (FLN) currently involves one daily flight.

VIVA 

VIVA is the latest low-cost carrier to enter the Brazilian market, inaugurating operations in July. In its first three months it transported 11,467 passengers, with an occupancy rate of 78%.

From Medellín/Rionegro (MDE) to São Paulo/Guarulhos (GRU) with 4 weekly flights, increasing to 5 by the end of November.

This article was originally published by Gastón Sena on Aviacionline in syndication with AirlineGeeks