Brazilian airline Gol launches New York in premium shift

Brazilian airline Gol is spreading its wings.

The carrier launched its first-ever flights to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) earlier this month with three weekly flights from its hub at Rio de Janeiro’s Galeao International Airport (GIG).

It marked a new era for the South American carrier — one marked by much bigger planes.

“We see the wide-body launch as a new phase for the company, repositioning toward a more premium offering to our customers,” Celso Ferrer, CEO of Gol, said during an event in New York on Thursday after the inaugural flight.

That new phase will see Gol add five twin-aisle Airbus A330-900s and launch four long-haul, intercontinental routes this year. Flights from GIG to Portugal’s Lisbon Airport (LIS) begin in September; flights to Orlando International Airport (MCO) and Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) will start by the end of the year.

Initially, the flights will be on A330s operated by Spain’s Wamos Air on behalf of Gol until the Brazilian airline takes delivery of its first A330-900 around the end of the year.

Going global is a big shift for Gol, an airline nicknamed the “Southwest of Brazil.” The carrier is known for low fares and no-frills service on its (until now) all-Boeing 737 fleet — not for spacious seats and top-notch hospitality at 32,000 feet.

Southwest, of course, has historically flown all 737s and been known for its own egalitarian cabins (that is, until its own recent transformation).

Gol, part of South American airline group Abra alongside Colombia’s Avianca, hopes its strong customer base, the reach of its Smiles loyalty program and its partnership with American Airlines will help fuel growth on its new U.S. routes.

Gol’s U.S. plans

Gol already serves Miami International Airport (MIA) and MCO with 737s from the country’s capital, Brasilia, and other gateways in northern Brazil. Now with the A330s, it is expanding to include long-hauls to JFK and MCO from Rio that are not possible with the smaller aircraft.

All of Gol’s new intercontinental flights to the U.S. will originate at GIG, where the airline is building a hub, according to Mateus Pongeluppi, the airline’s chief commercial officer. Connections are currently available to 15 destinations in Brazil and South America from JFK, with 25 connecting markets planned shortly.

Where to next

Ferrer, the CEO, was mum on where Gol may go after JFK and Orlando. The airline needs all five of the A330s it has on order for the four long-haul routes it’s already announced. It also plans to eventually operate more flights to those those cities, including boosting JFK from three weekly round trips to daily service.

“We are looking for more planes to play with soon,” Ferrer quipped. Additional twin-aisle aircraft would allow Gol to add more long-haul routes to the U.S.

By Ferrer’s estimation, Gol flies 15% of U.S.-Brazil seats with the JFK launch, and that share will rise further with the debut of GIG-MCO later this year.

Schedule data from aviation analytics firm Cirium confirms that Gol will fly nearly 15% of U.S.-Brazil seats in July, but, looking at the full year, its share falls to roughly 8%. Competitor LATAM Airlines is the largest airline in the market with 27% of seats, followed by American with nearly 24% of seats.

American partnership

Gol’s new GIG-JFK flights are included in its partnership with American. That means AAdvantage loyalty program members can earn points and receive their benefits on the route. And travelers flying in business class on Gol have access to American’s premium lounges in Terminal 8 at JFK.

Ferrer said American was very “supportive” of Gol’s addition of GIG-JFK, which allows the airlines to collectively offer year-round service on the route.

AA flies the route from October through March, a period when Gol will temporarily suspend its flights, Cirium schedules show.

American sees “potential” for an immunized joint venture with Gol “down the road,” according to an executive who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. American, they added, is happy with its partnership with the Brazilian airline.

Asked about a potential joint venture, Ferrer said one is not currently in the works, but did not rule it out.

A joint venture allows different airlines to coordinate schedules, fares and other commercial activities in a specific market. Gol competitor LATAM has a joint venture with Delta Air Lines covering U.S.-Brazil flights.

And Gol’s new business class?

Gol will offer lie-flat business class suites in a 1-2-1 layout on its A330s that begin arriving late this year, the airline’s vice president of operations, Albert Perez, said in New York.

The seats are already certified and will be redecorated for Gol, he added. This will allow the carrier to avoid the delays faced by airlines like KLM and Lufthansa, where new planes are held up by the regulatory sign off needed for new premium seats.

“No red carpets. No curtains. No fancy stuff,” Pongeluppi said about the airline’s new business class. “Instead, a very high-quality experience, minimalist, bringing Brazil, bringing our roots with an international flavor.”

Meals will be curated by Brazilian chef Felipe Bronze and inflight Wi-Fi service supplied by Panasonic.

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