SAO PAULO – Delta has filed for regulatory approval to increase its new nonstop service between Orlando and Sao Paulo from four times per week to daily. Delta will begin service in the market four times per week beginning Dec. 19, and expects to start serving the cities on a daily basis Feb. 20.
In June Delta announced that it would have four U.S. gateways to Sao Paulo, giving customers the option of flying through New York, Orlando, Atlanta and Detroit. In addition, the Sao Paulo-Orlando flight will offer convenient connections to nine major U.S. destinations, including Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York (LGA and JFK) and Raleigh.
Further, Delta’s alliance with Brazilian airline GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes extends the reach of the Orlando-Sao Paulo service to 32 Brazilian destinations and provides seamless connections at Guarulhos International Airport.
“It is exciting to have the opportunity to have a daily direct flight connecting Sao Paulo to Orlando and to offer customers the reach of GOL’s network with over 700 weekly codeshare flights to Brazil’s interior,” said Nicolas Ferri, Delta’s Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean. “Delta’s continued expansion of routes important to Latin American customers demonstrates our commitment to the region and keeps us in line with our promise to be the best U.S. airline in Latin America and the Caribbean.”
The new service will be operated using a Boeing 767-300 aircraft with 35 flat-bed seats with direct aisle access in Delta One cabin, 32 seats in Delta Comfort+ and 143 seats in the Main Cabin.
Delta Air Lines
Brazil certifies Q400
The Bombardier Q400 has gained Brazilian type certification, enabling the aircraft to operate in the South American nation.
Bombardier is trying to break into the large turboprop market in Brazil, which is currently controlled by rival turboprop manufacturer ATR. Brazilian airlines will be able to operate the Q400 in up to an 86-seat configuration. In late 2013, the Canadian manufacturer introduced an extra capacity seating configuration option for the Q400 in which airlines can operate the turboprop aircraft with 86 seats with a seat pitch of 29 inches.
Bombardier is particularly marketing the extra-capacity version of the aircraft to airlines in developing markets; Thailand’s Nok Air was the launch customer for the type.
“Expanding our commercial aircraft presence in the Latin American market is key to our global expansion strategy and obtaining the Q400 aircraft’s type certification [from National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil] marks an important step in placing aircraft in the region,” Bombardier Commercial Aircraft regional VP-sales for Latin America and the Caribbean Alex Glock said in a statement, adding that the “aircraft will serve the growth-oriented needs of Brazil’s airline industry and prove to be an excellent asset to local operators’ portfolios as they look to expand routes, right-size and develop their networks.”
Canadian Aviation News