GOL Linhas Aéreas, based in Brazil, has been approved by the Colombian Civil Aviation Authority (Aerocivil) to operate flights to Bogotá (BOG), Colombia, from Buenos Aires/Ezeiza (EZE), Argentina and São Paulo/Guarulhos (GRU), Brazil, with up to seven frequencies per week using Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.
This proposal is part of the fifth freedom of the air, allowing passengers to travel from Buenos Aires to São Paulo with a stopover in Bogotá and vice versa, or to disembark in the Colombian capital (the main objective of the route), that is, to serve the Colombia – Brazil and Colombia – Argentina markets.
This request highlights how bilateral agreements have become obsolete in the face of current demand in the Latin American market, forcing airlines to explore alternative routes to bypass them.
It is the reverse path that LATAM Brasil took in 2016 when it flew between São Paulo and Bogotá with a stopover in Buenos Aires.
For GOL, this move means a return to the Colombian market after a twelve-year absence. The airline previously operated flights to Bogotá from Manaus and São Paulo from 2009 to 2011 following the acquisition of Varig. During those years, the Brazilian airline also had a small regional base in Buenos Aires, connecting with Asunción, Lima, and Santiago.
This authorization gives the Brazilian company the green light to announce its imminent return to Colombian territory.
The Competition GOL Will Face
Both markets that GOL intends to enter are currently dominated by Avianca as the main carrier in terms of capacity.
Currently, on the Bogotá-São Paulo route there is an offering of 10,552 weekly seats, with Avianca providing three daily flights using Airbus A320neo and Boeing 787-8 aircraft, and LATAM operating a daily flight with Airbus A320. According to ANAC Brazil, between January and October, this route moved 388,815 passengers, with an occupancy rate of 85%.
Meanwhile, on the Bogotá-Buenos Aires route there is an offering of 8,792 weekly seats, served by Avianca with two daily flights on Airbus A320neo and Boeing 787 aircraft, and Aerolíneas Argentinas flying from Aeroparque with Boeing 737-700 aircraft. According to ANAC Argentina, between January and October, this route transported 319,013 passengers, with an occupancy factor of 91%.
