Jun 24 2010
American wins more Brazil rights
American Airlines has received government approval for daily service between New York Kennedy and Rio de Janeiro and four flights a week between Miami and Brasilia.
In addition, the U.S. Department of Transportation turned down Delta Air Lines’ request for four flights a week between Detroit and Sao Paulo, which would have launched flights after airport problems in Sao Paulo are resolved.
DOT rendered the decision last week, and American applauded the department Thursday.
“Brazil is an ever-expanding South American market, and we thank the U.S. Department of Transportation for granting American the authority to operate these new flights, including the only nonstop service between New York City and Rio de Janeiro by a U.S. carrier,” said Will Ris, American’s senior vice president of government affairs.
“Additionally, our new service to Brasilia from Miami – our largest U.S. gateway to Brazil and to all of South America – will be the first service in a long while from a U.S. carrier,” Ris said.
American said it planned to launch the new flights Nov. 18. It’ll use a Boeing 767-300ER on the New York-Rio route and a Boeing 757 on the Miami-Brasilia route.
In turning down Delta’s request, DOT assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs Susan L. Kurland said DOT policy has long been to award routes only when the airline can offer a startup date.
“In the present instance, Delta has applied for frequencies on the basis that they will be used in Sao Paulo when the infrastructure-related constraints there are removed. However, there is no date when those constraints would be removed, and thus no firm date by which Delta could begin service,” she wrote.
“American’s requested frequencies, on the other hand, would all be available for use, and American has provided firm start-up dates for using them. In these circumstances, we are not granting Delta’s application, and we accordingly dismiss Delta’s request for frequencies to serve the Detroit-Sao Paulo city-pair market,” Kurland added.
American currently offers nonstop service to Rio from Miami, and Sao Paulo from Dallas/Fort Worth, New York Kennedy and Miami.
No related posts.