Air France-KLM and GOL Prolong Commercial Partnership for Another Decade

28 Oct, 2023

Air France-KLM and GOL Prolong Commercial Partnership for Another Decade

Air France-KLM and Brazilian carrier GOL have officially agreed to extend their long-standing partnership, further solidifying their strategic cooperation. This extension builds upon the partnership that was initially established in 2014 following a significant $100 million investment by the European airline group. The collaboration had been previously renewed in 2019, and it will now continue for an additional ten years.

The core of this partnership revolves around granting each other exclusivity on traffic flows between Europe and Brazil, strengthening their commercial ties. Among the key components of this extended agreement are expanded code-sharing arrangements, enhanced joint sales activities, and reciprocal benefits for members of Air France-KLM's Flying Blue and GOL's SMILES frequent flyer programs.

Remarkably, this partnership covers a vast network, spanning over 125 destinations, which amounts to approximately 99 percent of the demand for travel between Brazil and Europe, as asserted by the two carriers. An impressive statistic reveals that one in every five passengers traveling to Brazil with Air France and KLM connects to a GOL flight, underscoring the significant reach and influence of this collaboration.

Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance will also continue to provide critical engine maintenance support to GOL, further cementing the technical dimension of the partnership.

Benjamin Smith, CEO of Air France-KLM, emphasized the importance of South America as one of the group's most strategic markets. He stated, "The historical partnership between Air France-KLM and GOL has been instrumental in allowing us to provide our customers with a comprehensive and broad value proposition in the region. This new agreement will allow us to implement the necessary structural enhancements to ensure Air France-KLM and GOL's leadership position between Brazil and Europe."

GOL's CEO, Celso Ferrer, expressed pride in celebrating another decade of partnership and highlighted critical elements of the relationship, such as the credit line for engine overhauls. He reiterated GOL's commitment to bolstering the Brazil-Europe corridor, and he firmly believes that Air France-KLM is the ideal partner to realize this shared vision.

For the upcoming 2023 winter season, Air France will operate 24 weekly flights to Brazil, including 14 to Sao Paulo, seven to Rio de Janeiro, and three to Fortaleza. Concurrently, KLM will operate seven weekly services to both Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, further enhancing their connectivity and service offerings in this crucial market.