American Airlines (AA, Dallas/Fort Worth) will launch flights from Miami International and New York JFK to São Paulo Viracopos with effect from December of this year. The flights will be made possible through the transitioning of one daily frequency between Miami and São Paulo Guarulhos and select weekly frequencies between New York and São Paulo Guarulhos.
"The new flight from JFK to VCP will operate three times per week beginning December 1, 2014, and the daily flight from Miami to VCP will launch December 2, 2014, pending government approval. Both routes will be operated with B767-300(ER) retrofit aircraft featuring fully lie-flat Business Class seats with all-aisle access," it said.
The move will take the carrier head to head with Brazilian LCC, Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras (AD, São Paulo Viracopos), which recently announced plans to operate its maiden international flights from Viracopos to Fort Lauderdale International and Orlando International also in December. Its flights will use a fleet of A330-200s.
In related news, American partner, US Airways (Phoenix Sky Harbor), will terminate its Charlotte International to São Paulo Guarulhos services from October 1 effectively leaving Charlotte with no direct services to South America. It will also give up its Rio de Janeiro International route on September 11.
