Avianca Brasil (São Paulo Congonhas) has applied to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for route exemption as well as a Foreign Carrier Air Permit to operate scheduled and chartered, passenger and cargo flights from any points behind Brazil, via Brazil and intermediate points, to any points in the United States and beyond.
The carrier says it is planning to operate cargo flights initially eyeing a 3x weekly service between São Paulo Guarulhos and Miami International via one or more intermediate points including Manaus International, Curitiba International, Lima International, Medellín José Maria Córdova, Bogotá, Quito International, or Santiago de Chile using A330-200F freighter aircraft. Passenger flights are planned for later in the year.
Brazil's national civil aviation authority (Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil - ANAC) has already awarded Avianca Brasil three weekly frequencies to use on flights to the United States.
Avianca Holdings chairman Germán Efromovich said the group's Brazilian operation had plans to start longhaul operations to Miami and Orlando International in 2014 but deferred them on the back of a weak Brazilian Real and national elections.
As it currently stands, Avianca Brasil offers extensive domestic coverage of Brazil in addition to weekly flights from Fortaleza International to Bogotá internationally.
