Article from BTNews 21 OCTOBER 2019
American looks to Brazil
In another twist last week to the battle over the US-South American market, American Airlines was reported to be negotiating with the Brazilian carrier Gol about forming a partnership that could lead to closer cooperation between the two.
It follows Delta Air Lines and the Chilean-based LATAM Airlines Group announcing a strategic partnership in a blow to American, which had previously sought its own joint-venture deal with LATAM (BTN 30 September).
A spokesperson for American said the airline was "always looking for potential partners," as part of its regular operations, but media reports suggested the two companies initiated contacts on the same day Delta bought a stake in LATAM.
Gol has a fleet of more than 120 Boeing B737s operating mainly on flights within Brazil and to nearby countries including some long-haul flights between northern Brazil and Florida.
It claims to be the largest Brazilian domestic carrier and a spokesman said the company was looking forward to competing and growing in the markets it served. The airline said it had had a strong year in 2019 with passenger revenue up 37.9% in the second quarter and was confident about year-end results.
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