GOL is already discussing plans to rapidly expand its future fleet of Airbus A330neo aircraft, just days after launching its first long-haul international flights between Rio de Janeiro and New York. According to the Brazilian airline’s CEO, Celso Ferrer, the company is already seeking additional aircraft to continue its expansion.
“We are looking for more aircraft,” Ferrer said during an event in New York, according to FlightGlobal. The executive stated that the goal is to “quickly” reach a double-digit number of widebody jets in the fleet, meaning at least ten aircraft.
Currently, GOL has commitments for only five Airbus A330-900s, leased from Avolon. These aircraft previously operated with Azul and will begin joining GOL’s fleet by the end of this year.
The move marks one of the biggest transformations in GOL’s history. Since its founding, the airline has operated exclusively with Boeing 737 family aircraft, a model that supported its low-cost carrier strategy for over two decades, even though its fares were not always the lowest.
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The adoption of widebody aircraft comes just months after GOL and Azul ended negotiations for a possible merger, during which the two airlines shared information in pursuit of a potential agreement that ultimately did not materialize.
Leased aircraft
While its own A330neo jets have yet to arrive, GOL is operating Airbus A330s from Spain’s Wamos Air under an ACMI agreement, which includes aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance.
The arrangement allowed the airline to launch the Rio de Janeiro–New York route and will pave the way for flights between Galeão and Lisbon in September. Orlando and Paris are also planned before the end of the year.
According to Ferrer, the five A330neo aircraft already contracted will be necessary to support these four routes. The launch of new destinations will depend on the addition of more aircraft.
The expansion also aligns with the plans of Abra Group, which controls both GOL and Avianca. The group has been increasing its presence in Latin America and recently reached an agreement to add Chile’s Sky Airline to its network of partner airlines, strengthening its regional integration strategy.
