The US Department of Transportation (DOT) is accepting applications from US carriers for the latest round of Brazilian passenger frequencies, which become available from 1 October.
An agreement between the USA and Brazil in June 2008 expanded scheduled services for passenger carriers in four stages from July 2008 through October 2010. Passenger flights available during the implementation of the agreement will rise from 105 to 154.
In the final stage, US airlines may operate 14 more weekly combination frequencies to points in Brazil from 1 October.
The forthcoming frequencies may not be used at Sao Paulo's Guarulhos International airport until infrastructure-related constraints at that facility are removed. But US carriers have gained access to five new Brazilian destinations - Fortaleza, Curitiba and three others designated by the USA - through the 2008 accord.
In addition to new passenger frequencies, seven additional scheduled all-cargo frequencies will become available in October and bring the number of cargo flights permitted between the countries to 42 this year.
The seven new frequencies are on top of three existing, unused all-cargo frequencies that are available now.
The DOT says it will address requests for the all-cargo frequencies separately, and applications for the additional passenger frequencies are due in April.
Past frequency recipients include US Airways and Continental Airlines in 2009. Continental launched daily service between its Houston hub and Rio de Janeiro while US Airways used its allocation to link Charlotte with Rio de Janeiro.
In 2008, Delta Air Lines won frequencies for Atlanta-Manaus flights and Atlanta- Recife-Fortaleza service while American Airlines was allocated frequencies for a Miami-Salvador-Recife routing and Miami-Belo Horizonte operations.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
