GOL and Aerolíneas Argentinas sign code-share Memorandum of Understanding

The companies are also considering offering the benefits of their respective mileage programs, GOL’s SMILES and Aerolíneas Argentinas’ Aerolíneas
Plus, to clients of both airlines. In other words, GOL’s clients will be able to accumulate and redeem miles with its partner company, and vice-versa.

"This agreement will further strengthen GOL’s presence in the Argentinean market, to which the Company already has the highest number of flights," declared Constantino de Oliveira Junior, GOL’s CEO and founder. "We intend to bring the countries even closer, offering passengers the best cost-benefit ratio in the market."

"The agreement will play an important role to strengthen the supply of both airlines. We want to offer our passengers a large number of flights in Argentina and Brazil. The partnership will allow Aerolíneas Argentinas to boost its domestic tourism as well as its presence in an essential business market,” explained Mariano Recalde, Aerolíneas Argentinas’ CEO.

Established in Argentina since 2005, GOL operates 78 flights per week, more than any other airline, to Buenos Aires (Ministro Pistarini and Aeroparque Jorge Newbery airports), Cordoba and Rosário. There are eleven daily flights from Brazil to the Argentinean capital, with direct flights to and from São Paulo, Porto Alegre, Florianópolis, Rio de Janeiro and, with a stopover, to Curitiba. There are also direct connections to and from Santiago (Chile) and Asunción (Paraguay).

In accordance with the sector’s regular procedures, the companies should enter into an agreement shortly, which will then be submitted for analysis and approval to both countries’ Civil Aviation Agencies and Brazil’s Antitrust Authority (CADE).