TAAG Angola Airlines and GOL have signed a codeshare agreement to promote air travel between South America, Africa, and Europe via Brazil and Angola.
The codeshare agreement will allow passengers of both airlines to benefit from new destinations and enhanced connectivity. By incorporating their destinations into each other's portfolios, passengers will have more options to choose from and can combine flights on a single ticket.
The importance of the agreement
TAAG's flight code will be available in 13 of GOL's domestic destinations, including Rio de Janeiro Galeão (GIG) and Brasília International Airport (BSB). TAAG will also have the option to connect passengers to regional geographies operated by GOL on an interline basis.
On the other hand, GOL will put its flight code on TAAG's São Paulo-Luanda-São Paulo route, making it possible to offer destinations in Africa and Europe, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Windhoek, Maputo, Lisbon, and Madrid.
Overall, passengers of both airlines will be able to acquire long-haul tickets using local currency and regular points of sale. For GOL, a new partnership with an African carrier is the best way to explore a continent rich in natural beauty and resources. GOL Vice President of Revenue Eduardo Bernardes said in a statement;
“Building this alliance with TAAG is the best way to expand our destinations to dozens of African cities and an opportunity to offer customers the experience to discover a continent so rich in natural beauty. We are now able to connect our domestic bases, and, from Guarulhos, São Paulo, connect with Luanda, Angola, a country with so many similarities with Brazil.”
Angola's flag carrier currently operates five weekly flights between São Paulo and Luanda on a Boeing 777-300. The codeshare agreement is essential for connecting Africans to South American destinations and will benefit both airlines. TAAG CEO Eduardo Fairen said in a statement;
“The partnership between TAAG and GOL opens multiple opportunities for tourism and economic synergies in both countries, as we are enthusiastic about this major connection that bridges Latin America, Africa, and Europe via Brazil (São Paulo) and Angola (Luanda) transatlantic link. Both families and the corporate segments will benefit from more destinations and greater agility in intercontinental travels.”
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More convenient connections
This agreement will assure travelers protection on connecting flights, additional destinations on the TAAG/GOL network, and more convenient bookings, check-ins, and baggage dispatching. TAAG and GOL will continue collaborating, so passengers should expect more destinations soon.
GOL is one of the leading carriers in Brazil, serving more than 200 geographies. TAAG Angola Airlines is the leading airline in Angola, with 13 significant international destinations. Angola and Brazil are critical travel and trade partners. In 2014, Brazil saw a record 49,000 visitors from Angola.
The two nations are strategically positioned at both ends of the Atlantic Ocean. Leveraging this geographical position and route traffic can be a win-win for both airlines. They will promote traffic between South America and Africa via their hubs at São Paulo Guarulhos (GRU) and Luanda Quatro de Fevereiro (LAD) international airports.
What do you think of this new codeshare agreement? Let us know in the comments!