MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil's most dynamic airline will fly to Uruguay

Brazilian no frills airline GOL will be flying to Uruguay and Paraguay beginning in the second half of 2005, reported the company in Sao Paulo.

Brazil's Commission for International Air Navigation, Cernai, extended Gol permission to fly regularly to Montevideo, Uruguay, and Asunción, Paraguay.

"Launching flights to both countries is part of Gol's expansion plan in South America", said the company in a statement.

Cernai also authorized Gol to add 26,694 regular seats per month in flights to Argentina, which was the company's first regional destination last December 2004. In June Gol will begin flights to Santa Cruz de la Sierra in Bolivia.

Gol, Brazil's first no frills airline has grown steadily since launching operations in 2001 and will be adding another twelve leased Boeing 737 aircrafts in 2005 totalling a fleet of forty at the end of the year.

Last April Gol was second in the Brazilian domestic market overtaking its closest rival and long standing Brazil's flag carrier VARIG.

Gol has managed to expand rapidly with attractive air fares, low costs and taking advantage of debt over burdened competitors dating back to the nineties.

The company's president Constantino de Oliveira Junior revealed that Uruguay is the third country with most passenger traffic with Brazil (252,000 in 2003 equivalent to 10,6% of all overseas passenger movement). Paraguay figures fifth with 145,000 pax annually.