Turkish Airlines Passengers Gain Extensive Brazil Access Via GOL

Credit: Richard Sowersby/Alamy Stock Photo

GOL and Turkish Airlines have inked a codeshare accord giving Turkish passengers access to extensive GOL connections in Brazil and beyond via Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU).

Turkish operates Istanbul (IST)-GRU flights 7X-daily. The deal, which also includes reciprocal loyalty program benefits, will see Turkish place its code on GOL’s entire domestic network, accessible to Turkish passengers via GRU. Turkish said this covers 60 destinations in Brazil.

Turkish will additionally place its code on four of GOL’s international routes from GRU to: Asuncion (ASU) in Paraguay; Santiago (SCL) in Chile; Montevideo (MVD) in Uruguay; and Lima (LIM) in Peru.

“In the future, the companies will work to expand the agreement to other international destinations operated by GOL,” GOL and Turkish said in a statement. In announcing the agreement, the airlines made no mention of GOL codes being placed on Turkish flights.

Turkish noted passengers can use IST as a hub to connect to its GRU flights one-stop from destinations around the world in its international network. Codeshare flights on GOL will be able to be booked directly through Turkish.

“We are pleased to launch codeshare and [loyalty program] cooperation with GOL in Sao Paulo that will allow passengers unique travel alternatives via İstanbul to Brazilian domestic routes,” Turkish CEO Bilal Ekşi said.

“Enabling Turkish Airlines passengers to reach the largest number of flights and destinations in Brazil with this agreement is a pleasure for us.” GOL CEO Paulo Kakinoff said “This will be another opportunity for the world to get to know the beauties of Brazil through the various Turkish Airlines' connections to the GOL flights across the country.”

The deal will go into effect after gaining the needed approval of Brazilian regulators.

The accord comes shortly after GOL announced a resumption of flights to the US following regulatory approval for its partnership agreement with American Airlines.

Aaron Karp

Aaron Karp is a Contributing Editor to the Aviation Week Network.