The Brazilian regional carrier VOEPASS Linhas Aéreas has announced the expansion of its codeshare agreement with LATAM Brasil. This increased agreement will be launched on May 9 and will include 13 more destinations across the South American nation.
An expanded codeshare agreement
VOEPASS Linhas Aéreas and LATAM Brasil have expanded their codeshare agreement, first signed in 2019. It will now include in the codeshare operations the regular flights performed by VOEPASS with its ATR 72 turboprop fleet.
Starting on May 9, 2023, VOEPASS will consist of 13 additional Brazilian destinations in its codeshare with LATAM Brasil.
The new destinations that will be available to LATAM customers are Ipatinga (IPN), Barreiras (BRA), Feira de Santana (FEC), Valença (VAL), Paulo Afonso (PAV), Teixeira de Freitas (TXF), Lençóis (LEC), Fernando de Noronha (FEN), Uruguaiana (URG), Santa Maria (RIA), Pelotas (PET), Santo Ângelo (GEL) and Aracati (ARX). Currently, the codeshare agreement in effect already allows LATAM customers to fly to/from five VOEPASS destinations in Brazil among them: Coari (CIZ), Carauari (CAF), Parintins (PIN), Itaituba (ITB) and Parnaíba (PHB).
These 13 destinations are not served by LATAM currently. Instead, Azul Linhas Aéreas can be found in 12 of these destinations (except for Teixeira de Freitas), and GOL Linhas Aéreas in nine of them (excepting Aracati, Feira de Santana, and Fernando de Noronha). This is a map of VOEPASS’ current routes, according to its website:
Improved connectivity
The added flights on the codeshare between VOEPASS and LATAM will be operated by the regional’s carrier ATR 72 fleet. These planes have the capacity to carry up to 70 passengers.
Comandante Felício, Chief Executive Officer of VOEPASS, said in a statement that the company is pleased to expand its codeshare agreement with LATAM. He added that the country needs solid regional aviation, robust, scalable, commercial, and operational simplicity. “Furthermore, we will continue to intelligently connect the interior of Brazil to the economic center of São Paulo, at the Congonhas airport, with our modern aircraft.”
Meanwhile, Aline Mafra, LATAM Brasil’s Director of Sales and Marketing, said that the company is looking to give more access to air transportation to the Brazilian population. The expansion of its codeshare agreement with VOEPASS complements LATAM’s current network. It reinforces its commitment while maintaining a sustainable approach to reaching more cities across the country, “opening opportunities in airports that do not have the capacity to receive our aircraft.” LATAM’s fleet is composed mostly of Airbus A320-family-based planes. Most regional airports in Brazil –for example, Fernando de Noronha– can only receive turboprops.
VOEPASS Linhas Aéreas currently serves 38 destinations throughout Brazil, with a fleet of 15 ATR 42 and ATR 72 aircraft. According to data from Brazil’s Civil Aviation National Authority (ANAC), VOEPASS is considered Brazil’s fourth-largest airline, the oldest genuinely Brazilian airline in operation, having started its flights in 1995.
The company was responsible in 2022 for approximately 0.9% of all passengers carried in the domestic air market. It carried 524,216 passengers. Brazil had 82.2 million international passengers last year (LATAM carried 28.6 million, Azul 26.45, and GOL 26.34 million).
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