South African Airways (SAA) has signed codeshare and frequent flyer agreements with Brazilian airline Gol – Linhas Aéreas (GOL), which came into effect on Thursday.
SAA acting Chief Executive Officer Zuks Ramasia said the airline is pleased with the agreement which is of strategic importance.
“We are extremely pleased with this agreement which comes at an opportune time and gives strategic impetus to our strategy of growing partnerships globally to offer our customers more travel options. It is an important step in the execution of our strategy and gives our customers, through our direct flights to Sao Paulo, a number of further travel options to explore Brazil,” said Ramasia.
Ramasia said the mutually beneficial agreement will offer GOL customers the chance to explore the riches of Africa.
The agreement will enable SAA to add its code on flights operated by GOL in the Brazilian territory, which will allow SAA customers to integrate their travel with easy connections on flights of both carriers.
With the codeshare being effective from Thursday, tickets can already be purchased through all SAA sales channels, including www.flysaa.com.
The agreement makes it possible for SAA to add its code on 20 connecting flights in Brazil operated by GOL, including Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte, and Florianópolis, among others. The codeshare with the leading carrier in the domestic Brazilian market extends SAA’s reach throughout Brazil.
Besides the codeshare, the signed Frequent Flyer Programme (FFP) agreement offers members of each airline’s programmes, Voyager from SAA and Smiles from GOL, the opportunity to accrue and redeem miles.
Customers from Smiles can accrue and redeem miles on flights operated by SAA to Africa, Asia and Australia, and Voyager members can accrue and redeem Voyager miles on flights operated by GOL.
GOL’s Director of Alliances, International Expansion and Distribution Randall Saenz Aguero said the partnership with SAA is in line with their commitment to offer a larger international connectivity, with quality of service and integrated products of each carrier.
Source:SAnews.gov.za
