In an announcement Wednesday April 23, 2014, Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras (doing business in the US as Azul Brazilian Airlines) announced its intention to fly international routes. The airline intends to begin these international flights in 2015, and its first such destination will be the United Status. The flights will originate from their brand new $1.5 billion terminal at Viracopos-Campinas International Airport located outside São Paulo, Brazil. While the company will formally announce the US destinations later in the year, it is rumored that New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport in Florida, both strongholds of JetBlue Airways, will be the initial destinations.
Azul is the brainchild of David Neeleman, the founder or co-founder of Morris Air, Westjet and JetBlue Airways. The new flights will initially be operated with a fleet of Airbus A330-200 aircraft leased from International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC). Following those aircraft, deliveries of leased Airbus A350-900 aircraft will start in early 2017. Neeleman said of the announcement, “Our customers have been asking for this and now we look forward to providing them with our superior service on international flights, just as we have been doing today on our 880 domestic departures”. He concluded in the announcement, “We’re excited to share the Azul experience with new customers internationally and expand the airline’s success story beyond Brazil’s borders”.
Azul, which started operations in 2008, currently operates a fleet of 80 Embraer E195s, E190s and E175s, as well as 56 ATR turboprop regional airliners. The airline serves 104 destinations throughout Brazil. Its onboard experience is very similar to that of JetBlue and the airline has grown to hold a 16% market share of the Brazilian market. The new service will provide competition to the more internationally established Brazilian carrier TAM as well as US carriers such as American Airlines and Delta Air Lines.