Qatar Airways Extends Its Global Reach

Qatar Airways is expanding its presence in Brazil in a big way (click here for full story). Six months after starting its Sao Paolo service the airline signed a code share agreement with GOL Linhas aereas inteligentes Brazil's fastest growing low cost low fare airlines. The agreement covers Sao Paolo and 47 destinations in Brazil. The code share agreement allows Qatar Airways to use its QR code on all segments of a flight no matter where it originates on the Qatar Airways network and terminates on the GOL network. Both airlines have submitted a joint application for approvals and anti trust immunity to the Brazilian Civil Aviation Authority and the Antitrust Agency. They are also working on coordinating their Frequent Flyer Programs.

This agreement has the potential to extend the arrangement beyond Brazil to include GOLs international destinations in nine (9) countries, in the future.

Qatar Airways is aggressively pursuing a rapid expansion of its network in Brazil, South America's largest country and one of the world's rising economic powers. This arrangement will probably be replicated in other important markets to give the airline a larger global reach.