Brazilian low-cost carrier Gol and Delta Air Lines have implemented a codeshare agreement, after technological issues delayed it from being put into place.
Gol is now selling Delta's international flights through its sales channels, and the codeshare will be implemented in six phases from May to August, says Delta's alliances and strategy manager Paulo Miranda.
The US Department of Transportation approved an expanded codeshare between Delta and Gol in December, which would cover Delta's flights between Brazil and the USA, within the USA and to third countries beyond the USA. The deal also covered Gol's flights between Brazil and the USA.
Delta told Flightglobal in February that the airlines were working through some technological issues before implementing the codeshare, as Gol was unable to place its code on Delta's flights.
The first phase of the codeshare will involve Gol placing its code on Delta's Atlanta-Brasilia flights. Miranda adds: "Soon we will be integrating all flights operated by Delta between Brazil and the United States to Atlanta and flights to the John F. Kennedy International airport and to Detroit."
The second phase of the codeshare will cover Gol's flights from Goiania, Belo Horizonte, Curitiba and Porto Alegre, all via Brasilia, to Atlanta.
Delta invested $100 million in Gol in 2011.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news