Ash and Fog

Made it!

The volcanic ash cloud from unpronouncable Icelandic volcanoes appears to have become a regular phenomenon in Europe. Well, welcome to the club. In São Paulo the winter is approaching and with it the regular phenomenon of fog. Fog is so intense in the Guarulhos Airport area (THE major airport) that the airport regularly closes during fall and winter mornings. This morning was another case - I have two colleagues flying in and both were diverted to Campinas airport, where they are hanging around now before they get sent back to São Paulo - immigration in Campinas is, for some odd reason I do not understand, not possible.

I wonder what the considerations were, when the military junta decided to build the major airgateway into São Paulo in the foggy hole of Guarulhos in the 80s...

But there is really interesting news too: Emirates has asked the governmental airport administrator INFRAERO permission to start using the A380 on their Dubai-São Paulo flights starting December. Their 777-300ER are at 90+% capacity (just like most other airlines heading down here) and they would like to cram in more people. Apparently this could work, if one of the taxi runways were closed during landing and take-off (the A380 seems to have a veeeery large wingspan) and if some adjustments for parking positions were made (for example by scrapping old VASP 727 rotting away on the airport). Infraero has not given a final position yet. Apparently Lufthansa, Air France and Singapore Airlines (which just recently took up Singapore-Barcelona-São Paulo) have also inquired about A380 capacity in GRU. Immigration, which is hell on earth already today, is likely to get worse.

P.S. Emirates will also be flying Dubai-Rio starting in 2012, so the selection of routes into Brazil is expanding.

Growth in Europe Meets Growth in Brazil

Maybe not enough capacity in the future...

 Photograph from Hyougushi at http://flickr.com/photos/71481771@N00/397656432

Last week I met with a few fellow (German) expats for drinks in Vila Madalena and during the evening we found out that of the six people at the table, four had been on the same flight coming in from Munich two days before.

It is pretty amazing. Just about a year or so ago, Lufthansa flights from Germany were full, but not to the point of bursting. This has clearly changed. On my flight to Germany about two weeks ago, they transported two passengers on the jump seat... on the way back, same thing. In addition, at least four people were downgraded, frustrating my upgrade attempt.

Lufthansa already has daily flights from MUC and FRA to GRU and will also take on FRA to RIO this October. In addition, TAM also flies daily to FRA from GRU and RIO. I believe that this will not be enough - I have heard rumors of taking in a 747 for the MUC-GRU instead of the A340, which would offer another 70 pax seats (the A380 will never fly the route as GRU is barely equipped to receive a normal 747). I have also heard a rumor of DUS-GRU and of TAM taking on GRU-ZRH in addition to the daily Swiss flight.

If you consider the amount of German companies in Brazil and the growth both countries are going through, the Lufthansa-Exec responsible for South America clearly has a "good Problem" on his hand right now... The only frustrating thing about all of this, is that all flights will go through the GRU and GIG gateways... clearly a disaster.

Crisis, what crisis?

PS, Korean Air apparently read my post about Hyundai ;-) and is increasing the frequency of flights between Seoul, Los Angeles and São Paulo. Thanks, http://expatbrazil.wordpress.com/.