✓ verbatim from the press
The National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) authorized two foreign airlines on Monday (22) to operate regular international passenger and cargo flights to or from Brazil: Spain's Wamos Air and Nigeria's Air Peace. The authorization, published in Ordinances No. 19,439 and No. 19,449 dated June 15, 2026, allows Gol to begin intercontinental flights as early as July using Wamos aircraft — a company acquired by Grupo Abra, which controls Gol and Avianca, in October 2024. ✓
Press quotes (3)
"A Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (Anac) autorizou, nesta segunda-feira, duas novas companhias aéreas estrangeiras a realizarem serviços regulares de transporte de passageiros e carga no Brasil. Foram habilitadas a espanhola Wamos Air e a nigeriana Air Peace a operar voos internacionais no mercado brasileiro"
"Por meio das Portaria nº 19.439 e Portaria nº 19.449, de 15 de junho de 2026, a Agência autorizou as empresas da Espanha Wamos Air S.A. a realizar operações regulares internacionais no país e a nigeriana Air Peace Ltd. para operar serviços regulares de transporte aéreo internacional de passageiros e carga com origem e/ou destino no Brasil"
"foi adquirida pelo Grupo Abra em outubro de 2024"
Wamos Air operates on a wet lease model, providing aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance. The company will use an Airbus A330-200 with 280 seats (20 business and 260 economy) to operate the Rio-New York (JFK) route starting July 6. Gol does not yet have its own long-range jets; the provisional arrangement with Wamos is expected to sustain international routes throughout 2026, including future destinations such as Lisbon and Paris, until A330neo aircraft leased from Azul are permanently incorporated into the fleet. ✓
Press quotes (3)
"Sediada em Madri e especializada em wet lease - modalidade em que a empresa fornece à contratante não apenas a aeronave, mas também tripulação, manutenção e seguro"
"A solução para começar a expansão internacional foi utilizar um A330-200 da parceira espanhola, que sai de Madri no dia 6 de julho rumo ao Aeroporto Internacional do Galeão, para cumprir as etapas as entre o Rio e Nova York (JFK). O avião conta com 280 assentos distribuídos entre classe executiva (20 lugares) e econômica (260)"
"A expectativa é que as aeronaves da Wamos sustentem as rotas internacionais da Gol ao longo de 2026. Lisboa e Paris, os próximos destinos internacionais previstos pelo CEO, Celso Ferrer, também devem ser operados provisoriamente em aeronaves da Wamos."
Air Peace, one of Nigeria's largest private airlines founded in 2013, is expected to inaugurate direct flights between Lagos and São Paulo, reducing travel time between the two countries from nearly two days with multiple stops to about seven hours. The authorization follows a Bilateral Air Services Agreement signed in 2025 after a meeting between the aviation ministers of both countries and a meeting between the presidents in the second half of 2025. Initial expectations were for flights to begin between October and December 2025, but operations were delayed due to a lack of aircraft in Air Peace's fleet. ✓
Press quotes (4)
"a Air Peace chega ao Brasil com um perfil distinto: trata-se de uma das maiores companhias privadas da Nigéria, fundada em 2013"
"a empresa deve inaugurar uma rota que reduzirá o tempo de deslocamento entre os dois países de quase dois dias, com múltiplas escalas, para cerca de sete horas de voo direto entre Lagos e São Paulo"
"No ano passado, os países assinaram um Acordo Bilateral de Serviços Aéreos (BASA), após uma reunião entre os ministros de aviação em Brasília. O encontro entre os presidentes dos dois países, no segundo semestre do ano passado, também reforçou o compromisso"
"A expectativa inicial era que os voos começassem entre outubro e dezembro de 2025, mas a demora aconteceu pela falta de aeronaves na frota da Air Peace"
The authorizations were granted under the Brazilian Aeronautical Code and follow Anac's regulatory procedures for foreign companies. Anac stated that the measure is part of a strategy to expand international air connectivity and foster a more competitive regulatory environment in the sector. The announcement comes as Brazil records air traffic milestones: from January to May 2026, 42 million passengers boarded domestic flights, up 6% from the same period in 2025, and 12.8 million traveled on international routes, a 10% increase. ✓
Press quotes (4)
"As autorizações foram concedidas com base no Código Brasileiro de Aeronáutica e seguem os procedimentos previstos pela regulamentação da Anac para empresas estrangeiras interessadas em atuar no mercado brasileiro"
"a medida faz parte da estratégia para ampliar a conectividade aérea internacional e estimular ambiente regulatório mais competitivo no setor"
"De janeiro a maio, 42 milhões de pessoas embarcaram em viagens em território nacional, número 6% maior que os 39,8 milhões de passageiros registrados no mesmo período do ano passado"
"Nos cinco primeiros meses de 2026, foram registrados 12,8 milhões de passageiros, número 10% maior que os 11,6 milhões contabilizados no mesmo período de 2025"
Anac authorized two foreign airlines on June 22, 2026 — Wamos Air (Spain) and Air Peace (Nigeria) — to operate regular international flights in Brazil, through Ordinances No. 19,439 and No. 19,449 dated June 15, 2026.
Wamos Air was acquired by Grupo Abra — controller of Gol and Avianca — in October 2024.
Brazil recorded 42 million domestic passengers from January to May 2026, up 6% from the same period in 2025, and 12.8 million international passengers, up 10%.
Covered by only some sources, or where the accounts diverge.
Covered by only some sources (5)
Gol will begin Rio-New York (JFK) flights on July 6, 2026 using a Wamos Airbus A330-200 with 280 seats (20 business and 260 economy).
Gol has requested landing slots in Porto and London, in addition to planned destinations of Lisbon and Paris.
Brazil and Nigeria signed a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) in 2025, after a meeting between aviation ministers and a meeting between presidents in the second half of 2025.
Air Peace has pending authorization requests to operate in Toronto and New York, plus planned routes to Manchester, Jeddah, Guangzhou, Libreville, Conakry, Bamako, and Douala (August).
Wamos Air has operated since 2003 (initially as Pullmantur Air, name adopted in 2014), with records of operation in more than 200 airports in 87 countries and annual capacity exceeding 3 million seats.
-
Which specific international routes for Gol were authorized by the Wamos Air approval beyond Rio-New York?
Why it's still unknown: Reports mention that Gol requested landing slots in Porto and London, but do not confirm which routes were actually authorized by Anac beyond the Rio-JFK flight scheduled for July 6. Lisbon and Paris are described as 'planned future destinations' without timeline or regulatory confirmation.
-
What is the planned frequency and seating capacity for Air Peace's Lagos-São Paulo route?
Why it's still unknown: Air Peace was authorized to operate the direct Lagos-São Paulo route, but no report specifies the aircraft model, passenger capacity, how many weekly flights are planned, or the start date for operations following the June 22 authorization.
-
How does the Wamos authorization affect market structure on transatlantic Brazil-Europe and Brazil-US routes?
Why it's still unknown: Reports do not provide data on market concentration before and after authorization, Latam and Azul's market share on the same routes, or analysis of the competitive impact of Gol's entry via Wamos. The regulatory context (whether there were prior bilateral barriers or whether slots were available) is also not discussed.
-
What is the specific legal basis that allowed Anac to authorize Wamos — a foreign company controlled by the same group as Gol — to operate routes that Gol markets?
Why it's still unknown: Reports mention the Brazilian Aeronautical Code as the legal basis, but do not explain whether there are regulatory restrictions or separate ownership control requirements when a foreign airline operates in a wet lease arrangement for a company controlled by the same corporate group. It is unclear whether Anac considered this ownership relationship in the authorization process.