The company completes 14 years of history with the largest airline network in Brazil – 159 destinations served, offering greater connectivity in all regions of the country
Azul, the largest airline in Brazil in number of flights and cities served, celebrates its 14th anniversary in a very special way: with the first flight of the largest passenger aircraft in its fleet, the Airbus A350. Taking off from the Viracopos International Airport, in Campinas, the company’s main hub in Brazil, the aircraft will fly to Orlando, USA, on the same day that the route completes 8 years of operation.
“Performing the first flight with the A350 departing from Viracopos is another milestone in Azul’s history. This is our largest and most modern passenger aircraft and will bring even more comfort to our customers’ trip. Until next year, our network should grow and, with this, we will recover 100% of our international capacity”, says John Rodgerson, CEO of Azul.
Configured for 334 Customers, being 301 in economy class and 33 in executive class, the aircraft baptized “50 is also Blue” is the first Airbus A350 aircraft in the Azul fleet. The second one of the same model landed in Brazilian soil on the last 8th and, in 2023, two more A350s will arrive to complement the company’s operational fleet.
One of the most modern aircraft in the world, the Airbus A350 is equipped with state-of-the-art items that contribute to a lighter, more economical and highly efficient technical-operational aircraft. Despite its size, the aircraft consumes about 20% less fuel per seat, integrating Azul’s fleet modernization plan and reinforcing the company’s commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. For Customers, the Airbus A350 offers even more comfort: on board, they will enjoy a quieter, wider cabin, with wider panoramic windows and more space in the luggage compartments.
International trips
Azul long-distance aircraft also have the Panasonic eX3 entertainment system, one of the most advanced technological solutions in the market. The TVs in all classes have 16 inches and are equipped with remote control and have the option of touchscreen mode. In all classes, the quality of video reproduction is HD. The screens are equipped with a USB port, which serves primarily to recharge mobile devices.
On board the A350, Customers can choose among the three categories available inside the aircraft: 33 Business seats, 102 Economy Extra and 199 Economy seats. With Azul Business, Customers have a full seat, with direct aisle access, personalized meal options and world-class in-flight entertainment. Those flying in Economy Xtra can also enjoy an enhanced legroom experience. And when it comes to dining, the menu is no exception, with four choices ranging from meat, fish and pasta. The dishes are accompanied by soup, salads, cheese and bread, as well as special entrees and desserts.
First destination of the A350 “50 is also Blue”, Orlando is one of the favorite destinations of Brazilians in the high summer season. Today, December 15, it will be eight years since the first flight of the Viracopos-Orlando route, which was the second international destination to integrate the company’s network, in 2014. Since then, more than a million customers have been transported on this route, which has already counted 2,869 flights.
Fourteen years connecting Brazilians
Connecting Brazil to the most diverse destinations has always been Azul’s motto. Today, the company operates in more than 159 national and international destinations. In Brazil, the company is also the leader in most of the cities served, being the only airline operator in 80% of its domestic routes. For trips abroad, Azul offers regular and direct flights to five different destinations, among them Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, in the United States, Punta del Este and Montevideo, in Uruguay, and Lisbon, in Portugal.
When it came to the market in 2008, there were 50 million domestic passengers per year, according to ANAC data. In 2019, the agency’s latest measurement, that number nearly doubled, reaching 96 million passengers. Azul was responsible for more than half of the market growth, focused on expanding air coverage in the country and, with that, making Brazilians fly more.
Throughout its fourteen years of existence, the company has achieved world records and earned some of the best recognition ratings in the Brazilian and global airline industry. In 2020, Azul was elected the Best Airline in the World by TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice, being the only Brazilian company to receive this recognition in the history of the award.
Focused on always offering the best flight experience to its Customers, Azul is, today, among the best airlines in the world in punctuality and Customer satisfaction. This year, Azul was recognized by Cirium, a leading company in aviation data analysis, for six times as the most punctual airline in Brazil and the second most punctual in the world according to the report “The Airline On-Time Performance Report”, the main data reference in the world airline industry.
Azul has also been successively outstanding in its Net Promoter Score (NPS) indicators, breaking successive records. In the first ten months of 2022, the accumulated NPS is 57.1.
This reflects the company’s commitment to offer the best flight experience to each customer. Flying with Azul means experiencing the differential of the company’s humanized service and, at the same time, enjoying the convenience of the technological innovations proposed by the company. From the automatic check-in – in which Customers receive a contact from Azul directly on WhatsApp and receive their boarding pass right there, boarding with the Blue Carpet – unique and exclusive technology that optimizes the process of entering the aircraft, to the onboard service, which includes Wi-Fi on board at no additional cost, live TV with more than 40 channels, Azul magazine and, of course, the famous Azul onboard service, which offers snacks and drinks at will.
*** Translated with by the DEFCONPress FYI Team ***