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14 Latinaero magazine Numero de pre-lançamento 2011

AVIAÇÃO COMERCIAL

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omething of a curiosity, when seen from Europe or North America… In 2011, for the frst time ever, the number of passengers travelling by plane inside Brazil’s vast expanses exceeded that of passengers travelling by interstate coach, a true sign of a developing economy for many experts. Last year, some 66 million passengers have been reported commuting on regional aircraft while

Brazil’s phenomenal national and regional airlines boom

interstate coach travellers—daily users of what is called ônibus interestaduais (in Portuguese) between the country’s 26 States— have dropped from a 67 million fgure as commercial airlines recorded an extra 10% trafc increase. In fact, since 2002, the number of passengers travelling by aircraft in Brazil grew 115%, while those using interstate coach tumbled by 31%, according to ofcial transport fgures released in the Folha

de São Paulo, one of Brazil’s main daily newspapers. One good reason for that can be credited to the Lula presidential years (from 2004 to 2010) which brought real improvement in the average income of the population, especially since 2007. Other conditions, like those favourable for aviation, are also identifed as reasons for that drastic change. Not to mention the speed, safety and extra comfort brought by new aircraft models.