Azul to attract business travelers with flights to the U.S

Leading Brazilian carrier Azul has now decided to focus increasingly on corporate travelers. The airline recently announced the expansion of its international network with the launch of new flights to the United States. The airline will be offering fully lie-flat business class seats to its customers. The passengers traveling in Economy Plus or premium economy cabins will be offered Skycouches.

David Neeleman, Azul’s Chief Executive, said that the airline will be launching its flights between Viracopos-Campinas and Fort Lauderdale starting from December 1, 2014. He said that the airline did not want to miss out on the peak season.

The airline will further expand its service to the U.S. with the launch of its flights to Orlando effective from December 15, 2014. Apart from launching the two new U.S. routes in 2014, the airline has also indicated that it will continue with its expansion spree in the United States with the launch of flights to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport in mid-2015. 

Neeleman said that the airline will reconfigure all its seven Airbus A330 aircrafts by June 2015. He said that five A330s will be configured with 27 seats in a high-density layout, while the remaining two A330s will have 242 seats installed on them.

The airline’s high-density configuration will be featuring 129 economy seats, 122 economy plus seats and 20 lie-flat business class seats. According to the airline, nearly half of the economy plus seats would be able to be converted into Skycouches.

Neeleman further stated that the airline’s low-density Airbus A330 aircrafts will be configured with 155 economy class seats, 52 economy plus seats and 35 lie-flat business class seats. The economy plus cabins of low-density A330s will also offer Skycouches as well. The seats in economy plus cabin will have a seat pitch of 34 inches, while the seat pitch will be 31 inches in the economy class cabins. The low-density A330s are expected to be operated on New York route considering the huge business travel demand here.