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TAP Air Portugal is taking advantage of the growing market between Europe and Brazil by launching a new service to Florianópolis, a city in southern Brazil. This move has significantly increased the airline’s market share on routes between Europe and Brazil.
The Airbus A330-200 aircraft will operate three times a week between Lisbon Airport and Florianópolis-Hercílio Luz International Airport. This new route makes Florianópolis the 13th Brazilian destination for Star Alliance.
Henri-Charles Ozarovsky, the Head of Strategy at TAP Group, explained in an interview with Aviation Week that the decision to expand to Florianópolis was carefully considered due to the increasing demand for flights to Brazil. TAP already has codeshare alliances with Brazilian airlines Azul and GOL, which further supported the decision to add this new route.
The 5,244-mile route to Florianópolis had been on TAP’s radar for years, and with the disruption of operations in Porto Alegre earlier this year, the airline saw an opportunity to focus on new markets and business opportunities in Brazil.
Despite the setbacks in Porto Alegre, Ozarovsky remains confident in the potential of the Brazilian market, especially with the uptick in demand for flights to Florianópolis. He believes that the new route will not only meet current demand but also uncover untapped potential in the region.
While TAP plans to resume flights to Porto Alegre once the airport is operational again, it is also preparing to relaunch service to Manaus, the capital of Amazonia, in November. This move is expected to further strengthen TAP’s presence in Brazil and contribute to the development of the region.
With the addition of the Florianópolis route, TAP now offers over 51,000 two-way nonstop weekly tickets and 213,600 monthly seats to Brazil. The airline is projected to have a market share of 27.9% in the Europe-Brazil market by September 2024, surpassing competitors such as LATAM Airlines Group, Air France-KLM Group, Lufthansa Group, ITA Airways, British Airways, and Iberia.
TAP currently uses A321LRs to serve cities like Belem, Fortaleza, Maceio, Natal, and Recife, giving it a competitive edge in terms of market share. Data from OAG shows that TAP had 32% of Europe-Brazil frequencies in September, ahead of LATAM with 18%.
The growth of TAP’s market share is reflective of the overall increase in the Europe-Brazil market. In January 2025, there will be a total of 847,500 nonstop scheduled two-way seats, which is an 11% increase from January 2024 and a 16% increase from pre-pandemic levels.
Ozarovsky acknowledges that there may be concerns about overcapacity in the market, especially with the current economic conditions in Brazil. However, he reassures that TAP has carefully managed its capacity expansion to meet demand without saturating the market and will continue to monitor the situation leading up to the holiday season.
