The government plans a social program with air tickets at R$ 200

The proposal aims to offer seats that would be empty on domestic flights during the low season

The Minister of Ports and Airports, Márcio França (PSB), gave more details on the “Voa Brasil” program during an interview with CNN this Monday (13). The proposal is that civil servants, retirees, retirees and students with FIES who have an income of up to R$ 6,800 can purchase two airline tickets a year at a price of R$ 200 each. The amount could still be paid in 12 installments through a loan from the Caixa Econômica Federal, which would be responsible for paying the companies. Other people with incomes of up to R$ 6,800 will also be able to take advantage of the initiative, provided they have paid in advance, without paying the amount in installments.

Tickets costing BRL 200 would be limited to domestic flights during certain times of the year that are not the high season, i.e. mid-February to June and August to November. In an Instagram post, Márcio França added that the idea is to fill 21% of the traditionally empty seats on domestic flights during these nine months of the year. “That is, the ticket price for other passengers will not increase due to the schedule. On the contrary. If we go to reduce the number of empty seats, the price of regular tickets will tend to decrease,” the minister said.

Sales would be made on the airlines’ own websites, which would display the “Voa Brasil” option. Also according to the minister, the program will not be subsidized by the government, but financed by public banks such as Banco do Brasil and Caixa Econômica Federal. In a statement, the Brazilian Airlines Association (Abear) states that it follows the government’s proposal and has made itself available to contribute to the debate.

The expectation is that “Voa Brasil” will take off in the second half of 2023. In the first few months, the initiative would use 5% of the aircraft’s idle capacity, a percentage that would be scaled up to 20% in the fourth half of the current project. The government estimates that nearly 12 million tickets are issued annually.

*With information from Agência Brasil

Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.