Gol Airlines adds international routes

Brazil's leading discount airline Gol has announced that it will be adding two international destinations to its schedule.

By the end of 2005 it will have daily flights from its hub in the capital Sao Paolo to Montevideo, Uruguay and Asuncion, Paraguay.

On Monday it is also launching a new route between Santa Cruz, Bolivia and Campo Grande.

As the first discount airline in South America, Gol has modeled itself after the American discount flight giant Southwest and has rapidly made large profits.

Gol chief executive officer Constantino de Oliveira Junior, said: "We've made flying popular, we've extended the Gol effect to Brazil and South America by expanding our business, with innovation, efficiency, quality service and disciplined control of costs and
rates."

Currently Gol has 41 flights between Brazil and neighboring Argentina. Most of its major destinations can be reached on direct flights from Miami, Dallas and Los Angeles.

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Comments

[BOB]

I wonder if anyone knows how to book a flight on GOL airlines from the U.S. Please let me know if you have the answer. Thanks!

[katherine]

If you are booking anyone other than a Brazilian national you must use American Express.

[declan keane]

Gol Airlines will only take bookings over the net, if you don't have a CPF (whatever that is), if you use American Express. Did it with no problems, could not do it with either visa or M/C.

[anna]

I don't have a clue what CPF is. This is annoying. I need to book my ticket.

[Oonagh Shiel]

Dear Anna,

A CPF is the Brazilian individual taxpayer identification number, a social security number if you like. It is used for nearly every business transaction such as opening a bank account or buying an air ticket. See Declan's comment above. He recommends using an American Express card.

Oonagh Shiel, Editor, Cheap Flight News

[sharon]

I have had the same problem with TAM airlines. Prices were brill, but couldn't book even with my American Express. Does anyone know how to get round this CPF problem?

[A. Cheema]

We travelled extensively on Gol while in Brazil. The only way we could book was by visiting travel agents' offices. Other than this problem, the airline is brilliant.

[RAY]

CPF (Cadastro De Pessosa Fisicas) is the Brazilian social security number or identifier number. Necessary for almost everything in Brazil.

[J. Morse]

The secret to booking Gol online is that when at the page where you are putting in the credit card information you get an error message that asks you for a "parcel quantity" at the credit card entry stage, you have to go to the area for selection of payment over time and select "one month" if you are using an American Express card which I think you have to do if you are not a Brazilian national and are just a lowly American trying to do this from the good old US of A. It is pretty important to know this because they charge you double if you have to book the tickets over the telephone.

[Ron]

I, too, was attempting to book travel on Gol between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Either I could take the bus for R$80 (about 40USD) or take Gol for R$69 (about 35USD).

I booked the reservation on the Gol Web site, only to be discouraged when asked for the CPF (Brazilian social security number). I was unable to purchase the tickets, even when my girlfriend (who is Brazilian) entered her CPF number.

Upon calling Gol, we were able to book the flight at the same fare, but again, could not purchase the ticket with a Visa or Mastercard, only American Express.

They agreed to hold the reservation, but could not guarantee that the fare would be available when we got to the airport!

What a mess!

Ugggh!

[Kelley]

I am trying to book on the Web site too. I live in the USA, but my sister-in-law (Brazilian) is trying to buy the tickets from Brazil. It is not working for her.

I'm beginning to think this site is a "bait and switch".

[Johan]

At www.backpackingbrazil.com/?q=node/43 is stated:
"The other work around for the credit card payment problem is to select Argentina from the drop down menu and book the flight through this page. For whatever reason this seems to work for holders of US issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards."

Has anyone used this method successfully?

[heeyon]

I tried this and it worked. I think this is the only option right now if anyone wish to take advantage of their internet promotions. Good luck guys!

[Casey Powers]

After much frustration, success! Booking on the Argentina site with a Visa worked for me also. No CPF needed!

[Fran O'Malley]

Success here also, after much frustration we found this feedback site and lo and behold, the Argentina site worked a treat! It accepted our Visa debit card (issued in UK) - no bother!

[Edwin]

This is totally inexcusable. Once again, thanks to GOL, they have demonstrated absurd stupidity. There is no reason in the world why GOL can't get with the rest of the world and easily accept Visa and Mastercard? I hate to say this, but "stupid Brazilians" is very appropriate in this instance.

[Mr_S]

What a brilliant find - being able to pay for GOL flights with a UK Visa card by selecting the Argentine site. Worked perfectly for me too! My Spanish was better than I thought :)

[scb]

Finally gotten to the last page of booking a flight, but am not getting to the final confirmation. Am I suppose to list my address with Argentina as the country or use Gol's URL for Argentina? Further instructions for how this works would be greatly appreciated.

[Rowland]

If Edwin would bother to read other comments regarding booking online, he would not be making such comments as he did about Brasilians being stupid. Even the bigger airlines have their own problems with booking online. Why?

I ask myself is he even bothering to go to the country? I suspect Brasil will be better off without this type of traveler. If he really feels this way, why does he not direct his anger toward the airline and not Brasilians, who for most of them, do not have the luxury of booking online as he does.

[Jean-François Meilleur]

Booking GOL flight without CPF from Argentina URL also worked very well for me! VISA card from Quebec (Canada)

[Craig]

Johan thank you, thank you, thank you! Just bought tickets on GOL's Argentina site with my USA Visa card from Sao Paulo, Brazil to Goiania, Brazil! Yaaahooo! What a relief to not have to get them there at the airport and have to take whatever flight is left over. You can save yourself a little translation trouble too and register first in English on GOL's "Other Country" site. Then use your e-mail address and pass code on the Argentina site. Thanks again!

(Also TAM lets you buy over the phone with non-Brazilian credit cards if you go to Contact Us on its English page and call the toll-free number which is in Miami. They don't however give you the Internet price.) Thanks again for sharing Johan and God bless you!

[Johan]

Thanks to you all for responding. Isn't this a great money and trouble saver? Happy travels!

[Kath]

Hi All,

Could someone please advise if you have to purchase flights as a return ticket or can you buy as one way. The rules in the terms a conditions that round-trip is mandatory (one-way travel is not allowed) is a little confusing. Thanks in advance.

[Johan]

The confusion is understandable, but I think the solution lies in the Portuguese fare details. In these Portuguese fare details is stated:

“Ida e volta obrigatoria – Voos domesticos: nao; Voos internacionais: sim”

Translation in English:

“Round-trip is mandatory – Domestic flights: no; International flights: yes”

For most domestic flights the round-trip fare is just double the one-way fare. This is often not the case for international flights. For some international flights the round-trip fare is even cheaper than the one-way fare. (Don’t ask me why, but GOL is surely not the only airline with that fare policy.) That’s probably the reason why they don’t want to give you the round-trip fare for a one- way trip on international flights.

I don’t think the system will let you make any booking that is not allowed. So if you want to book a one-way trip I would just ignore the mandatory round-trip in the English fare details.

[Haroldo]

When are you going to make trips to Miami or New York?
Thanks.
Haroldo