Miami to Rio nonstop competition
It's been a while since there's been nonstop competition between Miami (MIA) and Rio de Janeiro (GIG), but TAM is about to reintroduce it. The expansive Brazilian carrier is set to launch nonstop 767-300 service on the route September 19.
According to Official Airline Guide (OAG), American Airlines is the incumbent competition on the run. It also operates a 767-300.
TAM's seven-sixes will be fitted with 205 seats, arrayed in business class and economy configurations.
The new flight actually originates in Belo Horizonte, Brazil (CNF). That's in Minas Gerais state. It departs there at 7:30 p.m., and gets to Rio at 8:25 p.m. The nonstop Miami leg of the trip pushes back from the gate at 11:05 p.m., and is scheduled to arrive Miami International at 6:30 a.m. the following day.
Southbound, TAM's nonstop to Rio de Janeiro leaves MIA at 10:05 p.m., and is slated to get to the gate at Rio de Janeiro's Tom Jobim International Airport at 7:10 a.m. the following morning. From there he flight takes off again for Belo Horizonte at 9:30 a.m., with a scheduled arrival at 10:35 a.m.
In recent years, TAM has assumed the mantle as Brazil's premier international carrier - a title that belonged for decades to an earlier incarnation of Varig.
© Cheapflights Ltd Jerry Chandler