Gol, LATAM in advanced talks to add Embraer planes, says BNDES head

Gol and LATAM Airlines are in advanced talks to add Embraer aircraft to their fleets, the head of Brazil's state development bank BNDES said on Friday, as the country urges them to buy planes from the local manufacturer. Gol and the local unit of Chile-based LATAM are two of Brazil's largest carriers, dominating the country's airline industry alongside Azul. However, unlike Azul, they do not fly Embraer jets. "They are already well advanced in these talks," BNDES head Aloizio Mercadante told reporters on the sidelines of an event at Embraer's headquarters, where the bank announced funding to some of the firm's aircraft exports. "Obviously there is a commercial secrecy, we cannot go into details, but the companies are well advanced in the prospect of flying Embraer." LATAM declined to comment, while Gol in a statement reiterated it flies Boeing airplanes but is "always evaluating options of other models to grow its operations."<br/>