Air France-KLM upbeat on Brazil in 2025 after year of expansion

Air France-KLM is optimistic about the Brazilian market for 2025 after posting positive results in the country this year, executives for the European carrier in Latin America's largest economy told reporters on Tuesday. South America is the second biggest long-haul area for Air France-KLM after North America, and Brazil was a key investment destination for the company this year. The firm now hopes to consolidate its operations in the country, where it has a commercial partnership with Gol, after an expansion in 2024 that led it to exceed its pre-pandemic frequencies. The 2024 expansion included launching flights between Paris and the coastal city of Salvador and bumping up flights to Rio de Janeiro and Fortaleza, Brazil's fourth largest city and a major beach venue. The company currently operates 47 weekly flights in Brazil, up from 44 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Capacity in 2024 increased 3% on a yearly basis, while the average load factor between January and November in Brazilian routes remained at 2023's strong level of 91.6%, Air France-KLM said.<br/>