American Applies to Operate Dallas/Fort Worth-Rio de Janeiro Flights

American Airlines has applied to the U.S. Department of Transportation for authority to fly nonstop from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Rio de Janeiro’s Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport (GIG, commonly known as Galeão) three times a week from November 18.

“We are pleased to offer flights from American’s largest hub at DFW to the second largest city in South America,” says Peter Dolara, American Airlines‘ senior vice president – Mexico, Caribbean and Latin America. “Most existing service to Rio flies from gateways along the East Coast, and flights from DFW to Rio will provide substantial benefits to passengers and shippers, particularly because of the ability to make easy and convenient connections to and from dozens of cities via Dallas/Fort Worth.”

Adds Dolara: “Brazil is an important Latin American marketplace and will host the 2014 World Cup. Rio is a cultural and commercial financial center that will be home to the 2016 Olympic Games. American offers more flights to more destinations in Latin America than any other carrier and is committed to investing its resources to serve this important part of the world.”

American Airlines Boeing 767-300ER N363AA is photographed taking off from London Heathrow Airport

“Strengthening the scope of service offered at DFW is important to Dallas, Fort Worth, and the Metroplex,” says Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert. “We encourage the U.S. Department of Transportation to grant American the right to offer these new flights, which will be very beneficial to travelers and boost economic ties between Dallas and South America.”

“We support American in its bid to win approval for service between DFW and Rio,” says Mayor Mike Moncrief of Fort Worth. “These new flights would be of great benefit to the travelers and shippers of North Texas and to those who make easy connections through DFW to Latin America.”

American would fly the route using Boeing 767-300ERs configured with 28 Business Class and 191 Economy Class seats. Its proposed schedule would see the flight departing DFW on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 7:45 p.m. and arriving at GIG at 10:25 a.m. the next day, local time.

In the other direction, the flights would depart GIG on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 11:15 p.m. to arrive at DFW at 6:25 a.m. the following day, local time.  The 12-hours-plus interval between the arrival  at GIG of the flight from DFW and the departure from GIG of the flight to DFW suggests that they would not be operated by the same aircraft.

American Airlines was recently granted DOT approval to offer daily nonstop service between New York John F. Kennedy International Airport and Rio de Janeiro and four-times-weekly nonstop service between Miami and Brasilia starting November 18.

The carrier also offers daily nonstop service from DFW and JFK to Sao Paulo and multiple flights from its hub at Miami International Airport to Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Recife, and Salvador. In 2009, American entered into a codeshare alliance with GOL, which will offer service beyond Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo to other cities in Brazil.

The United States does not yet have an ‘open skies’ bilateral air service with Brazil and so may require Brazilian regulatory approval as well to operate the DFW-Rio de Janeiro route.