SÃO PAULO, Sept. 21, 2021
/PRNewswire/ -- GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A. (NYSE:
GOL and B3: GOLL4), ("GOL" or "Company"), Brazil's largest airline, in conjunction with
Grupo Comporte, an entity of its controlling shareholder, announce
that they have signed a non-binding letter of intent with Avolon
for the acquisition and/or lease of 250 electric vertical takeoff
and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Following aircraft certification and
successful delivery of the aircraft, the Company expects to start
operating a flight network in Brazil using eVTOL planes by mid-2025.
Grupo Comporte is providing the investment capital required for
the project, and will engage GOL's aviation expertise to develop
the flight network using VA-X4 eVTOL aircraft. Created by the
British enterprise Vertical Aerospace ("Vertical"), the VA-X4 eVTOL
model is considered one of the most technologically advanced and
reliable air taxis in development today.
The agreement with Avolon and Grupo Comporte is also part of
GOL's commercial strategy to invest strategically in the regional
air transportation market, opening up new routes to underserved
domestic markets. It follows an announcement in June 2021 that GOL acquired MAP Transportes
Aéreos, Brazil's fifth largest
domestic airline, with a fleet of 70-seat ATRs that operate on
routes in the Amazon region from the Manaus Airport and
Brazil's South and Southeast
regions from Congonhas, the country's largest domestic airport.
A new fleet for a new era of air travel and more
connectivity.
GOL currently operates a fleet of 127 Boeing 737 aircraft and
pre-pandemic transported over 37 million passengers per year. The
Company plans to transition 75% of its fleet to the more efficient
737-MAX aircraft by 2030, which reduce carbon emissions by 16%.
Together, the adoption of the Boeing MAX, eVTOL aircraft, and other
innovations including the use of biofuels, will form key components
in GOL's strategy to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. More
information about the Company's commitments to sustainability and
ESG goals can be found on its investor relations website:
www.voegol.com.br/ir.
The VA-X4 can carry up to four passengers and one pilot, with a
range of 160 km (100 miles) and a maximum speed of 320 km/h (200
mph). The eVTOL aircraft also produces 100 times less noise than a
cruising helicopter, and 30 times less on takeoff and landing.
Vertical used the know-how of renowned and experienced partners and
suppliers in aerospace manufacturing, including Honeywell,
Microsoft, Rolls-Royce and Solvay, to develop advanced flight
controls, information technology, electric engines, and
state-of-the-art industrial technology in its VA-X4 aircraft.
The first step of the new partnership is to carry out a
feasibility study, including aircraft certification and analysis of
the infrastructure needed to operate this aircraft with ANAC
(National Civil Aviation Agency), DECEA (Department of Airspace
Control), and other national and international aeronautical
authorities. Avolon expects to complete the certification process
for the VA-X4 in Brazil by 2024,
with the Company beginning commercial flights with the eVTOL as
part of its route network in mid-2025.
Investor Relations
ri@voegol.com.br
www.voegol.com.br/ir
+55(11) 2128-4700
Media Relations
Becky
Nye, Montieth & Company
bnye@montiethco.com
About GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A.
GOL
is Brazil's largest airline,
leader in the corporate and leisure segments. Since its founding in
2001, it has been the airline with the lowest unit cost in
Latin America, which has enabled
the democratization of air transportation. The Company has a
strategic alliance with American Airlines and Air France-KLM, in
addition to making available to Customers many codeshare and
interline agreements, bringing more convenience and ease of
connections to any place served by these partnerships. With the
purpose of "Being First for Everyone", GOL offers the best travel
experience to its passengers, including: the largest inventory of
seats and the most legroom; the most complete platform with
internet, movies and live TV; and the best loyalty program, SMILES.
In cargo transportation, GOLLOG delivers parcels to various regions
in Brazil and abroad. The Company
has a team of 15,000 highly qualified airline professionals focused
on Safety, GOL's number one value, and operates a standardized
fleet of 127 Boeing 737 aircraft. GOL's shares are traded on the
NYSE (GOL) and the B3 (GOLL4). For further information, visit
www.voegol.com.br/ir.
About Avolon
Headquartered in Ireland, with offices in the United States, Dubai, Singapore, Hong
Kong and Shanghai, Avolon
provides aircraft leasing and lease management services. Avolon is
70% owned by an indirect subsidiary of Bohai Leasing Co., Ltd., a
public company listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SLE: 000415)
and 30% owned by ORIX Aviation Systems, a subsidiary of ORIX
Corporation which is listed on the Tokyo and New York Stock Exchanges (TSE: 8591;
NYSE: IX). Avolon is the world's third largest aircraft leasing
business with an owned, managed and committed fleet, as of
30 June 2021 of 837 aircraft. For
further information, visit www.avolon.aero.
About Vertical Aerospace
Vertical Aerospace's
mission is to make air travel personal, on demand and carbon free.
The company has an unrivalled top-tier partner ecosystem and is
backed by American Airlines, Avolon, Rolls-Royce and Honeywell
among others. Vertical's partnerships de-risk execution and its
pathway to certification, allow for a lean cost structure, and
enable production at scale. With projected speeds over 200mph, near
silent when in flight, zero emissions and low cost per passenger
mile, the VA-X4 is expected to open up urban air mobility to a
whole new range of passengers and transform how people travel. For
further information, visit www.vertical-aerospace.com.
About VA-X4 eVTOL Aircraft
The VA-X4 is a
piloted electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle and
with zero carbon emission. The VA-X4 will be able to travel at over
320 km/h, with a range of 160 km and capacity for carrying four
passengers and one pilot. The aircraft takes off vertically,
allowing it to operate in and out of cities and other confined
locations. The VA-X4 is 100 times quieter and safer than a
helicopter, and is being certified to the highest global standards,
giving access to the international market. For further information,
visit www.vertical-aerospace.com/va-x4.
Disclaimer
The information contained in this
press release has not been subject to any independent audit or
review and contains "forward-looking" statements, estimates and
projections that relate to future events, which are, by their
nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. All
statements other than statements of historical fact contained in
this press release including, without limitation, those regarding
GOL's future financial position and results of operations,
strategy, plans, objectives, goals and targets, future developments
in the markets in which GOL operates or is seeking to operate, and
any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words
"believe", "expect", "aim", "intend", "will", "may", "project",
"estimate", "anticipate", "predict", "seek", "should" or similar
words or expressions, are forward-looking statements. The future
events referred to in these forward-looking statements involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other
factors, many of which are beyond GOL's control, that may cause
actual results, performance or events to differ materially from
those expressed or implied in these statements. These
forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions
regarding GOL's present and future business strategies and the
environment in which GOL will operate in the future and are not a
guarantee of future performance. Such forward-looking statements
speak only as at the date on which they are made. None of GOL or
any of its affiliates, officers, directors, employees and agents
undertakes any duty or obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by law.
None of GOL or any of its affiliates, officers, directors,
employees, professional advisors and agents make any
representation, warranty or prediction that the results anticipated
by such forward-looking statements will be achieved, and such
forward-looking statements represent, in each case, only one of
many possible scenarios and should not be viewed as the most likely
or standard scenario. Although GOL believes that the estimates and
projections in these forward-looking statements are reasonable,
they may prove materially incorrect and actual results may
materially differ. As a result, you should not rely on these
forward-looking statements.
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SOURCE GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A.