The age of planes has an impact on the competitiveness of companies as more modern aircraft consume less fuel
The average age of the fleet of Brazil's largest airlines has become higher since the pandemic. The 3 main commercial flight operators –Blue, GOAL It is Latam– registered an increase in the age of their planes. Azul was the company with the oldest fleet. In 2019, the company's average was 5.8 years. In 2024, the average increased to 7 years.
Despite having had the biggest increase, Azul remains the company with the lowest average age among the main companies in Brazil. GOL and Latam had a smaller increase in the comparison between 2019 and 2024, but had an average above 10 years. To the Power360GOL informed that one of the company's objectives is to reduce this average to 7 years.
Fleet age is an important component in the airline sector, especially in the Brazilian market which is facing a crisis due to difficulties in accessing credit to renew the fleet and with aviation fuel considered the most expensive in the world.
This factor is especially important when dealing with the high cost of fuel. This is because more modern planes have better fuel consumption efficiency, which makes them more economical and companies more competitive. Fuel accounts for approximately 60% of the cost of tickets.
To the Power360the director of A&M InfraDavid Goldberg, stated that lowering the age of the fleet is a strategy that should be prioritized by companies in the current situation of high ticket prices in Brazil.
“As fuel is the most relevant item on the agenda, it is very important to have new aircraft flying because more modern aircraft are more economical than previous models. You need to have a fleet that can be renewed to remain competitive from a cost point of view”he declared.
Despite all the difficulties the sector faces in Brazil, the average age of the country's main airlines is low compared to the fleet in European countries and the USA. According to the website PlanespottersThe United Airlinesone of the largest airlines in the USA has a fleet age of 16.2 years, more than double that of Azul.
Other important companies in the North American market with Delta and the American Airlines they also have older fleets, 15.2 years old and 13.2 years old, respectively.
Companies that fly in Brazil also have an advantage over European fleets. A Air France has an average age of 13 years, while the German Lufthansa has a fleet of 13.7 years.
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