TIPS FOR FLYING IN BRAZIL gary yim gary © Andresr © Thiago Leite © TIPS FOR Shutterstock.com FLYING IN BRAZIL © 2nd EDITION INTRODUCTION Welcome to Brazil! ABEAR is an association which represents the most important airlines operating in the country. Through its initiatives, ABEAR aims to encourage the development of the Brazilian aviation sector and in so doing to directly benefit passengers. This guide offers useful tips for foreigners traveling in Brazil – from the moment you begin to plan the trip and buy the ticket through to internal travel and your arrival in the destination cities. The following pages are full of detailed and easy-to-access information, designed to make your stay in the country even more enjoyable. Enjoy your flight! FOUNDERS MEMBERS ABEAR would like to thank our technical consultant, Adalberto Febeliano and 2 the airline staff who have collaborated on the creation of this guide. TIPS FOR FLYING IN BRAZIL EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW... WHEN YOU BUY THE TICKET 5 PREPARING FOR THE TRIP 10 AFTER LANDING 23 DURING YOUR STAY IN BRAZIL 28 ACCESSIBILITY 46 USEFUL LINKS AND CONTACTS 55 WHEN YOU BUY 5 © Andresr / Shutterstock.com © THE TICKET TIPS FOR FLYING IN BRAZIL SCHOOL HOLIDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN BRAZIL HOLIDAYS • School Holidays: Summer holidays begin in the second fortnight of December, continue through January and finish in the first fortnight of February. Winter holidays are in July. to agos AIR TICKETS • Extended Public Holidays: The number of people traveling tends to increase the day before a holiday break as well as the first and last days of the break. Be aware of the principal holidays in Brazil: I PLAN TO VISIT SEVERAL CITIES IN BRAZIL. HOW New Year’s Day January 1st. During the days leading up New 1 CAN I SAVE ON TICKETS? Year’s Day there is a lot of air travel, in particular to coastal areas. Brazil is a country with the dimensions of a continent. In order to Carnival The longest public holiday in Brazil, Carnival visit different places during the same trip, some internal air travel extends for five days, from Saturday to will be necessary. Depending on the number of flights anticipated, Wednesday but many travelers extend the break it may be possible to save money with the use of an airpass. This to ten days, from the previous Friday right up until the Sunday following Carnival. The actual is a multiple flight pass which is sold only to foreigners or non- date varies from year to year but it always begins Brazilian residents and which is linked to an international flight on the Saturday 50 days before Easter Sunday. to Brazil (or to other South American countries in the case where Easter The holiday lasts for three days, from Good the airpass covers other cities on the continent). Here’s how it Friday to Easter Sunday. The date varies but falls somewhere between March 22nd and April 25th. works: You pay a fixed amount for a fixed number of destinations; Tiradentes April 21st. usually a minimum of four up to a maximum of nine. Depending st on the specific airpass, you have a period of 30 to 90 days to use Labor Day May 1 . it. The flight dates are flexible, but the whole itinerary must be Corpus Christi This public holiday is on a Thursday, sixty days after Easter Sunday. confirmed before departure. Note: Only travel agencies abroad can sell theseagosto passes and there are no discounts for children. For Independence Day, Brazil September 7th. more information BROL e GOL. Our Lady of Aparecida/ October 12th. Also known as “semana do saco Children’s Day cheio” (“Fed-up Week”) when many schools and universities have a week’s break. It’s a week full of 2 HOW CAN I PAY LESS FOR DOMESTIC FLIGHTS? school excursions and graduation travel. To purchase cheaper domestic flights,the golden rule is Finados (Day of the Dead) November 2nd. to avoid the high season. However if you have to fly during peak Proclamation of the Republic November 15th. periods, buy your tickets several months in advance, choose less Christmas December 25th.Christmasisthemostimportant popular days – usually Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and in the holiday in the country and is accompanied by a middle of holiday periods – and try to fly late at night, early in very large number of travelers during the holiday 6 the morning or between 10 am and 4 pm. and in the subsequent days. 7 WHEN YOU BUY THE TICKET TIPS FOR FLYING IN BRAZIL WHAT TAXES AND FEES APPLY ON DOMESTIC WHAT ARE THE GUIDELINES FOR EXPECTANT MOTHERS? 3 FLIGHTS IN BRAZIL? 5 Pregnant women can travel by air but they should first consult When the ticket is bought, you will pay the total of the ticket plus a with both their doctor and the airline. If air travel is authorized, departure tax which is applied for the terminal usage and for airport a pregnant woman will need to fill in and sign a Statement of administration. This tax varies from airport to airport and can also Responsibility form at the time of check-in. The rules are not differ based on whether the flight is international or domestic. standardized among the airlines, but in general, from the 28th week of pregnancy, the doctor’s statement authorizing the trip is SPECIAL NEEDS necessary. The doctor’s statement (issued up to seven days before the flight) must include the origin and destination of the trip, flight dates, WHAT TO DO IN THE CASE OF A MEDICAL maximum flight duration allowed, the baby’s due date, gestational 4 RESTRICTION? age and the doctor’s medical evaluation. From the 36th week, it may If the passenger has a restrictive medical condition, consultation with be necessary to present the MEDIF form 48 hours in advance for a medical practitioner before planning air travel is recommended. the airlines’ analysis (the MEDIF form is available on the airlines’ This is the case for people with serious cardiac deficiency or websites; see more details on page 48). When the pregnancy is at respiratory problems, those in a post-operative period or passengers an advanced stage, the pregnant woman must be accompanied by who have recently suffered a heart attack or fracture. In the airplane, the doctor responsible (the period to which this rule applies varies the pilot is responsible for the wellbeing of the passengers and can by company). And, from the 39th week, flying is not usually allowed. therefore deny boarding to anyone deemed to present a risk, for After the birth, mother and baby may travel from the 8th day on. example in the case of contagious disease. To prevent issues, the passenger must send to the company, up to 48 hours before the flight, WARNING: On domestic flights, the airlines can require a certified the MEDIF form (sees details on page 48) medical evaluation issued in Portuguese and signed by a Brazilian or a signed, complete doctor’s statement doctor. Check with the airline beforehand. Please note: guidelines (ideally in English, Portuguese or Spanish). are more strict in the case of multiple pregnancy (more than one The doctor’s statement (issued up to seven baby) or where there are complications. days before the flight) must include origin and destination of the trip, flight dates, maximum flight time allowed and the doctor’s medical opinion. When presenting SPECIAL NEEDS Passengers needing to request special assistance, like those with a this at check-in, having two copies is disability, must inform the airline at least 48 hours in advance. There recommended, as there have been cases in is more information available on page 47. 8 which the airline needed to retain a copy. 9 TIPS FOR FLYING IN BRAZIL DOCUMENTS WHICH DOCUMENTS 6 WILL BE REQUIRED FOR ENTRANCE INTO BRAZIL? Tourists from all countries are welcome in Brazil; however Brazil applies the principle of reciprocity in its visa requirements. If a country places restrictions or entrance requirements on a Brazilian citizen, the same conditions will be applied to citizens of that country entering Brazil. Please refer to the following visa and document requirements for each nationality*. 7 I WISH TO TRAVEL NOT ONLY TO BRAZIL, BUT ALSO TO OTHER MERCOSUR COUNTRIES. DO THE SAME REQUIREMENTS APPLY? No. Although South America is made up of almost exclusively Mercosur countries (members or associates) there is no unified visa requirement. For example, U.S. citizens, Australians, Canadians and Japanese need visas to enter Brazil, but do not need visas for most other South American countries. Some countries do not require a visa, but they charge a reciprocity fee which must be paid before the passenger checks in - before travelling, check the policy for PREPARING FOR each destination. © Andrzej © Andrzej Kubik/Shutterstock.com *This information is subject to change; please check the most recent information from the Brazilian Ministry of External Affairs (Itamaraty) or with the Brazilian embassy or 11 THE TRIP consulate in your country. PREPARING FOR THE TRIP TIPS FOR FLYING IN BRAZIL I AM A FOREIGNER WHO NORMALLY RESIDES IN A 8 REQUIRE A VISA MERCOSUR COUNTRY (MEMBER OR ASSOCIATE MEMBER). DOCUMENTS Afganistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, WHAT DOCUMENTS DO I NEED TO TRAVEL TO BRAZIL? Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, If Brazil requires no visa for your nationality (check details below and Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, on the next page), you simply present the identity document issued to Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Comoros, Cook Islands, you by the foreign authority of your country of residence in Mercosur Congo, Cuba, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican – no passport is required.