South American carrier LATAM Airlines is to launch a new route between Lisbon and Fortaleza in northern Brazil this summer.
LATAM will operate the route once per week from 7 April to 20 October – it will be the carrier’s first direct flight between northeast Brazil and Europe since 2009.
The airline plans to operate Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft on the route, which will be fitted with three cabins: economy (213 seats), premium economy (57 seats) and business class (30 seats).
LATAM will compete with TAP Air Portugal on the Lisbon-Fortaleza route, with the Portuguese carrier already offering a daily service.
“We are always on the lookout for opportunities to expand the supply of seats and flights in a sustainable way, to boost tourism and the economy of the northeast," said Eduardo Macedo, head of public affairs at LATAM Brazil.
LATAM’s flights between Lisbon and Fortaleza will operate on Mondays and take around seven and a half hours in each direction.