American Airlines, Brazil’s Gol negotiating ‘partnership’: newspaper

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – American Airlines Group Inc and Brazil’s Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA are negotiating a “partnership” that could “integrate flights between the two airlines in Latin America,” a newspaper reported on Friday.

The report in Brazil’s Valor Economico, which cited sources familiar with the matter, said the two companies entered into contact in September, on the same day that Delta Air Lines Inc bought a stake in Gol competitor Latam Airlines Group SA .

The firms are also talking with other airlines about potential partnerships, the newspaper said, without elaborating. The paper added the structure or content of any potential partnership was unclear.

Gol and American did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

American told Valor that it is “always talking with partners,” according to the newspaper. Gol declined to comment to Valor.

In September, Delta announced a surprise deal with Latam to purchase a minority stake in the Chile-based airline for $1.9 billion. Delta subsequently sold its minority stake in Gol, and Latam and American severed a pre-existing alliance.

(Reporting by Gram Slattery; Editing by Nick Zieminski)