Brazil Airline Gol Eyes Adding Boeing 737-900 to Fleet

Brazilian airline Gol Linhas Aereas is in advanced talks with Boeing Co regarding the possible addition of 737-900 jets to its fleet, the airline's chief executive told journalists on Thursday.

Last month CEO Paulo Kakinoff said Gol could trim its fleet of smaller 737-700 and 737-800 aircraft as it cuts capacity in Brazil, where a deepening recession and a weaker currency have triggered heavy losses.

"We've done extensive studies with Boeing about the possibility of getting the 900 series as well, maybe the MAX 9," said Kakinoff in a press briefing, without giving more details.

Earlier in the day, he said Gol's total capacity in 2015 will be 1 percent to 1.5 percent lower than last year, as the airline aims to trim frequencies but not destinations.

Gol's capacity, measured by available seat-kilometers (ASK), rose 3.1 percent in the first half of 2015 from a year earlier.

Rival Brazilian airline TAM, the local unit of the regional LATAM Airlines Group, said in July it would cut domestic operations 8-10 percent by year-end, reducing full-year ASK by 2-4 percent compared to 2014.