Gol Airlines -- Help

[bestplizzy]

Has anyone connected via GRU airport on Gol Airlines. Here is the deal -- I need to get to Sao Paulo and the fares are about $350. However, they offer a connecting flight to Curitiba for about $120.

Do you clear your checked baggage at GRU? That would allow me to simply grab my bag and leave. Or do the bags get cleared directly to your final destination in Brazil.

 

[Attorney in BA]

You will most likely have to do immigrations and customs at GRU and then take a domestic flight to your final destination. Check that with the airline.

 

[bradlyhale]

If Guarulhos is your port of entry, you will go through customs there, and thus you would have to pick up your bags, go through customs, and recheck them IF you were to continue on to Curitiba.

 

[bestplizzy]

I called twice and got two conflicting answers. Was hoping someone had the real scoop.

 

[bradlyhale]

Well, this is a certainty: If you have to deplane at GRU and get on a domestic flight, you will certainly go through customs and immigration at GRU. Therefore, you will have to get your bags off the carousel and physically walk through customs. After this, you would have to re-check your bags with the airline if you were to continue on to Curitiba.

If this is a technical stop where you are just landing at GRU for refueling, then you would not go through customs here as no one would be getting off the flight. Refueling would make no sense, however. Curitiba is close to BA than São Paulo. But perhaps there would be another excuse? I don't know.

Also, sometimes it is common for people to deplane at GRU, and if you continue onto another destination you would just stay on the plane. This would mean that your baggage would stay on the plane, as they would hold all the passengers' baggage who continue on to Curitiba.

So, you need to find out is if the final destination for Flight #00000 is GRU and that everyone will be deplaning. If that's the case, then I can't see why you wouldn't be able to go through immigration, get your luggage, go through customs, and exit the airport.

 

[ctru]

I think you should post your question here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south-america-483/
these guys are pro

 

[bestplizzy]

Pretty cool. I went ahead and booked this and at that time it became clear it's actually an error in their pricing system. So I would say to anyone who needs to book a flight to either curitiba or sao, now is a great time. Use the city pairs EZE and CWB on the gol website. Not every flight will come up but some do with this fare, I will spare the details but it was evident this is not how this fare was intended to be priced, by a factor of 10!

 

[rdub]

Dude, that's the WORST! When even the AIRLINE doesn't know the rules. I have gone to Brasil 10 times by plane (I live there now). I fly to Recife, but enter the country through São Paulo and change planes, and ALWAYS, ALWAYS have to grab ALL my bags and clear immigration and customs. Last year I flew Delta, starting in Tucson, AZ and the guy at the counter told me he had checked my bags all the way to Recife and assured me I would NOT have to pick them up in SP. He was 100% wrong--thank God I double checked or I would've never got my bags in Recife--they'd be stuck in SP. It's amazing that these airline people aren't all briefed, because I supposed some people REALLY get f*cked by listening to their incorrect instructions.

Enjoy Brasil!

 

[citygirl]

I don't know if you are planning on returning but normally if you miss your ongoing flight - your return ticket is automatically canceled. And Imigrations may not be very happy with you. Just a word of caution.

 

[bestplizzy]

Thanks everyone. This worked out great. Got my bags at GRU and ripped off the bag check to CWB. I felt a little bad that I might cause that flight get delayed in a search for a bag with no accompanying passenger so I tried to explain what I had done to a Gol agent, she was perplexed. I did notice the flight was delayed two hours so I really hope they didn't empty the baggage hold on my account. (I've been on the other side of those situations before - not fun). BTW Citygirl it was a one way ticket. Thanks to all!