Brazilian carrier GOL reveals new look for 'new phase'

Brazilian carrier GOL has rolled out a new look for its planes.

The carrier unveiled the new livery last week in Brazil, showing off the new design on one of the carrier's Boeing 737 aircraft.

"We are the same GOL - with a low-cost DNA - but now featuring more services, superior products and industry vanguard," GOL president Paul Kakinoff says in a statement issued by partner Delta. "Stronger and more modern, this new visual identity represents everything we have achieved so far and a new phase of our history."

GOL's "new phase" includes closer ties with U.S. carrier Delta, which invested $100 million for a 3% stake in its Brazilian partner in 2011. Delta has since said it wants to up its stake in GOL to 10%, part of a deal that would expand the alliance between the carriers.

That deal won antitrust approval Thursday from Brazilian regulators, Reuters reports.

Aviation analysis firm CAPA Centre for Aviation took a closer look at the expanding ties between Delta and GOL, writing: "Part of Delta's original pursuit of Gol was to close the competitive gap with American and United, which have a broader presence in Latin America."

GOL is not in one of the world's three big frequent-flier alliances and has previously stated it would prefer to remain independent in that area. But CAPA notes that GOL's ties with Delta – which helped found the SkyTeam alliance – "raises some questions about the longevity of Gol's alliance independence."

Of U.S. carriers, American has the largest presence in South America followed by United. In Brazil, American's position has been strengthened by the merger of Chilean carrier LAN and Brazilian carrier TAM, which resulted in TAM shifting to the oneworld frequent-flier group that includes American. And United announced last month it was forming a strategic partnership with upstart Brazilian carrier Azul, which was launched by JetBlue founder David Neeleman.

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