For the subsequent section of my two occasions to Latin America evaluate journey, I flew GOL’s Boeing 737 MAX 8 premium economic system on the 2hr50min flight from Santa Cruz de la Sierra (VVI) to Sao Paulo (GRU). GOL is a powerhouse in Brazil, because the airline has a fleet of round 130 Boeing 737s, with one other 100 or so jets on order.
I used to be excited to lastly fly with the airline. GOL doesn’t have a enterprise class cabin, however does have a premium economic system product, with is form of akin to intra-Europe enterprise class.
So, what’s my tackle GOL premium economic system? Effectively, I’ve combined emotions. I believe premium economic system will be definitely worth the premium, and I used to be additionally impressed by the final professionalism of the airline, and the friendliness of the crew.
That being stated, I used to be a bit disillusioned that I ended up on a non-standard GOL 737 MAX, which didn’t have the everyday inside, Wi-Fi, or streaming leisure. Whereas I’m not dying to fly with GOL once more, I’d gladly give the airline one other attempt if the schedule and value had been proper.
How I booked my GOL premium economic system ticket
GOL has a partnership with American Airways, so it’s attainable to redeem AAdvantage miles for journey on GOL. That’s how I booked, and I paid 17,500 AAdvantage miles plus $94.20 in taxes and charges for the next flight:
9/24 G37717 Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Sao Paulo departing 1:00PM arriving 4:40PM
As some extent of comparability, economic system would’ve price 12,500 miles, so I used to be solely paying a premium of 5,000 miles. That’s not dangerous!
For these interested in money pricing, absolutely the lowest one-way all-in pricing out there appears to be $163 in economic system and $288 in premium economic system. Nevertheless, on most dates, economic system is dearer, whereas premium economic system isn’t dearer. For instance, there are numerous days the place economic system prices $237, whereas premium economic system prices $288. So I’d say the premium may very nicely be price it.
GOL premium economic system lounge entry & boarding
GOL premium economic system tickets embody lounge entry, however solely to GOL lounges, positioned in Sao Paulo (GRU) and Rio de Janeiro (GIG). Since I used to be flying from an outstation, my ticket didn’t embody lounge entry. Nevertheless, I used Precedence Move to entry each The VIP Lounge and The Lounge VIP in Santa Cruz de la Sierra (VVI).
My flight was departing from gate 5, with boarding scheduled for 12PM, one hour earlier than departure. That’s an awfully early boarding time for a 737 flight, for those who ask me. That’s certainly when boarding started, with premium economic system passengers being invited to board first.
GOL 737 MAX premium economic system cabin & seats
I boarded the GOL Boeing 737 MAX 8 via the ahead door, and was caught off guard by the inside. I used to be anticipating black seats with orange trim, however as a substitute I discovered that I used to be on a jet with mild gray seats with blue trim. Huh?!
It rapidly grew to become obvious to me what had occurred. I used to be flying on a five-year-old 737 MAX with the license plate PS-GPO. Because it seems, this jet had been constructed for China’s Donghai Arlines, however the airline in the end didn’t take supply of it. Because of this, GOL acquired it, on condition that the airline was coping with its personal 737 MAX supply delays. The airline didn’t find yourself updating the branding on the inside of the jet.
Like GOL’s normal 737 MAXs, this one had 186 seats, unfold throughout 31 rows, in a 3-3 configuration.
On worldwide flights, the primary 5 rows of the plane are marketed as premium economic system — I assigned myself seat 5A, the window seat on the left aspect within the fifth row. Along with improved service, the primary variations are that you’ve got a blocked center seat, and also you even have a few further inches of legroom.
I’m not the tallest man within the phrase, however I actually didn’t discover the legroom to be notably beneficiant, so I’m curious how tight it might really feel in the usual economic system part.
The seat had a reasonably normal tray desk, which folded down from the seat in entrance.
The seat additionally had a USB-A charger, however that’s it. I discovered that to be fairly disappointing, because you’d hope there can be an AC or USB-C outlet.
Past that, I discovered the cabin to be fairly fashionable and cozy. It had the Boeing Signature Inside, with giant overhead bins and temper lighting.
Every seat additionally had particular person air nozzles and studying lights within the overhead console.
One factor I discovered noteworthy is how the bulkhead had an Air France-KLM placard. Air France-KLM has a really small stake in GOL, however then once more, American has an even bigger stake, however its emblem doesn’t seem within the airplane. Does anybody know why that’s?
The one different level of differentiation with premium economic system throughout boarding was that passengers got water bottles.
One other factor price stating is that GOL doesn’t have a curtain between premium economic system and economic system, so I think about many passengers in economic system don’t even understand that there’s a distinction between the 2 cabins.
GOL 737 MAX premium economic system leisure & Wi-Fi
GOL Boeing 737 MAXs are speculated to have free streaming leisure, free inflight messaging, and Wi-Fi out there for buy. The Wi-Fi packages are speculated to be as follows:
- Inflight texting (with out photos or movies) is meant to be free
- Gentle web shopping is meant to price BRL 25 (~4 USD) for one hour, or BRL 40 (~7 USD) for the whole flight
- Steaming web is meant to price BRL 45 (~8 USD) for one hour, or BRL 58 (~10 USD) for the whole flight
Sadly since I used to be flying on a non-standard Boeing 737 MAX, it didn’t supply inflight connectivity. I do know that is minor, however I actually want airways would do a greater job managing expectations on this regard.
I used to be anticipating to have the ability to keep linked throughout the flight, so can’t airways at the least e mail clients pre-flight to allow them to know that some deliberate providers gained’t be out there as a consequence of this?
GOL 737 MAX departure from Santa Cruz de la Sierra
My GOL flight was packed, with practically each seat onboard being occupied (nicely, besides the middles in premium economic system). I’ve gotta say, the boarding course of was oddly inefficient, even much less so than in the US, which is saying one thing.
It took round 50 minutes to finish boarding, and it wrapped up at 12:50PM, at which level we instantly started our pushback. Across the similar time, the lead flight attendant added her welcome aboard, saying the flight time of 2hr50min. The crew additionally carried out a handbook security demonstration.
We began our quick taxi to the runway at 12:55PM. Bolivia certain has some cool airplanes, as service EcoJet has a fleet of RJ85s and RJ100s… you don’t typically see these!
Inside 10 minutes we made it to the runway, following a Boliviana de Aviacion 737.
We had been cleared for takeoff on runway 34 at 1:05PM.
I loved the views out the window throughout our climb out, and the seatbelt signal was turned off round 10 minutes after takeoff.
Round half-hour after takeoff, the captain made his very pleasant welcome aboard announcement, giving us plenty of particulars concerning the flight.
GOL premium economic system meals, drinks, and repair
What’s service like in GOL premium economic system? It began on a excessive notice. Simply quarter-hour after takeoff, the lead flight attendant got here via premium economic system with a tray, providing every passenger both glowing wine or apple juice.
As I at all times say, it’s a pleasant contact when the crew can get the primary spherical of drinks out rapidly after takeoff, and it’s an space the place the crew undoubtedly succeeded.
Then round 45 minutes after takeoff, the crew handed via premium economic system to serve additional drinks, in addition to a snack. By the point they received to my row, there was no selection of snack (truly, I overheard that even these in row three didn’t have a selection).
So the one possibility was a mortadella and cheese sandwich, served with a chocolate dessert. For what it’s price, I imagine the opposite possibility was some form of vegetarian sandwich. Drinks had been additionally served, and so they’re included in premium economic system. I ordered a glass of sauvignon blanc, and it was served in correct glassware.
I very a lot loved the dessert and wine, although I didn’t contact the sandwich. I do know some individuals love mortadella, however it’s not for me.
I assume I ought to’ve chosen a seat additional up. I understand that is in all probability much more standard in Brazil than elsewhere, although I at all times discover it irritating when airways run out of the “safer” possibility. Billions of individuals don’t eat pork, together with me (not for spiritual causes, however simply because pigs are tremendous sensible, so I view this as being just like canine in that manner… I digress).
On the plus aspect, I’ve to acknowledge the lead flight attendant, who was exceptionally pleasant and attentive. She’d have interaction with every passenger, and had nice consideration to element. She additionally made a number of rounds via the cabin. Principally she’d simply preserve rolling the cart up and down the aisle till individuals now not wished something.
After the primary snack service, I made a decision to order a espresso. Sadly GOL doesn’t supply any form of milk or creamer with espresso, so the one possibility is to place sugar in there. My seat mate advisable one other kind of espresso the airline served, which is tremendous sugary. I’m unsure what precisely it was (it was described to me as “fats espresso”), however I figured I ought to give it a attempt.
I ultimately discovered a cheerful medium, and ended up pouring a few of the sugary and candy espresso into the primary espresso, which was a pleasant mixture.
GOL 737 MAX premium economic system bathroom
GOL has a bathroom on the entrance of the 737 MAX, which is the everyday very tight bathroom you’ll discover on most 737 MAXs.
Above I discussed how there’s no curtain between premium economic system and economic system, and that additionally implies that the bathroom isn’t reserved for premium economic system clients. It certain can be good if that had been the case…
GOL 737 MAX arrival in Sao Paulo
I had a chat with my seat mate on the flight (I’m not often a talker on planes, however he was an fascinating Brazilian man doing enterprise in Bolivia). Earlier than I knew it, we had been getting ready for our strategy to Sao Paulo. At 4:10PM native time, the captain was again on the PA, and requested the crew to organize for touchdown. It was a stunning afternoon, particularly above the clouds.
Sadly our strategy didn’t find yourself being very direct, and we did a little bit of circling earlier than we had been cleared for the strategy, as a consequence of congestion on the airport.
We ended up touchdown on runway 9R at 4:55PM.
From there we had a 10-minute taxi to our arrival stand, the place we pulled in at 5:05PM, round 25 minutes delayed. Sadly we arrived at a distant stand, and needed to take a bus to the terminal.
At the very least a distant stand affords nice views of the outside of a jet!
From there I headed to the airport’s transit lodge, TRYP by Wyndham Sao Paulo Guarulhos Airport, the place I’d be spending the night and early morning, previous to my Copa 737 MAX enterprise class flight to Panama Metropolis.
Backside line
GOL’s 737 MAX premium economic system is a typically nice expertise. The value premium over economic system is often cheap, whether or not paying with money or factors. You get a blocked center seat, further legroom, precedence providers, an inflight snack, limitless drinks, and extra attentive service. GOL is a dependable {and professional} airline, so I’d gladly fly the airline once more.
There have been two elements of the expertise that disillusioned me. To start with, I used to be flying on a 737 MAX meant for an additional service, so there was no Wi-Fi or leisure, regardless of that being marketed as a perk. Moreover, as somebody who doesn’t eat pork, I didn’t like that this was the one snack possibility. After all different individuals will really feel in a different way, however I can solely choose a flight based mostly alone preferences.
What’s your tackle GOL’s 737 MAX premium economic system?
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