Flight Review - Joao Pessoa to Rio de Janeiro on Gol Airlines in "Premium"

[@ss-xy2im]

A very firm conclusion, no cliff hanger it's a clear goal for latam

[@MattsPlanet]

There wasn't much hesitancy in my conclusion, I'll agree!

[@lukasfischer7439]

thank you for sharing! as my partner is from Joao Pessoa, I am a frequent visitor to JPA airport. Best wishes from Switzerland 🙂

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks! Its a fun place!

[@jeb1683]

Highlight of a lazy Sunday, all the best Matt!

[@MattsPlanet]

Replying to comments is the highlight of my lazy Sunday too!!! Thanks for watching

[@jimmyjames6492]

Thanks for the info + video!

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks for the comment as always!

[@paulgellard4340]

Brilliant video as always Matt and this series is definitely making want to visit Brazil! 🙂 Really look forward to your content each Sunday - keep up the great work!

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks! A couple more videos from this trip still to come

[@SirPretender]

"... even if the driver I ended up with was a complete maniac." Come on Matt, you know you *have* to give more details here! PS. Watching your weekly video (and then discussing it with my mates) is one my weekend rituals. Great work as usual.

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks for that! I think the driver was a close relative of Ayrton Senna...

[@richardstreet7518]

Well no plans to travel with Goal I am pleased you have taken one for the team... 😊

[@MattsPlanet]

There's a public service element to what I do!

[@red.guevarra]

It's great to see the inside of a Gol 737-800. It's an oldie but goodie; however, the lack of in-seat power would be a turn off for KZbinrs like us, for practical reasons. I've flown to/from Rio almost 10 years ago using points. Can't wait to visit again! - Red

[@MattsPlanet]

Cheers Red - I have a bag full of batteries to could cope with no power for 3 hours but it is annoying.... Rio is fab!

[@timtony7153]

Hi Matt, Thanks for a great video again this week!... well great to watch as the cost of that flight came out of your pocket and not mine! The difference between gol and latam is very noticeable!! Thank you for 9 minutes we'll spend on KZbin, Kind regards, Thomas

[@MattsPlanet]

The ad revenue from you (and everyone else!) watching my videos does replenish my pocket, but I know what you mean!! Consumer advice at its finest!

[@steve-marsh]

I find myself sitting here getting mad at the queue jumpers. How very British of me.

[@MattsPlanet]

Indeed! I was silently outraged!! Didn't want to make a scene though, obviously...

[@martynmahmoud]

Great video. Don’t forget another airport without a lounge much closer to home … London City!!

[@MattsPlanet]

Indeed - a bit of an oversight on my part!!!

[@pollyannaleite7395]

João Pessoa is a little gem - thanks for stopping by! :)

[@MattsPlanet]

It is indeed! Really busy nightlife too.

[@okeesmokee6658]

Latam for the win. I understand that Delta and Latam have are doing a joint venture - maybe that has something to do with selling and delivering on the same product. Nice that Latam honored what their sales team was presenting.

[@MattsPlanet]

Delta has owned 20% for a few years now but doesn't seem to have made great strides in aligning the product... Yet...

[@okeesmokee6658]

@@MattsPlanet Maybe Delta just wanted some cheap A350s with the weird 2-2-2 seating in business class - which isn't consistent with the DeltaOne.

[@hendrikdevries9725]

Goal! A clear winner with Latam then !

[@MattsPlanet]

The ref would have stopped the contest if he'd been able to....

[@sergeyontheroad]

Great video Matt! Really interesting!

[@MattsPlanet]

Thanks!

[@CallumT5]

Love the thumbnail Matt

[@MattsPlanet]

When inspiration strikes!!! Thanks Callum

[@stevecraven3502]

Matt. Very interesting. My pet hate when traveling is not being able to put my bag above my seat it really does annoy me. Steve. C. YNWA.

[@MattsPlanet]

Cheers Steve... It's a prime reason why I don't pick row 1, even if that comes with extra legroom as swimming upstream to get to my bags is a right pain....

[@user-pb3qb5qn1m]

Dear Matt, I really enjoy your channel. In Brazil anyone above age 60 has priority by law to jump the que, same as pregnant women and whose with toddlers

[@MattsPlanet]

That's really interesting! Plenty of people who jumped the queue that day were well under 60... Only 7 more years and I can do it too then!!!

[@ianworthington2324]

I used to fly a lot with LATAM, before they kicked oneworld to the kerb, and only remember one flight with them (SCL-PUQ) that was not terrific. Got to know the cabin crew on BOG-MIA quite well and they were always great. I flew before the merger, and my (distant) recollection is that LAN were a much superior product to TAM.

[@MattsPlanet]

A limited sample for me, but Latam is the best in Brazil for me

[@Mph_cars]

“Back when boing have their engineers wrenches” 🤣🤣

[@MattsPlanet]

A bit naughty but I couldn't resist....

[@nicholasashaw72]

You forgot the key perk of 'Max' - Anticipation at any time on the day of the flight. Whatever that means !!

[@MattsPlanet]

What an oversight!

[@arkadiuszg2864]

Zanzibar has 2 departure lounges in the new departure terminal 😮

[@MattsPlanet]

When I went through Ethiopian was using the old terminal that I think is mostly domestic.... There used to be a lounge there but it close during the you-know-what and hadn't reopened when we travelled....

[@arkadiuszg2864]

@@MattsPlanet that’s correct. I’ve been there 4 months ago.

[@jonnylons1]

Completely unconnected, but if you are looking for video ideas: Iberia from Madrid to london on the A380 in business!

[@MattsPlanet]

The A350 I presume you mean??? Did it the other way in Premium Economy (proper Premium Economy!!!) a year or so back...

[@jonnylons1]

@@MattsPlanetI may well mean the A350….the “big” aeroplane as opposed to the usual intra-Europe ones! I did it in business class on Friday, was good but was really normal European business class food and service just a bigger seat. I actually found the difference surprisingly marginal on a short flight!

[@paullewis2413]

Azul is my preferred internal airline in Brasil however their timetable doesn’t suit my usual long haul connection at GRU. £340 is far too much for that product. If you’re able to book well in advance prices are much lower.

[@MattsPlanet]

Azul on the next trip! It was a lot cheaper when I first looked 7 months earlier but couldn't actually commit to going until about 3 weeks prior.... Annoyingly!

[@MattsPlanet]

This was all booked a bit last minute....

[@ukdavepianoman]

Sounds like Gol have scored an own Gooooooool. Nothing very Premium about it all. It's annoying when Priority boarding is a mess...and the passenger in front tips the seat back. On the plus side, Brazil is a fantastic country to visit.

[@MattsPlanet]

Brazil - amazing! Latam - pretty good.... Gol? Nope!

[@papi8659]

Such a shame you didn’t like your GOL experience , they’re my favourite Brazilian domestic airline - crews tend to be more mature , professional , experienced and there’s always someone with a little English unlike LATAM or Azul . I like Brazilian domestic security , it’s fast efficient and stress free . Brazilians aren’t trying to kill each other in the air thank god …. There’s 2 tricks that you have missed with late booking domestic airfares . One is to fly from Campina Grande about an hour west , always cheaper although you’ll be on a turbo prop or a fantastic embraer with at least one stop … The second trip is use skip legging . If you’d booked to CWB or FLN via sdu or gig you’d have saved hundreds ( usually ) Group 1 is statutory , non negotiable and to be honest you’re eligible to use it on at least two basis ( according to your videos ) . I’ve never seen it abused and boarding is usually stress free in Brazil . I’ve flown extensively ( even more than yourself) and in my opinion domestic flying today in Brazil the golden age of travel - simply the best in the world Shame to see you stressed at such minor things ,,, you should stay longer in brazil for your mental health my friend. Best wishes x

[@MattsPlanet]

Cheers - always tricky to make sweeping conclusions off a sample of one flight but the contrast to Latam was clear... I did look at CPV but I was dependent on my mate Steve's generosity for a ride to the airport and didn't want to give him an extra 3 hour drive to get me there! And skiplagging is off the agenda for me given how much publicity I give to how I travel. But I will bear it in mind for the next time I'm there not making videos!

[@glennpower1962]

JPA is where I live, shame could have shown you around a little, was there until last Monday, now in LA working...G3 is a horrible airline....I always take LA, and AD are also generally very good

[@MattsPlanet]

No way!! Had a great chat with Gary at the Gringo bar and he said there was a small expat community there... There are much worse places to live! Any issues with safety for you living there?

[@glennpower1962]

No issues with safety in Jampa at all (thats what the natives call the city), unlike most other big Brazilian cities, I lived in Salvador for 17 years and you needed to be fairly aware and sensible when out and about, especially at night, but then again I spend a huge amount of time working in the US and most big American cities have areas where you need to be very cautious, as a BA Gold (I had GGL for 4 years running before Covid) and now coming up to 1500 segments flown on god knows how many airlines and 2.500.000 miles flown to over 80 countries around the globe, I can certainly relate to your posts along with Noel (Phillips), Josh (Cahill), Paul (Wingin it) and Trek Trendy, I see your steadily getting more and more subscribers, good for you, you have your own enjoable spin , safe travels and keep the content coming@@MattsPlanet

[@Gduniversity13]

Matt, I am not happy about what ba ate up too. When you book a flight on BA now they are showing fare scales reduced business class tier points if you book a cheaper business class flights, this is horrid

[@MattsPlanet]

I've not seen that happening - can you elaborate on where you're seeing this? You get fewer avios with cheaper business class fare codes but not tier points....

[@Gduniversity13]

I saw it on the BA website when making a booking sometimes it shows, sometimes it does not. It’s really strange as it highlights classes of flights then shows different tier point earning fares. You have to look for several fares before it comes up. I think this will be introduced in April. It occurred several times after flights used in April

[@andrewstorm8240]

Self identified Latam is good

[@MattsPlanet]

They'll be my pick next time!

[@gordonyuen6302]

tell us more about the maniac Uber driver please?

[@MattsPlanet]

He channelled his inner Ayrton Senna to get me to Ipanema....

[@bulletcruise]

I just feel like economy service and attitude has gone to the pits. Boarding not boarding is my biggest pet peeve. It achieves nothing except a ticket in the contract.

[@MattsPlanet]

Even more so when you've paid a premium to be in premium!

[@bulletcruise]

@@MattsPlanet you should fly Iberia premium economy. Rip off kings. I'm not sure how they get away with day light robbery. Horrible food, pathetic service and just now regard for the customer

[@twentyrothmans7308]

Urgh. Just urgh. Thank you for doing this, so we don't have to.

[@MattsPlanet]

Consider it a public service!

[@s550days]

How long does someone have to wait to recline to stop you from moaning about it? 🤣

[@MattsPlanet]

I'd say the entire duration of the flight! I don't usually recline as I don't want to inconvenience the passenger behind me but not everyone shares that approach to shortish flights

[@s550days]

​@@MattsPlanet Fair enough. I noticed you had the same problem on your Virgin PE flight. You are much more experienced in travel than I am, but IMO by not reclining the only thing you are doing is hindering your own space, which you are entitled to expand by reclining. It might only be a short flight but you don't know sort of day that person has had. Those two hours might be the only time in the day they will get to rest. Bit of a side story and not saying this bit is related to you as you seem to keep your frusrations to yourself but I once saw an elderly couple too scared to recline their own seats they paid for in PE as the guy behind was kicking off at the fact that they wanted to recline. The cabin crew put him right and reassured the couple that they could recline and helped them do it. Given he had kicked off so badly (including swearing) the guy then spent the entire red-eye flight from JFK-LHR sleeping awkwardly without reclining as to not contradict his own opinion on the matter, it was quite a sight 🤣