Flying with TAM - CGH-SJP-GRU

[9V-JKL]

PRELUDE

With TAM slated to join Star Alliance sometime in the next 12-18 months, I'm sure some of you will be flying them as part of your *A ticket. Here's a brief insight into what TAM offers on domestic routes.

This trip is from Sao Paulo's Congohas airport (CGH) to a agricultural region in Sao Jose do Rio Preto and back to Sao Paulo but this time to Guarulhos (GRU)

[9V-JKL]

My Brazilian colleague dealt with all of the check-in stuff and at that time, I wasn't thinking of a trip report so I'm sorry but there's no pictures of CGH's departure area.
But take my word for it that its really packed much like Don Muang was some years back.

At check-in, theres a bank of machines that you key-in your PNR, passport/ID and select your seat. When that's done, your get your BP and a luggage tag. Both of these are of the supermarket receipt variety. Once you've done that, queue up and have your luggage accepted.

After security, there were a couple of shops/food places. This is on the tarmac level where we were supposed to be bused to our plane.



Waiting area for bus, I suppose you could call this a bus-stop


30mins before boarding, there was an announcement that our gate had changed and we had to go up to the 2nd floor, this time an aerobridge.

Aerobridge Waiting Area

The A319 that'll take us for the short 1hr flight to SJP

[9V-JKL]

CGH-SJP

Normally, I would prefer an aisle but this being my first time flying somewhere new, I chose a window.

Cabin is as most normal Y cabins. In fact, the entire plane was Y. No C or F to be found here. Advertisement can be found on the seatback. Colours seem to be matching TAM's own corporate colours


Rudimentary legroom shot or rather lack of. I'm 1.72m and I barely fit.


We pushed back on time and taxied to the runway in no time.

Sister plane


CGH is really close to populated areas. I've not experienced another airport so close to residential areas. Well maybe TSA in Taiwan or Kai Tak in the old HKG days


AIRBORNE! (specially for jjpb3)

[SQflyergirl]

Ah memories! CGH scares the living bejeezus out of me (gotta love that runway)... but if it means i'm in Brasil, I can't complain!

[9V-JKL]

CGH-SJP continued

Despite this being just a 1hr flight, we managed to get a snack box, though the packaging looks more like a birthday present

Not too bad if one's not nit-picking


Cabin In-Flight. Female cabin crew wear white t-shirts over a longish skirt whereas the Male crew wear normal shirts.


In no time, we're descending into SJP

[9V-JKL]

SJP-GRU

At check-in, we found out that we've been booked to arrive into GRU rather than CGH. Whew! That runway at CGH does look scary for landing. Sadly though, it was bad accident a couple of months before my trip.

Yep, that's the ENTIRE airport of Sao Jose do Rio Preto from the inside. At the far end is the arrival hall. The middle area is the check-in row, only 1. Check-in procedure was a little different, this time, it was a human


Gate holding areas ala Changi post security:



The airport from the tarmac


Its nice to walk to the plane on some days, especially when its good weather like today

[9V-JKL]

Being such a small airport and a light load, again we took off in no time.

A view from the wings:


Another birthday present from TAM


This time, its a warm sandwich


Descending into GRU


Sister plane departing as we landed.

[9V-JKL]

POSTLUDE

I guess 2 short 1hr flights do not make me an expert on TAM but both flights were pretty good in terms of in-flight service. I would reference them to say a short-haul MH flight. It was nice to have a warm sandwich for a late-morning flight.

I hope to fly them again and hopefully long-haul to see how they really compare to our usual SQ.

Thanks all for reading

[N_Architect]

Thank you for a very nice TR, 9V-JKL!

[Nick C]

Nice TR 9V-JKL!

[jjpb3]

Very interesting TR, 9V-JKL. Thanks for sharing.

[Kyo]

Nice and to the point! Thanks 9V-JKL for sharing on one of the least familiar carriers here.

I wonder if they have IFE in their upper classes and how it compares (if any). Will Google..

[KeithMEL]

V informative TR, 9V-JKL. Thanks.

[Paint Horse]

Very useful. I have been wondering what TAM, especially short haul, was like.

[Paulista82]

Thanks very much (or as they say in my country - muito obrigado) - hope you enjoyed my country and hospitality!

I need to go home soon - or else I was lose the taste of churrasco in my mouth!

Go Felipe!