Total Express Linhas Aéreas was created by businessman Fábio Carvalho and executive Felipe Alves Lima.[4] Carvalho is the owner of Grupo Abril, a Brazilian media conglomerate based in São Paulo and which also operates in the logistics area through the homonymous carrier, Total Express, led by Lima, its current chief executive officer (CEO).[5][6]
Total Express focuses on transporting e-commerce products through a door-to-door courier service, becoming a reference in this type of service in Brazil, obtaining contracts with several companies, such as Mercado Livre, Magazine Luiza and Amazon, to deliver orders quickly, within 48 hours.[7][8][9] On August 8, 2022, Amazon became a minority shareholder in Total Express by acquiring a 9.68% stake in the carrier.[10][11][12]
In this context, due to the rapid growth of the e-commerce market in Brazil[13][14] and the need to reinforce its logistics operations, Total Express leases a Boeing 737-400SF from Total Linhas Aéreas in 2021 for the dedicated transport of its customers' products between Manaus and São Paulo and at the same time begins planning the launch of its own airline.[15]
On May 7, 2021, under the corporate name Anivia Servicos Aereos Ltda, Total Express Linhas Aéreas began its certification process with the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil (ANAC).[18] In October of the same year, it was registered with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and reserved the Brazilian aeronautical registration PS-TOT for its first aircraft, a Boeing 737-300SF (MSN 25215).[19][20]
The Boeing arrived in Brazil on November 22, 2022[21] and after the import and nationalization process, when it received its Brazilian aeronautical registration, it went through a maintenance and painting process in the DIGEX MRO hangars[22] in São José dos Campos, São Paulo.[23]
On November 15, 2023, the start-up airline completed its certification process and obtained it's air operator's certificate (CHETA, in portuguese) from ANAC.[24][25]
Start of flight operations (2023-present)
The first flight took place on December 5, 2023, flying between São Paulo and Manaus, becoming the first Brazilian land cargo transport and logistics company to launch its own airline.[26][27][28][29]
Destinations
Total Express Linhas Aéreas operated cargo services to the following destinations in Brazil (as of February 2024):
^"Somos Total, Somos Express" [We are Total, We are Express]. Total Express (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2024-02-15. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
^Mattos, Adriana (13 July 2022). "Amazon compra fatia da Total Express" [Amazon buys a stake in Total Express]. Valor Econômico (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 16 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
^Morais, Patricia de (2 June 2021). "Digex recebe novo B737 da Total Linhas Aéreas" [Digex receives new B737 from Total Airlines]. digex.com.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 16 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
