Azul secures up to R$2.66bn financing from Brazilian development bank

Azul has agreed a long-term loan with the Brazilian Development Bank worth as much as R$2.66 billion, equivalent to about $511 million. The carrier received roughly R$1.3 billion of that total on 29 September and expects the second half during the fourth quarter of this year. Of the five-year facility, R$400 million is earmarked to retire existing debt carrying a higher cost. The rest is to strengthen the airline's liquidity and fund its longer-term plans. The financing was extended under Brazil's National Civic Aviation Fund.

Azul completed a nine-month restructuring and left Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February. For the April-to-June quarter it posted an operating loss of R$159 million, against a R$380 million profit in the same period a year earlier, which the airline attributed to high fuel costs. Revenue edged up 0.7% over the quarter even after what the company described as a sharp reduction in capacity. Earlier this year Azul characterised 2026 as a transition year and said capacity growth would return.