Reflecting the increase in premium business traffic between the UK and Brazil, TAM Airlines has introduced a new First Class cabin on its daily services between London Heathrow and São Paulo Guarulhos. Introduced on 5 February, the new cabin compliments the airline’s existing business and economy class services.

TAM’s exclusive new First Class cabin on the daily Boeing 777-300ER service between the UK and Brazil offers just four flat sleeper seat units that have been designed for the passenger’s maximum privacy and comfort. The aircraft offers a further 56 seats in business and 302 in economy, and flight times in both directions are designed to maximise convenience and connecting services at both ends of the route.

 

As well as the personalised service TAM is known for across all its cabins, passengers in First Class can choose their own amenity items from a selection carried on board. The amenities consist of natural products from the Greek range of Korres, as well as pyjamas, slippers and eyeshades.

 

On board entertainment includes individual 23-inch screens offering 24 video channels that are programmed monthly with the latest film releases, as well as classics from the archives, TV programmes, and documentaries. There are 11 music channels catering to every taste, and a further choice of a 50 CD library to enjoy. The flight can be followed on an on screen map, and cameras on the fuselage allow passengers to view what is in front and below the Boeing 777 from take off to landing.

 

As well as the electronic entertainment system, passengers in TAM’s First Class cabin have a selection of Brazilian and international magazines and newspapers to read, and those passengers who wish to work have a special reading light and power points for laptops.

 

On the Ground

First Class passengers living or working within 65 miles of London Heathrow can book a complimentary, luxury chauffer drive transfer to-and-from the airport, and at any destination airport outside of Brazil. At a cost, First Class passengers can also book a fast helicopter transfer to-and-from São Paulo’s Guarulhos Airport and the down town airport of Congonhas. Prices start at around £280.

 

All First Class passengers have access to TAM’s First Class lounges in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, as well as the carrier’s partner First Class lounges at London Heathrow and other international destinations. Passengers are Fast Tracked through immigration at Heathrow Airport, both on arrival and departure. In São Paulo passengers can take advantage of the exclusive TAM First Class check-in area.

 

As well as the London service, TAM offers a First Class option on its flights linking São Paulo to Frankfurt, Paris, Madrid, New York, Miami and Orlando, as well as the flights from Rio de Janeiro to Paris and New York. TAM has been flying to London from Brazil since October 2006.

First Class TAM Catering

At the start of 2010 TAM launched a series of new menus on its international services, a selection of dishes which have been devised for the carrier by the highly acclaimed Brazilian chef, Helena Rizzo; the chef responsible for the award winning São Paulo restaurant, Mani.

 

All of Rizzo’s dishes, including for First Class, have been developed with a softness and delicate touch of herb and flower aromas mixed with flavours inspired from around the globe. In First Class options include filet mignon rosbeef with poached pear and yogi tee-aromatized olive oil, lamb ribs with rosemary au jus and artichoke and tomato caponnata, chicken fillet stuffed with Earl Grey tea and mushrooms with jasmine rice and pak choi. For dessert options include apple pie with farofa doce (a sweet peanut concoction crumbled into a fine powder), aromatized with rooitea and topped with cinnamon fudge.

 

The dishes are complimented by modern and elegant cutlery and utensils that have been designed for TAM by the Netherland’s deStar, a traditional supplier to a number of the world’s leading airlines. Glassware is red crystal in the style of Baccarat.

 

As well as re-launching its menus, TAM has also updated the selection of award winning wines it serves on its international flights. To harmonize with the new dishes on the airline’s international menu, Arthur Azevedo, CEO of the Brazilian Association of Sommeliers in São Paulo, who in also the editor of Wine Style magazine and a consultant of the Artwine site, has sourced wines from different countries and continents.

 

First Class passengers flying between the UK and Brazil will be able to enjoy the Drappier La Grande Sendrée champagne, from vineyards that are more than 70 years old. Among the wines, the white Luís Pato Vinhas Velhas from Bairrada, Portugal; and Boutari Moschofilero OPAP Mantínia, from Peloponnese, Greece deserve a special mention; as do the red wines such as L’Etoile de Bergey from the French region of Pessac-Léognan, in Bordeaux, produced by the Garcin-Cathiard family in limited quantities; the Spanish wine, Abadia Retuerta Cuvée Palomar, from Sardon del Duero; Cuvée Palomar, another of the elite Spanish wines; and the I Balzini Black Label, from Tuscany, Italy.