> Get a Brazilian friend to buy the ticket online on your behalf using his Brazilian credit card and CPF number. Note that a CPF number is demanded from the purchaser when booking online, but passengers can leave the CPF field empty.
Making this into an on-line market (matching Brazilians and foreigners for mutual profit) sounds like a business opportunity.
How would that work? If I understand correctly the CPF number needs to match the passenger details. So someone else could buy the ticket for you, but then the ticket is in their name.
No, the linked article[1] says, "a CPF number is demanded from the purchaser when booking online, but passengers can leave the CPF field empty".
I can confirm that that's how it works. The CPF number is needed from the person buying the ticket, not the person travelling.
Nevertheless, I don't see such a brokering business being very profitable. The main problems are (a) the customer doesn't care about the extra cost because his/her company is paying or (b) he doesn't even realize he's being suckered because he used the English-language TAM website and didn't realize Brazilians get a better price.
Also, getting a CPF isn't impossible if you're a foreigner. I have one, and there are sites and blogs that deal with Brazil and business/travel topics which explain how to get one.
The real problem for me was paying with my US bank card (w/ Visa or Mastercard symbol). Because this wasn't allowed, I had to travel to the airport and pay in person on several occassions.
Now you only need to match your name with a brazilian with the same name. This assumes the airline doesn't require an ID card with that same CPF to board.
> Get a Brazilian friend to buy the ticket online on your behalf using his Brazilian credit card and CPF number. Note that a CPF number is demanded from the purchaser when booking online, but passengers can leave the CPF field empty.
Making this into an on-line market (matching Brazilians and foreigners for mutual profit) sounds like a business opportunity.