The National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) approved this Thursday (30) a credit line of up to R$8 billion to reinforce the working capital of four airlines that operate domestic flights in Brazil: Azul, Abaeté, Gol and Latam. The resources, coming from the National Civil Aviation Fund (FNAC), can be used until December 2026. The measure seeks to provide liquidity to companies in the face of the sharp rise in aviation fuel costs, which almost doubled between April and May this year as a result of the escalation of the war in the Middle East. The financing line is aimed at domestic scheduled air transport companies and aims to preserve the financial sustainability of the sector, avoiding the reduction of the air network, the suspension of routes and impacts on jobs and passenger transport. The financing will have a fixed interest rate of 4% per year, defined by the FNAC Management Committee (CGFNAC), and a payment period of up to 60 months. According to the president of BNDES, Aloizio Mercadante, the resources will help strategic companies for the Brazilian economy. "The resources will support companies that play an important role in the economy, contributing to the continuity of operations and the provision of air transport to the population, maintaining jobs and mitigating the reduction in the network or discontinuity of routes. These are companies that have already been heavily impacted by the effects of the pandemic and are now facing the increase in the cost of aviation fuel due to the war in the Middle East", he stated. The Minister of Ports and Airports, Tomé França, said that the initiative strengthens the companies' financial sustainability and highlighted the importance of aviation for a country the size of Brazil. The president of the Brazilian Association of Airlines (Abear), Juliano Noman, stated that the support is compatible with the sector's relevance to the economy. "Aviation integrates the country, generates employment and helps tourism to break records. Each new national and international destination returns tourism, GDP, development and employment", he said. The use of FNAC resources to financially support airline companies was authorized by Law No. 14,978, of September 2024, following the impacts caused by the Covid-19 pandemic on the sector. In April this year, Provisional Measure No. 1,349 defined the rules for granting loans aimed at working capital, with the aim of reducing the effects of increased operating costs, especially rising fuel prices.