Brazil airlines Azul and GOL are set for merger talks which could create the dominant player in aviation in the country. They signed a MoU after getting tentative approval from Brazilian President Lula da Silva. The plan is to combine the businesses of Azul and GOL parent Abra. It would give the new business a 60% share of the aviation market.

Azul and Gol shares rose sharply on Thursday, following the announcement of a proposed merger between the two Brazilian airlines. Azul’s stock price rose by more than 4%, while Gol’s shares jumped by about 8%.

Shares of Azul (NYSE:AZUL) climbed 3% in US premarket trading following the announcement of significant progress towards a potential merger with GOL.

Abra—which also controls Colombia’s flag carrier Avianca—and Azul concluded the two Brazilian airlines have 90% complimentary and non-overlapping routes. Last year, amid reports that Azul was interested in merging with its rival GOL, the airlines launched a domestic codeshare.

Investing.com-- Brazilian airline Azul SA (NYSE: AZUL) and Abra- the majority investor in its rival Gol, said they had signed a non-binding agreement on Wednesday to explore the combination of their businesses in Brazil.