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%.

Brazilian carrier Azul SA and the principal shareholder for rival Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA reached an agreement to work toward a merger, potentially creating one of the largest airlines in Latin America.

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.

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.