Varig Airlines (RG) : Find Varig Airlines Flights and Deals – CheapOair Sample Deals from * All fares below were last found on: . Fares are round trip. Fares incl. all fuel surcharges, our service fees and taxes . Displayed fares are based on historical data, are subject to change and cannot be guaranteed at the time of booking. See all booking terms and conditions To Depart Return Sample Fares* Call 1-855-437-2161 for deals too good to be published.Call 1-855-437-2161 for deals too good to be published. Varig Airlines Alternatives with CheapOair Founded way back in 1927, Varig (RG) was the flag carrier airline of Brazil based out of Sao Paulo, Brazil. It was Brazil’s leading airline during the period from 1965 to 1990 flying to destinations in Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Venezuela and Columbia. It had its hubs in São Paulo-Guarulhos and Rio de Janeiro-Galeão. A member of the Star Alliance, Varig floated a frequent flyer program called Smiles.

With headquarters in Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre, Varig flew to many popular destinations like Brasília, Buenos Aires, Bogota, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Paris, New York and San Francisco. It had a fleet of sleek airplanes. It went into judicial reorganizations in 2005 and eventually had to cease operations in 2006 due to a split within the organization. Get there on time, every time! Check your flight status here. Varig - Varig | Varig Airlines | Varig Flights | Varig Vacation | Varig Trip | Varig Reservation | Varig Cheap Flights | Just Travel Deals Varig Honeymoon Registry Varig,Varig Airlines,Varig Seat Sale,Varig Reservations Brazilian airline founded on May 7, 1927, which had begun flights in the state of Rio Grande do Sul the previous January. Thereafter, Varig opened several more intrastate routes. Major expansion did not begin until 1953, however, when the Brazilian government guaranteed Varig’s service from Rio de Janeiro to New York City.

In the 1970s Varig was granted a monopoly on international air travel, and by the late 20th century its route network covered the five continents of South America, North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. In the 1960s the company absorbed a number of smaller Brazilian airlines. After losing its monopoly in 1991, Varig encountered financial difficulties, and in 2005 it filed for bankruptcy. The following year Varig was bought by an investment group that also owned VarigLog, a cargo business that was a former subsidiary of the airliner. Create a free website Airlines -- Brazilian Commercial Aviation -- Text: Everything began in 1924, when the German airline Condor Syndikat started flights between Europe and South America. It was also when SCADTA (later Avianca) was created. Otto Ernst Meyer, a German immigrant and former pilot, decided to create an airline in Brazil. He tried Rio de Janeiro and Recife, but only found the necessary support in Porto Alegre. In 1926 he went to Germany and visit Condor Syndikat.

The airline accepted lent a Dornier J Wal and employees to operate the aircraft in return for 21% of the Brazilian airline. On January 26, 1927 Condor Syndikat received authorization from the Brazilian government to operate in the country for one year. Thus on February 3, 1927 at 8 o'clock in the morning, the first Brazil�s commercial flight took off. The Dornier named "Atl�ntico" took off from Gua�ba river to Rio Grande. The provisional name of airline was "Companhia Rio Grandense de Transportes A�reos". The route linking Porto Alegre to Rio Grande with a stop in Pelotas lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes. This flight was known as "Linha da Lagoa� (Lake Line). On May 7, 1927 the first Brazilian airline was finally born: Via��o A�rea Rio Grandense, known as VARIG. Thus Condor Syndikat transferred the aircraft and the route to Varig in June 15, 1927.

In December of that year Condor Syndikat founded another airline in Brazil: Syndicato Condor (later Cruzeiro do Sul ). In August 1927 Varig received its second aircraft, a Dornier Merkur named "Gaucho". In 1929 the airline received two Klemm L25, but those aircrafts only carried bags and advertisements. However in 1930 Condor Syndikat left the company and so Varig had to return the "Gaucho" on June 25 and the "Atl�ntico" on July 2, remaining only with Klemm on the fleet. Thus Varig ask government help and incorporated two Junkers F-13. The first came on April 18, 1932 and with them Varig started flight to Livramento, Santa Cruz, Cruz Alta and Santana do Livramento. In 1937 Varig received one Messerschmitt M20, the first plane with bathrooms on board, and the network was extended to Uruguaiana. In the same year Varig also received one Junkers JU-52, its biggest airplane, for 21 passengers.

The aircraft was so big, that only took off if there were enough passengers. In 1938 Varig was forced to cancel its first route, between Porto Alegre and Rio Grande, due low load factor. But the company continued to offer this route by train. In 1941 the company received two Focke-Wulf FW-58 and one Fiat G-2. In 1942 received one De Havilland Dragon Rapide and on August 5, 1942 began its first international route, from Porto Alegre to Montevideo. Even though Varig still small compared to Syndicato Condor and Panair do Brasil and also began to face problems due the Second World War. Most aircraft were from German origin and Brazil declared war against the Axis. Moreover Otto Ernst Meyer was German and decided to leave presidency to protect Varig in December 1942. Erik de Assis took his place, but died two weeks after the nomination. So Ruben Martin Berta become the new president. Ruben Berta was in the company since 1927 and as Otto Meyer was impassioned by Varig.

The first thing that Berta did was standardize the fleet with American planes. The first was the Lockheed Electra I, which Varig began onboard service. In 1945 Ruben Berta created Varig�s Employees Association. The idea was to protect and benefit Varig at the same time. The association would have 50% of the company and all Varig�s employees would be part of it. It would give a lot of benefits to employees, improving their life quality and consequently their production in the company. In October, 1945 the shareholders transferred 50% to the association. The association brought many benefits to Varig, but also was one of the responsible for its crisis fifty years later. With the end of the Second World War, Varig received several DC-3. The first flight was on August 27, 1946, linking Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. In 1948 came the Curtiss C-46 and Varig expanded its network to northeast. Varig also bought Aero Geral in May, 1952 and gained more DC-3/C-46.

In 1954 received the first Convair 240 that reduced the time of the flights due its speed. Varig operates thirteen units in all domestic routes and to Montevideo and Buenos Aires. In 1953 Varig received permission to fly between Brazil and the United States, after Cruzeiro do Sul declined it. Thus Varig ordered three Lockheed Super G Constellation and inaugurated the route Buenos Aires - Montevideo - Porto Alegre - Sao Paulo - Rio de Janeiro - Bethlehem - Port of Spain - Trujilho - New York in July, 1955. The Constellation was configured with only 66 seats, for passengers comfort. Furthermore had eight bunk beds and female workers for the first time. On board the best was offered, Varig's cook was from Royal Russian Family and for many people Varig�s food was better than any restaurant in Brazil. Soon Varig began to be recognized as one of the best companies in the world and to compete with Pan Am. Real-Aerovias was also a competitor, but Real decided to attract passengers by low prices while Varig attract passengers by its service quality.

In September 1957 Varig ordered its first jet, three Boeing 707-400, and in October two Caravelle. But due problems in B707�s production, the Caravelle arrived first. Thus in September, 1959 Varig made the first flight with a jet aircraft in Brazil. Until Boeing 707 arrived, Caravelle made the route Rio de Janeiro - New York. With Caravelle the travel time was reduced from 25 to 14 hours. In July 1959 Varig, Cruzeiro do Sul and Vasp coordinated their schedules and shared the revenue in Brazil�s busiest route: Sao Paulo (Congonhas) � Rio de Janeiro (Santos Dumont). This operation was called �Ponte A�rea� (Air Bridge). The first Boeing 707-400 arrived on June 22, 1960, already bringing Varig�s passengers from New York. With the arrival of 707, Varig was the first airline to have nonstop flight between Rio de Janeiro and New York.

In August 1961 Varig became the biggest airline in domestic market after purchase Real-Aerovias-Nacional . After that fleet grew to more than one hundred aircrafts, but most of them were sold to pay the debt generated after the purchase. Beyond expand its domestic network, Varig also inherited routes to Lima, Bogota, Mexico, Los Angeles and Tokyo. But Varig was reluctantly to assume Real �s orders for Electra II and Convair 990. Electra II had a bad reputation in the United States due various accidents and Convair 990 didn�t have enough range for Varig�s long flights. But Electra II became Varig�s great asset, becoming the only aircraft to operate in Rio de Janeiro - Sao Paulo route for many years. The first arrived in 1962 and was used on domestic routes. For a time they also flight in �Voo da Amizade� (Friendship�s Flight) linking Rio de Janeiro to Lisbon with stops in Recife and Sal Island. In September 1962 Electra II began to flight in Rio - S�o Paulo route and still operating until January 1992.

In February 1965 the Brazilian military government declared Panair �s bankruptcy and its international routes and two DC-8-33 were tranfered to Varig. It was clear that Panair �s end had already been planned. On that same night Varig�s Boeing 707 assumed all Panair �s routes, revealing that Varig had already prepared to operate those routes several days before. With the end of Panair , Varig was now the largest airline in Brazil and Latin America. The company had also ordered seventeen Boeing 707-300 to cover its new international routes and increase frequencies. Varig also become one of the few airlines in the world to operate simultaneously the DC-8, Boeing 707 and Convair 990. Until 1968, Varig started flights to Lisbon, Madrid, Paris, London, Rome, Zurich, Copenhagen, Tokyo and Beirut. In December 1966 Ruben Beta died at his desk and Varig�s Employees Association was renamed to Ruben Berta Foundation. In his place assumed Erik Chapman, a former Panair �s employee.

On August 21, 1970 Varig started to flight to Africa with Rio de Janeiro - Luanda - Johannesburg route. Also in 1970, the company received HS-748 also known as "Avro", which replaced DC-3. Varig also received it first Boeing 727 in 1970. In December 1972 Varig chose Douglas DC-10-30 as its new intercontinental aircraft (against Boeing 747) because it was smaller and more economical. In February 1974 the airline ordered some Boeing 737-200 and the first arrived in October of that same year. Varig�s first DC-10 arrived in May 1974 and began scheduled services in July to New York and Europe. The DC-10-30 was the first wide-body aircraft of Brazil and the most modern at that time. In 1975 Cruzeiro do Sul was not doing well and negotiated its sale to Vasp . But in May of that year, Cruzeiro was bought by Varig.

After this purchase Varig become the only Brazilian airline to have international flights and held the monopoly until 90s. Varig kept Cruzeiro brand until 1993 and used it to test new products. In 1976 the Brazilian government decided forced the creation of regional airlines for increase the number of cities served by commercial flights. Varig and Top Taxi A�reo created Rio Sul airlines, responsible for serving the south region, Rio de Janeiro and part of Sao Paulo and Espirito Santo Sate. During the 70s Varig experienced a super growth, becoming the largest private company in Brazil and dominating 50% of domestic market and 100% of international market. With a prominent position, the manufacturers wanted that the largest Latin America airline operate its aircraft, as Concorde and Airbus A300. Concorde did not come, but Airbus does. In April 1979 Varig orders two Airbus A300B4 and in June 1980 the first Airbus arrived. However A300 operated first for Cruzeiro on international routes to South America. Airbus aircraft was successful, quiet and comfortable, thus Varig ordered more two.

In June 1981 the A300B4 arrived in Brazil and this time with Varig�s colors. Varig�s A300 operated in Sao Paulo � Santiago route and were the biggest aircraft to operate at Congonhas airport. In January 1981 Varig ordered three Boeing 747-200. The airline was interested in this aircraft since 70s, but 747 was too big for Varig�s demand. Varig's 747-200B was half passenger and half cargo ("Combi"), more suitable for Varig's routes. The 747 debuted in the company on February 12, 1981, first in Rio de Janeiro - New York route, competing directly Pan Am�s Boeing 747-100 and then in Rio de Janeiro - Paris - Frankfurt route. In 1985 Varig ordered two 747-300 Combi, that arrived in December 1985 and replaced DC-10-30 in Rio de Janeiro - Los Angeles � Tokyo route.

In 1988 Varig received more three Boeing 747-300, but this time "full-pax". In March 1987 Varig received six Boeing 767-200ER to replace A300. The 767 were negotiated at very low prices because Boeing wanted that Varig ceased operate with Airbus aircraft. Varig was the first airline in the world to operate with a Boeing 767 with General Electric engines. In 1988 the company received four Boeing 767-300ER and the first Boeing 737-300, which became the work-horse for domestic flights and replaced Electra II. In 1989 Varig inaugurated Guarulhos International airport with the Boeing 747-200 in the new Sao Paulo � New York route. In early 90s Varig started flights to Chicago, Orlando, Washington, Atlanta, Porto and Barcelona. But that decade was also the beginning of Varig's end.

In 1990 Varig loses the monopoly on international routes after Transbrasil and Vasp begin international flights, increasing competition and decreasing Varig�s profits. In November 1991 Varig was one of the first airlines in the world to operate the new McDonnell Douglas MD-11. Varig�s MD-11 first route was Sao Paulo - Rio de Janeiro - Paris - Amsterdam. In December of that same year Varig also received its first Boeing 747-400, which operated on Sao Paulo � Rome route. With the Boeing 747-400 Varig inaugurated Rio de Janeiro - Sao Paulo - Johannesburg - Bangkok - Hong Kong route in 1993. But the 747-400 were negotiated in the Japanese currency and after a great appreciation of yen, even with 100% of load factor the 747-400 had loss. Moreover the competition in the international market was growing: previously only Varig and Pan Am flew between Brazil and the USA and in less than one year these two airlines began to compete with Vasp , Transbrasil , Eastern, American Airlines, United, Tower Air, Delta and Continental!

Before the aircraft were full and the tariffs were high, but now the aircraft were empty and the tariffs were less than half. Beyond those significant changes in the international market, Varig also began to worry about a regional airline that was fastly growing with Fokker 100 aircraft: Tam . Varig�s subsidiary Rio Sul was still using propeller aircraft while Tam was already using jets. In 1994 Varig cancelled routes to China, Tailand and Africa and returned all Boeing 747-400. In 1995 Ruben Berta Foundation fired Varig�s president for the first time. Besides Ruben Berta Foundation also contributed to Varig�s crisis. The foundation had more than 80% of Varig and was totally against against dismissal of employees and was interfering more and more in the company. Between 2002 and 2005 Varig had nine presidents, all fired by Ruben Berta Foundation. With rising debts, Varig sold all its aircrafts and leased back (sale and lease back). In 1995 Varig bought 49% of Pluna, which became part of the group.

In the same year, Nordeste regional airlines was bought by Rio Sul and also became part of Varig group. In the end of 1996 Varig introduced its new colors in a Boeing 747-300 and in November 1997 Varig was the first airline to join Star Alliance. But the debts continued to grow and Varig cut more routes and returned fourteen aircraft. The number of seats was reduced by 20% in international market and 17% in domestic market. Even so Varig ordered twenty two Boeing aircraft, including 737-700, 737-800 and 777-200. In August 1998 Varig left "Ponte A�rea" (Air Bridge) and started to operate this route with its subsidiary Rio Sul. In the same year Varig was the first airline in Latin America to receive the Boeing 737-700. In 1999 all DC-10-30 and Boeing 747-300 were retired.

In January 2001 Gol begins to operate and forced the prices down, making Varig lose more money. In March Varig lost the lead in domestic market for Tam , but considering Varig, Rio Sul and Nordeste, Tam just beat Varig in 2003. After September 11, 2001 the world faced an aviation crisis. While "modern" airlines (as Tam ) rapidly reduced its international flights, the "traditional" airlines (as Varig) continued operate all international destinations and their planes flew empty, generating more losses. Thus Varig returned more than 22 aircraft and cut even more routes. In November, 2001 Varig was the first Latin American airline to operate the Boeing 777 and Boeing 737-800. The first flight was on 15 November, on Rio de Janeiro - S�o Paulo - London - Copenhagen route. The 777 brought several innovations and now Varig could compete with Tam �s A330. The two 777 were baptized as "Otto Meyer" and "Ruben Berta" and were the two last new aircraft received by Varig.

The Boeing 737-800 was also the first in Latin America with winglets and video monitors on board. However Varig�s order for twenty two aircraft was reduced to only five 737-700, two 737-800 and two 777-200 due financial crisis. Also in 2001 VEM (Varig Engineering and Maintenance) and Varig Log (cargo subsidiary) were launched. In 2003 Varig began a code-share agreement with Tam , that would be the first step for a potential merge. Varig�s load factor increased and losses decreased, but on the other hand people who just flew Varig and suddenly boarded on Tam �s aircraft, discovered newer aircrafts and more entertainment on board. Varig and Tam merger failed after big resistance from Ruben Berta Foundation and Varig�s employees. �Submerged� in debts, Varig was forced to organize an emergency plan to restructure itself. In 2002 Rio Sul and Nordeste started to be absorbed by Varig and were fully integrated in 2004.

In addiction more routes were canceled and more than ten aircraft were returned, including all Boeing 767-200. Varig also reactivate some Boeing 737-200. In 2004 Varig received four Boeing 757. After Boeing announced the end of 757 production, its price was reduced. So Varig took four units and also more Boeing 777-200 and MD-11, all used. The goal was to replace as soon as possible all MD-11 for Boeing 777. Also in 2004 Varig announced the retirement of ERJ-145, arguing that ERJ�s leasing was more expensive than Boeing 737-500. Also in 2004 Varig returned to Johannesburg and Cape Town, but canceled the route months later. In June 2005 Gol beat Varig in domestic market. In this year Varig's fleet was reduced to only sixty aircrafts, but Varig still had more than twice as many employees that Tam while Tam �s fleet had more than eighty aircrafts.

The reason was that Ruben Berta Foundation did not allow dismissal, despite the fleet has shrunk to less than half. Almost penniless, the company sold Variglog to VOLO and VEM to Tap. There was also a speculation for a possible merge with Tap, but did not occurred. Without money to pay leasing, several planes were seized at foreign airports. In 2006, due World Cup, Varig returned to Munich. In accordance with Tap, Varig ceases flights to Lisbon, leaving the market between Brazil and Portugal exclusively for Tap. In January Varig also stopped flying to Japan. In June Varig collapsed, almost whole fleet were grounded. On June 21, 2006 Varig cancelled all flights to Milan, Madrid, Munich, Paris, Los Angeles, New York, Mexico, Montevideo, Asuncion and Bogota. The airline remained flights to Buenos Aires, Caracas, Aruba, Santa Cruz de La Sierra, Miami, Copenhagen, Frankfurt and London. Several passengers were stranded at airports in Europe and the United States because no airline accepted Varig�s tickets.

In July the company was divided into two: the "old Varig" got all debt and " new Varig " got the routes and aircrafts. There was made an auction and there were rumors of a possible purchase by Air Canada or Lan, but it was purchased by VOLO Brasil, the same that bought VarigLog. � New Varig � or VRG Linhas Aereas continued to operate with the old Varig CHETA until December. On December 14 2006, VRG Linhas Aereas gained its own CHETA and "Varig � Via��o A�rea Rio Grandense" stopped flying officially after nearly eighty years. Gol Varig Airlines Phone Number - Website of pabodean! Gol Varig Airlines Phone Number Gol varig airlines phone number Gol Linhas Aéreas Passenger Reviews and Gol Linhas Aéreas Customer opinions about Gol Linhas Aéreas product and Gol Linhas Aéreas service standards. Gol Transportes Aéreos ("Gol Air Transport," BM&F Bovespa: GOLL3, GOLL4 / NYSE: GOL) is a Brazilian low-cost airline based in Comandante Lineu Gomes Square, São.

Toll Free Airline Phone Numbers, U.S. Airlines and International Airlines, Every Airline In The World We'll be in Brazil in March and want to use GOL for three one-way trips. IMPORTANT: If you need more information about an individual cargo shipment, please contact the airline. Airlines of the world - Airlines of the world list, famous airlines in US, UK, India, check in, center, reservations, famous airlines in the world, list of famous. I noticed from the GOL thread that in 2004, people were having difficulty booking online. The best online directory for airline phone numbers and airlines contact information. Domestic flights in Brazil, Webjet, Gol, TAM, Azul, Avianca, with no CPF. I have found booking domestic flights in Brazil harder than any other country in the world. From 1965 until 1990 it was Brazil's leading and almost only. Airlines in Latin America may not carry as many passengers as airlines in Europe, and North America, but there are plenty of airlines serving all parts of Latin America. Find airline toll free numbers for international and domestic airlines.

VARIG (acronym for V iação A érea RI o- G randense) was the first airline founded in Brazil, in 1927. Varig airlines phone number us VARIG (acronym for V iação A érea RI o- G randense) was the first airline founded in Brazil, in 1927. Includes information of hotels, air companies and tour. Could anybody tell me Virgin Atlantic contact number. Avianca airlines, phone number, Avianca airlines baggage, contact, cargo, Avianca airlines flights, code share agreement, history, Avianca airlines destinations. A: Aer Lingus : Main : 800-474-7424: Reservations : 800-474-7424: Customer Service : 800-474-7424: Flight Information : 800-474-7424: Frequent Flyer : 800-474-7424 Philippine Airlines, phone number, contact, cargo, Philippine Airlines flight schedule, Philippine Airlines phone numbers, online information, history, Philippine.

Save time, find airline phone numbers all on one page. From 1965 until 1990 it was Brazil's leading and almost only. Toll Free Airline Phone Numbers, U.S. Airlines and International Airlines, Every Airline In The World A list of phone numbers for airlines in Canada, Mexico and the United States. Programs tours, hotels and tourism directory - Offering trips, hotels reserve, offering tours and flights. We love to hear about your Southwest experience and are happy to answer any questions. IMPORTANT: If you need more information about an individual cargo shipment, please contact the airline. Varig airlines phone number From 1965 until 1990 it was Brazil's leading and almost only. The airlines often have a separate number for cargo or. Find airfare deals & promotions on Varig Airlines flights to top cities. Note: In most cases the number is the one for general information/reservations. Varig Airlines is the largest air tranportation company in Latin America offering connections between 70 Brazilian cities and international services that connect 24. The following airline reservation phone numbers may change at anytime. Please reconfirm International flights at least 72 Hours (3 Days) prior to departure.

Phone numbers for airlines, big and small, in Central America, the Caribbean and South America Airline: Telephone Number: A: Active Aero : 800-872-5387 : Aer Lingus : 800-223-6537 : Air Canada: 888-247-2262 : Aeroflot : 888-340-6400 : Aerolineas Argentinas. Varig Airlines - Book Varig Airlines Tickets on OneTravel. Toll Free Airline Phone Numbers, U.S. Airlines and International Airlines, Every Airline In The World Airline Telephone Numbers. VARIG (acronym for V iação A érea RI o- G randense) was the first airline founded in Brazil, in 1927. Below you will find a list of world airline telephone number for calls originating from most North American cities.

Varig : definition of Varig and synonyms of Varig (English) History Formation and Early Years (1927–1943) Sociedade Anônima Empresa de Viação Aérea Rio-Grandense – VARIG was the first national airline established in Brazil. It was founded on 7 May 1927 in Porto Alegre , [2] by Otto Ernst Meyer-Labastille, [2] a German aviator decorated in the World War I , who immigrated to Brazil in 1921 and noticed how necessary air transportation was for a large country like Brazil. Varig was an off-spring of the German trade company and airline Condor Syndikat , thus sharing the same origin as Syndicato Condor , later renamed Serviços Aéreos Cruzeiro do Sul . Condor Syndikat gave the initial operational and financial support and for a short time Varig and the sister-company Syndicato Condor operated in partnership. The first aircraft of VARIG was a ten-passenger Dornier Do J Wal flying boat, transferred from the assets of Condor Syndikat.

This aircraft, named Atlântico, was also the first aircraft registered in Brazil as P-BAAA. Operations started on 22 June 1927 with a flight from Porto Alegre to Rio Grande via Pelotas . Varig inherited the route rights from Condor Syndikat which since 22 February 1927 had operated the service. [3] de Havilland Dragon Rapide PP-VAN exhibited at the MUSAL VARIG slowly but consistently in spite of difficulties added aircraft and destinations to its network initially focusing on the state of Rio Grande do Sul . On 5 August 1942 Varig began its first international route from Porto Alegre to Montevideo using its de Havilland DH 89 Dragon Rapide . [4] On 1941, as the United States declared war against the Axis and joined the Allies in the conflict, aviation supplies became scarce, particularly in terms of petrol and replacement parts. Because it used mostly German equipment and had a German Manager-Director (President), Varig faced particular difficulties.

For this reason, Varig's first Manager-Director Otto Ernst Meyer resigned on 24 December 1941 and shareholders decided that the next Manager-Director would be a Brazilian-born. Érico de Assis Brasil was chosen but he died on an aircraft accident shortly after. It was in 1943 that Varig's first employee, Ruben Martin Berta, a descendant of Hungarian and German grandparents, was chosen as Manager-Director and thus would remain until his death in 1966. [5] Expansion (1943–1966) One of the first decisions of Ruben Berta was to pursue an expansion plan and to unify the fleet around only one type of aircraft. The chosen one was the Lockheed L-10 Electra . Another ground-breaking suggestion was made on 29 October 1945 when, based on social ideas found on the Papal Encyclicals Rerum Novarum and Quadragesimo Anno and on Jean-Jacques Rousseau's The Social Contract , Berta proposed and the assembly approved the transfer 50% of Varig's shares to a not-for-profit foundation belonging to the employees.

The aim of the foundation was to provide health, financial, social and recreational benefits to its employees. Decades later this foundation would be called Fundação Ruben Berta . [6] In 1946, with the addition of Douglas DC-3 and later the Curtiss C-46 to its fleet, Varig was able to greatly increase its network by adding cities in the states of Santa Catarina , Paraná , São Paulo , and Rio de Janeiro , facing fierce competition with Real Transportes Aéreos , and SAVAG . On 29 February 1952, Varig bought Aero Geral , a small airline with concessions to fly from Natal until Santos . With this purchase Varig greatly enlarged its operations in Brazil, extending services beyond Rio de Janeiro until Natal along the Brazilian coast and was thus better prepared to compete with Panair do Brasil and Cruzeiro do Sul . In 1949, the Brazilian government granted to Varig the concession to fly to the United States, since the original airline which had the concession, Cruzeiro do Sul, was unable to operate the services.

The inaugural service between Rio de Janeiro-Galeão and New York-Kennedy (then known as Idlewild) happened on 2 August 1955. The services were operated by three brand-new Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation . On 30 May 1953, international flights to Buenos Aires using Curtiss C-46 aircraft were initiated. In January 1956 Varig served 55 cities in Brazil and four abroad, being the second Brazilian airline in terms of passengers transported. [7] In 1954, sensing the need to operate more modern equipment in its increasing amount of services, new Convair 240s were purchased. The addition of the Lockheed Super Constellation and the Convair 240 provoked a deep change of mentality in the culture of Varig, which was marked by the introduction of a new more cosmopolitan corporate image that would remain being used until 1996.

[8] On 6 July 1959, Varig, Cruzeiro do Sul and VASP initiated the air shuttle services between Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont and São Paulo-Congonhas airports, the first of its kind in the world. The three companies coordinated their schedules, operations, and shared revenue. The service was a direct response to the competition imposed by Real Transportes Aéreos . The idea, baptized as Air bridge ( Portuguese : Ponte Aérea), inspired on the Berlin Airlift was so successful that it was abandoned only in 1999. [9] Flights operated on an hourly basis initially by Convair 240 (Varig), Convair 340 (Cruzeiro) and Saab 90 Scandia (VASP). In a matter of a few months the shuttle service led by Varig won the battle against Real, which was anyway bought by Varig in 1961. Sadia Transportes Aéreos joined the service in 1968.

Between 1975 and 1992 it was operated exclusively by Varig's Lockheed L-188 Electra which for sometime and for the sake of neutrality did not have the name Varig on the fuselage. On 19 December 1959 Varig started to fly its brand-new Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle I between Brazil and New York-Idlewild, stopping at Belem, Trinidad and Nassau; on 2 July 1960, the Caravelles were replaced by the also brand-new Boeing 707-441 , which could fly from Rio de Janeiro-Galeão to New York-Idlewild non-stop. The Caravelles were switched to operate trunk routes within Brazil and to Buenos Aires-Ezeiza and Montevideo . [10] Between May and August 1961, after a lengthy battle for the Brazilian market, Varig gradually took over the Consortium Real-Aerovias-Nacional , which was in serious economic difficulties. This purchase not only made Varig the largest airline in South America but also granted route rights to other cities in Latin America , Miami , the West Coast of the United States and to Japan .

[11] European services started on 10 February 1965. Even though Varig had been lobbying for European concessions for more than 10 years, that day and in a matter of hours, following the traumatic and sudden shutdown of Panair do Brasil ordered by the Brazilian military government , Varig was granted rights previously held exclusively by Panair and ordered to immediately operate all scheduled services, including Panair's flight scheduled to depart that very night from Rio de Janeiro-Galeão to Recife , Lisbon , Paris-Orly and Frankfurt . [12] [13] Varig also inherited Panair's two Douglas DC-8-33 and the agreement with TAP-Transportes Aéreos Portugueses to operate the Voo da amizade (English: Friendship Flight) between São Paulo-Congonhas, Rio de Janeiro-Galeão and Lisbon, with stops in Recife and Sal, now using Varig's Lockheed L-188 Electra.

Originally started on November 30, 1960 by Panair and TAP, only Brazilian and Portuguese citizens or foreigners with permanent residence in Brazil or Portugal were entitled to the purchase of tickets for those flights, which were extremely popular due to their low fares. Those flights operated until 1967. On 14 December 1966, Rubem Berta died of a heart attack. The following day, the administrative board elected Erik Oswaldo Kastrup de Carvalho, Berta's right-hand and former Panair employee, as Varig's fourth Director-President. Consolidation (1966–2000) Lockheed L-188 Electra in 1991. The 1973 oil crisis brought to Varig the need to replace its older generation aircraft with newer ones. For international flights the chosen one was the Douglas DC-10 , which had its first flight with Varig on 1 July 1974. In the domestic arena gradually the Boeing 737-200 became the work-horse.

[14] Still as a consequence of the 1973 oil crisis which caused many difficulties to airlines, on 20 May 1975 Varig acquired a controlling interest in Cruzeiro do Sul , which was in a particularly delicate economic situation. Cruzeiro do Sul was fully integrated into VARIG on 1 January 1993. [15] On 11 November 1975 the Brazilian Federal Government created the Brazilian Integrated System of Regional Air Transportation and divided the country in five different regions, for which five newly-created regional airlines received a concession to operate air services. Rio-Sul Serviços Aéreos Regionais S/A was the fourth of those regional airlines to be made operational and it was established by Varig in partnership with Top Táxi Aéreo, Bradesco Bank , and Atlântica-Boavista Insurance. Its services started on 8 September 1976 and its operational area comprised roughly the Southern and parts of the Southeast regions of Brazil. [16] Soon Rio-Sul was operating as Varig's feeder-airline.

In February 1979 Carvalho left the Presidency of Varig due to serious illness being succeeded by Harry Schuetz for a short time, by Hélio Smidt, Berta's nephew, in 1980 and by Rubel Thomas in 1990. The 1980s were marked by a modernization of the fleet, growth in the number of destinations and increasing financial problems originated in high inflation and in a foreign currency crisis. Furthermore with the end of the military régime and the return to democracy in 1985, Varig lost its intimate connection with the ruling powers. In 1990, with a gradual deregulation promoted by the Federal Government, VASP and Transbrasil were authorized to fly to international destinations, breaking an almost-monopoly held by Varig since 1965 ( Cruzeiro do Sul was the only exception). More international carriers were also authorized to fly to Brazil, greatly increasing competition. [17] Slowly Varig began to loose its financial health, aggravated by the early 1990s world recession and administration problems.

In 1988, a few years after the inauguration of São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport , Varig decided to move its operational hub from Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo. An “old Varig” Boeing 747-400 at Los Angeles International Airport . (1993) In June 1995, Varig bought 49% of the shares of Pluna Uruguayan Airlines . In an attempt to solve its increasing problems, Carlos Willy Engels became president in 1995 and in 1996 he was succeeded by Fernando Abs da Cruz Souza Pinto, who would be the last president of the consolidation phase in the history of the company. He developed an ambitious project to bring financial and operational health back to the company. [18] The two most visible milestones of this project were the new corporate image launched on October 15, 1996 - the first change since 1955 - and the membership of Varig on Star Alliance , as of 22 October 1997. Varig was its sixth member airline, and first to join after it was launched only 5 months earlier.

[19] In spite of some success in the re-organization of the company, Pinto did not have full support of Ruben Berta Foundation, the controller of Varig and, as a consequence, he left the Presidency of Varig on 28 January 2000. [20] That same year he became the CEO of TAP Portugal and successfully re-organized that airline. Pinto was succeeded by Ozires Silva, former president of the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer . Decline and Final Split (2000–2006) The administration of Ozires Silva, which lasted for only 2.5 years, started with major restructuring in the company, aiming at making Ruben Berta Foundation more powerful and the President-Director weaker. Also, on 28 January 2000, all cargo operations were united under a new airline named VarigLog . Even so, the airline presented at the end of the year, for the first time in its history Exposed Net Assets of BRL148.6 million - that is, the amount of debits was greater than the amount of credits and assets. One year later, it would reach BRL523 million.

[21] An "old" Varig Boeing 767-300ER on short finals to Frankfurt Airport in 2004. In 2001 Varig saw the birth of a new competitor in the Brazilian market: Gol Airlines and increasing competition of VASP and Transbrasil fighting for survival by dumping fares. Furthermore, for the first time since 1961, Varig lost the first place in the domestic market share in terms of passengers/km for TAM Airlines . Later in the year, the September 11 attacks further increased operational and economic difficulties of Varig. In 2002 Ruben Berta Foundation merged the administration of Varig and its subsidiary Rio Sul Serviços Aéreos Regionais (which included the brand Nordeste Linhas Aéreas Regionais ). The three brands were used separately with Rio-Sul and Nordeste providing feeder services to Varig. Year-long discussions to merge Varig with TAM Airlines ended unsuccessfully in 2004 and on the same year Varig fell to third place in the Brazilian domestic market share, behind TAM and Gol.

[22] As of May 2005, VARIG fleet comprised 87 aircraft (76 passenger, 11 cargo), with an average age of 13.2 years; 83 of them had operating leases, while the remaining four had finance leases. As of June 2005, VARIG had a negative net worth of approximately US$ 2.5 billion, with balance sheet debt of US$ 2.8 billion and off-balance-sheet debt of US$ 2.0 billion.[ citation needed ] VARIG applied to the Commercial Bankruptcy and Reorganization Court in Rio de Janeiro on 17 June 2005, [23] for the commencement of "judicial reorganization" proceedings pursuant to the New Bankruptcy and Restructuring Law of Brazil (Law 11.101). [24] The request was granted on 22 June 2005. [25] VARIG continued to provide services despite its financial troubles.

[22] [26] An "old" Varig MD-11 (2006) In order to raise funds, the Bankruptcy and Reorganization Court decided to sell two of Varig's subsidiaries: in November 2005 the maintenance centre VEM Maintenance & Engineering was sold to a consortium presided by the Portuguese airline TAP Portugal ; in December 2005 the cargo division VarigLog was sold to Volo do Brasil, a consortium started by the private equity fund MatlinPatterson Global Advisors and three Brazilian investors (Marco Antonio Audi, Marco Hapfel and Luiz Gallo). The negotiation was concluded in June 2006. After two unsuccessful attempts to auction the airline as a whole, the bankruptcy court decided to split the airline in two different judicial entities, informally known as "old" Varig and "new" Varig: The first portion, formally called Nordeste Linhas Aéreas S/A and informally known as "old" Varig, comprised the brand Nordeste, one aircraft, debts, liabilities, legal disputes, various assets, concessions and properties of the original Varig.

Since "old" Varig, could not use the name Varig anymore, the company used the brand-name Nordeste for a while and in 2008 it began using the name Flex Linhas Aéreas . [27] The second portion, formally called VRG Linhas Aéreas and informally known as "new" Varig, is a brand new airline which comprises the brands Varig and Rio-Sul, Varig's route rights, all aircraft but one and the Smiles mileage program. "New" Varig was auctioned on 14 July 2006 to Volo do Brasil (owner of VarigLog) and legal procedures finalized on 20 July 2006; [27] [28] [29] "Old" Varig Since 23 October 2007, the former Viação Aérea Rio-Grandense S/A was judicially known as Nordeste Linhas Aéreas S/A, and operated under the brand-name Flex Linhas Aéreas .

[30] On August 18, 2009, the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil renewed the authorization of Flex to operate non-regular passenger, cargo and postal services. [31] Therefore, Flex operated flights on behalf of other airlines, as contracted. Between 17 June 2005 and 2 September 2009, "old Varig" remained in Recovery Order in the 1st Business Court of Rio de Janeiro, under the leadership of Judges Luiz Roberto Ayoub and Miguel Dau. After the bankruptcy protection was lifted, the administration of the airline could have returned to its original owner, Fundação Ruben Berta , which still owed 87% of the shares of Varig. [32] However, Fundação Ruben Berta preferred to keep a judicial administrator. [33] In September 2006 "old" Varig sold its participation in PLUNA (49% of the shares) to the Uruguayan Government .

On 31 January 2007, Varig Brazilian Airlines ("old" Varig) was suspended from membership in Star Alliance for not fulfilling membership pre-requisites, [34] and on 19 October 2008, the IATA code RG and the callsign Varig officially ceased to exist. [35] As a result of accumulated debts, on 20 August 2010, at the request of the airline administrator, the 1st Business Court of Rio de Janeiro declared Flex bankrupt and initiated the process of liquidation. [36] [37] However, on September 10, the bankruptcy process was suspended at the request of Ruben Berta Foundation and the company returned in practical terms to recovery order status until the validity of the bankruptcy is judged. [38] A "new" Varig Boeing 737-800 . (2008) VRG Linhas Aéreas S/A is today fully integrated with Gol Airlines .

On 21 July 2006, the "new" Varig canceled all its flights, except for Rio de Janeiro-São Paulo shuttle service, which remained being operated in an agreement with "old" Varig. On 28 July 2006, "new" Varig announced that it would cut 60% of its staff. Between September and November 2006, "new" Varig announced its intentions to gradually resume some international and domestic flights. [39] On December 14, 2006, the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil issued the final certificate to "new" Varig, making it fully operational. [40] Soon after the certificate was granted, orders for 16 aircraft were announced, to bring the fleet to 31 aircraft and the operational agreement with "old" Varig expired. Before and after relaunch in December 2006, "new Varig" struggled greatly to find a strategic partners, due to lack of credibility, affecting aircraft contracts, network and personnel inherited from "old" Varig.

"New" Varig was facing monthly losses as high as US$20 million, and MattlinPatterson was unwilling to invest more money in the company, putting "new" Varig in extreme economic difficulties. [41] On 28 March 2007, Gol Airlines purchased "new Varig" (VRG Linhas Aéreas) for US$ 320 million, [42] [43] [44] and announced that VRG Linhas Aéreas, the operator of the brand VARIG, would continue to operate under its original name. The transaction was completed on 9 April 2007. [45] The new owner radically restructured the fleet, the network, eliminated the First Class cabin from the aircraft, and gradually transformed the brand Varig into the arm of Gol Group specialized in international scheduled and charter medium and long-haul destinations. On 23 October 2007 Varig's new corporate image was unveiled, stressing the orange colour of Gol.

[46] On 29 September 2008 Gol was merged into VRG Linhas Aéreas and thus VRG Linhas Aéreas became an airline with two different brands: Varig and Gol. [47] As a consequence, on mid-April 2009, Varig's booking systems were integrated into Gol's and the Smiles frequent flyer program was reformulated to include Gol. In June 2009, "new" Varig ceased to operate its own flights and started to use Gol's flight numbers. [48] From 2006 to 2009 "new" Varig was obliged by contract to purchase a minimum of 140 hours/month of services from "old" Varig. Therefore, some of VRG Linhas Aéreas flights operated with Gol flight numbers are actually flown with chartered aircraft from Flex Linhas Aéreas. [49] 2004–2006 Airline Affinity Program Smiles was Varig's Frequent-flyer program until July 20, 2006.

Points could be used for services from Varig, its subsidiaries, and its Star Alliance partners including flights, upgrades, holidays, hotel stays and car rentals. Smiles was part of the "new Varig" package bought by Gol Airlines . All miles were honored and eventually Smiles became Gol's own Frequent Flyer program. Accidents and incidents As of January 2012 [update] , Aviation Safety Network reports 39 accidents or incidents for Varig since August 1949 (1949-08). [51] Major accidents involving fatalities 28 February 1942: the Junkers Ju-52/3m registration PP-VAL crashed shortly after take-off from Porto Alegre . Six of the 21 occupants died, including 2 crew members. [52] 2 August 1949: a Curtiss C-46AD-10-CU Commando registration PP-VBI operating a flight from São Paulo-Congonhas to Porto Alegre made an emergency landing on rough terrain near the location of Cambará do Sul , approximatelly 20 minutes before landing in Porto Alegre, following fire on the cargo hold.

Of the 36 passengers and crew aboard, 5 died. [53] 4 June 1954: a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando registration PP-VBZ operating a cargo flight between São Paulo-Congonhas and Porto Alegre crashed during take-off from São Paulo. All crew of 3 died. [54] 7 April 1957: a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando registration PP-VCF operating a flight from Bagé to Porto Alegre crashed during take-off in Bagé following a fire developed in the left main gear wheel well and consequent technical difficulties. All 40 passenger and crew died. [55] 18 October 1957: a Douglas C-47A-80-DL registration PP-VCS operating a cargo flight from Porto Alegre crashed upon take-off. The crew of two died.

[56] 27 November 1962: a Boeing 707-441 registration PP-VJB operating flight 810 from Rio de Janeiro-Galeão to Lima after initiating an overshoot procedure at the suggestion of the control tower because it was too high, proceeded to start another approach when it crashed into La Cruz peak, 8 miles away from Lima Airport. Possibly there was a misinterpretation of navigation instruments. All 97 passengers and crew aboard died. [57] 22 December 1962: a Convair CV-240-2 , registration PP-VCQ, flying from Rio de Janeiro to Brasília via Belo Horizonte-Pampulha , descended below the prescribed altitude while on final approach to Brasília, struck trees, skidded and fell to one side. One crew member died, out of 40 occupants of the aircraft. [58] 1 July 1963: a Douglas C-47B-20-DK registration PP-VBV flying from Porto Alegre to Passo Fundo collided with trees on high ground and crashed shortly before arriving in Passo Fundo.

Of the 18 passengers and crew aboard, 15 died. [59] 5 March 1967: flight 837 , a Douglas DC-8-33 registration PP-PEA flying from Rome-Fiumicino to Rio de Janeiro-Galeão via Monrovia , caught fire after a mistaken approach to Monrovia, missing the threshold of the runway by 6,023 ft. Of the 90 passengers and crew aboard, 51 died. 9 June 1973: a cargo Boeing 707-327C registration PP-VJL flying from Viracopos-Campinas International Airport to Rio de Janeiro-Galeão while making an instrument approach to Rio de Janeiro-Galeão had technical problems with the spoilers which eventually caused the aircraft to pitch down, descended fast, struck approach lights and ditch. Two of four occupants died.

[60] 11 July 1973: a Boeing 707-345C registration PP-VJZ operating flight 820 from Rio de Janeiro-Galeão to Paris-Orly made a successful emergency landing at an open field 5 km before landing, after reporting fire in a rear lavatory. However, 123 of the 134 passengers and crew aboard died, overcome by smoke and carbon monoxide poisoning before the aircraft could be evacuated. [61] 30 January 1979: a cargo Boeing 707-323C registration PP-VLU en route from Tokyo-Narita to Rio de Janeiro-Galeão via Los Angeles went missing over the Pacific Ocean some 30 minutes (200 km ENE) from Tokyo. Causes are unknown since the wreck was never found. Among other cargo, the aircraft was carrying 153 paintings by the Japanese Brazilian artist Manabu Mabe , worth USD 1.24 million. The aircraft was flown by Gilberto Araújo da Silva, who was also the captain and survivor of the accident with Flight 820 six years earlier.

The crew of 6 died and their bodies were never recovered. [62] 3 January 1987: a Boeing 707-379C registration PP-VJK operating flight 797 from Abidjan to Rio de Janeiro-Galeão crashed due to a failure on engine 1 shortly after take-off. While attempting to return to the airport for an emergency landing, it crashed on a field 18 km away from Abidjan’s airport. Of the 51 passengers and crew aboard, a single passenger survived. [63] [64] [65] 3 September 1989: a Boeing 737-241 registration PP-VMK operating flight 254 flying from São Paulo-Guarulhos to Belém-Val de Cães via Uberaba , Uberlândia , Goiânia , Brasília , Imperatriz , and Marabá crashed near São José do Xingu while on its last leg of the flight due to a pilot navigational error, which led to fuel exhaustion and a subsequent belly landing into the jungle, 450 miles (724 km) southwest of Marabá.

Out of 54 occupants, there were 13 fatalities, all of them passengers. The survivors were discovered two days later. [66] [67] 14 February 1997: a Boeing 737-241 registration PP-CJO operating flight 265, flying from Marabá to Carajás while on touch-down procedures at Carajás during a thunderstorm, had its right main gear collapsed rearwards causing the aircraft to veer off the right of the runway. The aircraft crashed into the forest. One crew member died. [68] Incidents 30 May 1972: a Lockheed L-188 Electra registration PP-VJL operating a flight between São Paulo-Congonhas to Porto Alegre was hijacked. The hijacker demanded money. The aircraft was stormed and the hijacker shot. [69] See also Gol Flight Information 21 Travelers Photos Airline Overview Gol Transportes Aéreos (G3) is Brazil's second-largest airline.

Founded in 2000, it is headquartered in São Paulo and operates from primary hubs at São Paulo–Congonhas Airport (CGH), Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport (GIG) and Brasília International Airport (BSB). The airline flies to about 75 destinations, about two-thirds of which are domestic. International destinations include Argentina, Aruba, Barbados, Bolivia, Chile, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States, Uruguay and Venezuela. It has a fleet of 139 Boeing aircraft, each of which has a Premium Economy Class cabin and an Economy Class cabin. Aircraft Summary Cheap Flights to Los Angeles $87 Cheap Flights to Las Vegas $101 Cheap Flights to New York City $227 Cheap Flights to Dominican Republic $653 Cheap Flights to St. Maarten/St.

Martin $769 Cheap Flights to Cabo San Lucas $376 Cheap Flights to Costa Rica $478 Varig | Reviews, Comments and other Airlines | Shadow.com Smiles (until 20 July 2006) Smiles (until 20 July 2006) save cancel Description: VARIG (acronym for Viação Aérea RIo-Grandense (English: Air Traffic Rio Grande)) was the first airline founded in Brazil, in 1927. From 1965 until 1990 it was Brazil's leading and almost only international airline. In 2005, Varig went into judicial reorganisation, and in 2006 it was split into two companies informally known as "old" Varig - heir to the original airline and now defunct, and "new" Varig - a new company presently fully integrated into Gol Airlines... Read more at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varig VARIG (acronym for Viação Aérea RIo-Grandense (English: Air Traffic Rio Grande)) was the first airline founded in Brazil, in 1927.

From 1965 until 1990 it was Brazil's leading and almost only international airline. In 2005, Varig went into judicial reorganisation, and in 2006 it was split into two companies informally known as "old" Varig - heir to the original airline and now defunct, and "new" Varig - a new company presently fully integrated into Gol Airlines... Read more at: save Gol-Airlines | Book Our Flights Online & Save | Low-Fares, Offers & More Book Flights with Gol Airlines Make a Gol Airlines reservation and find some amazing deals with discounted Gol Airlines tickets at Alternative Airlines. Gol Airlines flies to destinations, offering a cost effective and safe service to all its passengers. Let Alternative Airlines help find you cheap Gol Airlines tickets and make international and domestic flight reservations on Gol Airlines today. Browse the most popular Gol Airlines flight routes to destinations. Alternative Airlines can help you make reservations on Gol Airlines for international flights to lots of destinations. Use the following list of routes to help you plan your next flight. Book Gol Airlines on Alternative Airlines to save big! Alternative Airlines is an online travel agency which focuses on booking lesser known airlines and remote destinations.

Find Out More Gol Airlines - New ticketing arrangement finalised Alternative Airlines can now sell tickets on Brazilian airline, Gol, which is the country’s second largest airline and has used a low fare model to grow rapidly since its launch in 2001. From early 2007, Gol has been the owner of the long established Varig airlines which currently continues to fly under its own name. Need Flights in Brazil - Why not try Gol Airlines? Born in the dynamic Brazilian city of Sao Paulo in 2001, GOL has grown over 10 years into a giant low cost airline with over 100 aircraft flying to more than 60 destinations. This in real success story and more than most low-cost airlines sticks to the formula of a one-type of aircraft fleet to keep its costs low which enables it to keep its ticket prices to a very competitive level. Since its launch 160 Million passengers have enjoyed its services and its 2010 financial results out Gol amongst the most profitable airlines in the world. Gol continues to focus on growth and is benefiting from the booking Brazilian economy which has enabled more and more middle class Brazilians to take to the skies.

The local rivalry with the also fast growing TAM Airlines, keeps Gol on their toes and both are pushing for a 40% share of the entire Brazilian domestic market. Where does GOL fly? Flights in Brazil Gol flies to the following cities within Brazil: Aracaju, Arealva, Belém, Belo Horizonte, Boa Vista, Brasília, Campinas, Campina Grande, Campo Grande, Caxias do Sul, Chapecó, Cuiabá, Curitiba, , Fernando de Noronha, Florianópolis, Fortaleza, Foz do Iguaçu, Goiânia, Ilhéus, Imperatriz, João Pessoa, Joinville, Juazeiro do Norte, Londrina, Macapá, Maceió, Manaus, Marabá, Maringá, Natal, Navegantes, Palmas, Petrolina, Porto Alegre, Porto Seguro, Porto Velho, Presidente Prudente,Recife, Rio Branco, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador de Bahia, Santarém, São Luís, São Paulo, Teresina, Uberlândia and Vitória.

International destinations International services are flown to Asunción, Bridgetown, Bogota, Buenos Aires, Caracas, Córdoba, Lima, Montevideo, Punta Cana, Rosario, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Wilhelmstadt and Santiago. Gol has also has a codeshare agreement with TACA Airlines for flights to San Salvador and Copa Airlines to Panama City. Why choose Gol Airlines? and what to expect: GOL Airlines calls itself GOL "intelligent" Airlines and this is no empty marketing slogan. It is a well focussed carrier which promises and delivers the South American equivalent of the global low cost airline service. The airline grew out of a bigger transportation company which was already a market leader in Bus transportation within Brazil and the lessons learnt in this competitive market place it has applied rigorously to the airline. The simplified on-board service is part of Gol’s strategy. On short haul flights, Gol offers snacks and cereal, that are both healthy and nutritious. The cabin staff uniforms are very stylish and were designed by the most famous designers in Brazil: Gloria Coelho and Ricardo Almeida. Our staff are on the whole young, energetic, eager to please and well-trained.

There is no alcohol carried on board but the on-time record is amongst the best in Latin America NEWS UPDATE : Integration of Varig: Sao Paulo based low cost airline GOL has announced the full integration of VARIG, the airline it purchased in 2007 into a single airline company. VARIG is the GOL Group brand that operates the company's midrange international routes, to Aruba (Caribbean), Bogota (Colombia), Caracas (Venezuela) and Punta Cana (Dominican Republic). On Varig flights, in Comfort Class, there is more room between the seats, more privacy and an onboard service with more options of hot entrées as well as individual in-flight entertainment systems. Why Choose GOL Airlines ? Well, we think its one of the best low-cost airlines in the world and annually 32 Million passengers choose to use its services! It's profitable, safe, modern, passenger friendly, technologically advanced and it has very competitive low fares. Plus, if all that wasn't reason enough, its has a really strong commitment to environmentally friendly operating procedures. GOL Airlines is truly a 21st century airline. We recommend you try it.

With more than 25 years of experience, Alternative Airlines has become a specialist in arranging flights to the more unusual destinations around the world, plus we have strong relationships with airlines, such as GOL, which may not be the first airline you think about when booking your flight to, from or within Brazil. If you are considering a trip to South America, we can help plan your journey. Your reservations will be confirmed immediately and we have experienced staff to help should you require assistance. To book a flight on GOL merely use our new improved search tool to provide you with the best choice of flights for you journey. Please don't hesitate to call us if you need any information or clarification of any details plus sign up for our regular news letter to keep you in touch with all the latest developments in air travel. Book

Question: Varig Airlines was the first airline founded in which South American country?
Answer: Brazil