Which South American country's national airline is called Varig?
"and Frankfurt. Varig also inherited Panair's two Douglas DC-8-33 and the agreement with TAP-Transportes Aéreos Portugueses to operate the ""Voo da amizade"" () 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 30 November 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 these flights, which were extremely popular due to their low fares. Those flights operated until 1967. On , Rubem Berta died of a heart attack."
"the second best low-cost airline in South America after Azul. Gol refers to itself as a low-cost carrier, but it is increasingly not regarded as such. According to UFRJ specialist Elton Fernandes, ""Gol's costs are not very different from those of TAM Airlines. People are accustomed to calling Gol low-cost, but Gol is not that. It is not even low-fare anymore."" On March 28, 2007 Gol officially purchased part of the assets of VARIG - VRG Linhas Aéreas, informally known as the ""new Varig,"" a new company that owned the Varig brand, for US$320 million from Volo Group and MatlinPatterson"
"judicial dispute with the Federal Government of Brazil, a sum that corresponds to approximately 50% of its debts. The question is under analysis at the Federal Supreme Court and the airline has already won the cause in all other instances. Furthermore, the financial problems of ""old Varig"" persist, including momentary failure to pay the due insurance costs of its sole aircraft and leasing fees to the owner of the aircraft. On November 10, 2009 the director Aurélio Penelas was replaced by Carlos Berardinelli, who was able to reach an agreement with the lessor weeks later. As a result of accumulated"
"Varig's route rights, all aircraft but one and the Smiles mileage program. VRG Linhas Aéreas was bought by VarigLog. On 28 March 2007 VarigLog sold ""new Varig"" to Gol Transportes Aéreos, which presently operates the brand Varig and retains but does not operate the brand Rio Sul. Viação Aérea Rio-grandense, informally known as ""old Varig"", retained the brand of Varig's former subsidiary Nordeste Linhas Aéreas Regionais, the IATA code of Nordeste, one aircraft, debts, liabilities, legal disputes, and various assets, concessions and properties of the original Varig. Since ""old Varig"", could not use the brand name Varig anymore, it used"
"airlines, on 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 . On , 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"
"Catalinas. On 3 January 1971, the first of four Boeing 727-100s entered into service and put to operate the trunk route Buenos Aires–Rio de Janeiro–Brasília. In 1975 the first Boeing 737-200 entered into service. As a consequence of serious economic difficulties, on 22 May 1975 Cruzeiro do Sul was bought by Ruben Berta Foundation, the institution that also controlled Varig. That day Cruzeiro lost its independence and started to operate with Varig as a consortium, with Varig being the leading partner. On 22 May 1975 begins the third phase, when Ruben Berta Foundation, the owner of Varig acquired a majority"
"owns the brand Varig, although now that name refers to what is informally known as the ""new"" Varig, founded in 2006, not to the extinct ""old"" Varig airline, founded in 1927. Gol operates a growing domestic and international scheduled network. Its main hubs are São Paulo–Guarulhos International Airport, Rio de Janeiro–Galeão International Airport and Tancredo Neves International Airport near Belo Horizonte. Gol also has focus operations at Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont Airport, São Paulo-Congonhas Airport, Salgado Filho International Airport in Porto Alegre Gol refers to itself as Gol Intelligent Airlines (Gol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes in Portuguese) as a slogan. The"
"the brand name Nordeste Linhas Aéreas. Later, on October 23, 2007, the brand name was changed to Flex Linhas Aéreas. Between 17 June 2005 and 2 September 2009, Viação Aérea Rio-Grandense, operator of the brand Nordeste Linhas Aéreas and since 2007 known by the brand Flex, remained in Recovery Order in the 1st Business Court of Rio de Janeiro, under the leadership of Judges Luiz Roberto Ayoub and Miguel Dau. Since bankruptcy protection was lifted, the administration of the airline returned to its original owner, Fundação Ruben Berta. Currently ""old Varig"" is on a BRL4 billion (USD2,1 billion, EUR1,5 billion)"
"Smiles S.A. Smiles S.A. is a Brazilian company which manages Smiles loyalty program, the former frequent-flyer program of Varig, a Brazilian carrier, now switched to GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A.. Varig launched its frequent-flyer program in 1994, as the biggest airline in Brazil and in 1997 started to use a co-branding strategy with credit card issuers. As Varig's economical conditions became desperate in the early 2000s, the company has been split in two, the ""new"" Varig with most of the airplanes, routes, and the mileage program, and the ""old"" one, mainly with the debts. The resulting new company was initially"
"of the network, and had aircraft configured in all-economy class, used for scheduled domestic and international operations within South America. Because of contractual obligations, between 2006 and 2009 the ""new Varig"" (VRG Linhas Aéreas) was obliged to purchase a minimum of 140 hours/month of services from the ""old Varig"" (Flex Linhas Aéreas). Therefore, at that time, some of VRG Linhas Aéreas flights operated with Gol flight numbers but were actually flown with chartered aircraft from Flex Linhas Aéreas. The agreement ceased before the bankruptcy of Flex on August 20, 2010. On July 9, 2011, VRG Linhas Aéreas, owner of the"
"""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. On , Gol Airlines purchased ""new Varig"" (VRG Linhas Aéreas) for US$320 million, and announced that VRG Linhas Aéreas, the operator of the brand VARIG, would continue to operate under its original name. The transaction was completed"
"the airlines. Smiles's mileage can also be redeemed for Air France–KLM, Korean Air, Aeromexico, Tap Portugal, Aerolineas Argentinas, Copa Airlines, Etihad Airways, Alitalia, Air Canada and Qatar Airways flights. Smiles S.A. Smiles S.A. is a Brazilian company which manages Smiles loyalty program, the former frequent-flyer program of Varig, a Brazilian carrier, now switched to GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A.. Varig launched its frequent-flyer program in 1994, as the biggest airline in Brazil and in 1997 started to use a co-branding strategy with credit card issuers. As Varig's economical conditions became desperate in the early 2000s, the company has been split"
"In 2009 Gol was merged into VRG Linhas Aéreas. VRG Linhas Aéreas thus became an airline that operates two brands: Gol and Varig, although in reality flights are operated only under Gol flight numbers. Initially, the Varig brand operated to medium-haul scheduled and charter international destinations within South America and to the Caribbean with Boeing 737-700's configured in two classes, and to long-haul charter international destinations in North America, Europe and Africa with Boeing 767-300ERs configured in economy only. The latter were also used in wet-lease operations. This scheme was later dropped. The brand Gol operates most of the flights"
"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"
"of this process, the airline was divided into two portions, informally known as ""old"" Varig and ""new"" Varig. ""Old"" Varig was judicially known as Viação Aérea Rio-grandense. ""New"" Varig, judicially known as VRG Linhas Aéreas, is a new airline formed with some assets of the original Varig and which was auctioned on 14 July 2006. The legal procedures were finalized on 20 July 2006. Since that day VRG Linhas Aéreas and Viação Aérea Rio-grandense have been different judicial entities and airlines. At the time of the auction, the assets of VRG Linhas Aéreas comprised the brands Varig and Rio Sul,"
"Flex Linhas Aéreas Flex Linhas Aéreas, styled as FLEX, was a Brazilian non-regular charter airline based at Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport. It is the brand name of Nordeste Linhas Aéreas S.A., judicial successor of former Viação Aérea Rio-Grandense, known as Varig. Informally Flex is known as ""old Varig"". The rebranding was necessary because since July 20, 2006 the brand Varig belongs to a different judicial entity. Flex was declared bankrupt on August 20, 2010. The history of Flex Linhas Aéreas is intimately related to the one of Varig, since Flex is the judicial successor of Varig. On 17 June"
"Rio-Grandense have been different judicial entities and airlines. At the time of the auction, the assets of VRG Linhas Aéreas comprised the brands Varig and Rio Sul Serviços Aéreos, Varig's route rights, all aircraft but one and the Smiles mileage program. VRG Linhas Aéreas was bought by VarigLog. On 28 March 2007 VarigLog sold ""new Varig"" to Gol Transportes Aéreos, which presently operates the brand Varig. Viação Aérea Rio Grandense, informally known as ""old Varig"", retained the brand of Varig's former subsidiary Nordeste Linhas Aéreas Regionais, the IATA code of Nordeste, one aircraft, debts, liabilities, legal disputes, and various assets,"
"Varig brands), VarigLog, Avianca Brazil, NHT Linhas Aéreas, and Embraer. After the bankruptcy on August 20, 2010, this service was taken over by TRIP Linhas Aéreas. Flex Linhas Aéreas Flex Linhas Aéreas, styled as FLEX, was a Brazilian non-regular charter airline based at Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport. It is the brand name of Nordeste Linhas Aéreas S.A., judicial successor of former Viação Aérea Rio-Grandense, known as Varig. Informally Flex is known as ""old Varig"". The rebranding was necessary because since July 20, 2006 the brand Varig belongs to a different judicial entity. Flex was declared bankrupt on August 20,"
"capital and Transbrasil which provided one-third. In 1995 Nordeste was bought and incorporated by Rio Sul Serviços Aéreos Regionais, an airline owned by Ruben Berta Foundation, a foundation that also owned Varig. Finally, in 2002 the administration of Varig, Rio-Sul and Nordeste was unified, although Ruben Berta Foundation kept the three brand names independent. At that time, the brands Nordeste and Rio Sul provided feeder services to Varig. On 17 June 2005 Varig including its former subsidiaries requested to be placed under bankruptcy protection and to begin a recovery process. The request was granted on 22 June 2005. As part"
"entry into the international market, Varig had, for all intents and purposes, been Brazil's sole international airline since 1965. However, after many years of mismanagement, financial losses, soaring debt and bad credit, in 2002 it cancelled all of its international operations to concentrate in the domestic market. By that time, VASP had plummeted from the second to the fourth position in the Brazilian airline market, flying an aging fleet of Boeing 737s (most of them of the obsolete −200 series) and Airbus A300s. The company faced its worst crisis in 2004, which led to the suspension of service to many"
"concessions and properties of the original Varig. Since ""old Varig"", could not use the name Varig (brand and judicial name) anymore, its official judicial denomination changed to Nordeste Linhas Aéreas S.A. In order to give an image of new start, the brand name Flex was chosen. This name was unveiled on 23 October 2007 during the Brazilian Travel Agents Congress ABAV, in Rio de Janeiro. The first flight under the new brand, a charter return flight between Rio de Janeiro Galeão-Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport and Salvador-Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport, took place on 8 March 2008. Between 17"
"Santiago and São Paulo. By late , the airline's major shareholders were the Government of Uruguay (49%) and Varig (49%), and private investors held the balance. When Varig entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on , it sought a bidder for its 49% stake in PLUNA. For almost a year, it looked as if it might go to Venezuela's state-run Conviasa, but the deal officially fell through in . On , the Government of Uruguay started negotiations to sell 75% of it shares to a private consortium of investors from Germany, United States, Uruguay and Argentina called Leadgate Investment, a subsidiary"
"on . 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 , Varig's new corporate image was unveiled, stressing the orange colour of Gol.<ref name=""Other News - 10/29/2007""></ref> On Gol was merged into VRG Linhas Aéreas and thus VRG Linhas Aéreas became an airline with two different brands: Varig and Gol. As a consequence, on mid-April 2009, Varig's booking systems were integrated into Gol's and the Smiles frequent flyer"
"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. However, Fundação Ruben Berta preferred to keep a judicial administrator. In September 2006 ""old"" Varig sold its participation in PLUNA (49% of the shares) to the Uruguayan Government. On , Varig Brazilian Airlines (""old"" Varig) was suspended from membership in Star Alliance for"
"Global Opportunies hedge fund. At that time, the ""old Varig"" was under bankruptcy protection. Gol announced that the Varig brand would continue doing business operating as such, rather than its official name VRG Linhas Aéreas. The transaction, via its GTI subsidiary, required a US$98 million cash payment, with the balance through the allocation of non-voting shares to VARIG Logística and Volo, which had acquired VARIG in June 2006 for US$24 million. The transaction did not involve the original airline, informally known as ""old Varig,"" which continued to exist until its own bankruptcy in mid-2010 under the name Flex Linhas Aéreas."
"Varig Flight 810 Varig Flight 810 was a scheduled international passenger flight from Rio de Janeiro to Los Angeles with stopovers in Lima, Bogotá, Panama City, and Mexico City. On 27 November 1962 the Boeing 707-441 operating the route crashed into a mountain on approach to Lima, killing all 97 passengers and crew. At the time it was the deadliest aviation accident in Peru. The aircraft involved in the accident was a Boeing 707-441 equipped with four Rolls-Royce Conway 508 engines, registered PP-VJB to Varig. At the time of the accident the aircraft was two years old and sustained 6,326"
"2005 the airline Varig requested to be placed under bankruptcy protection and to begin a recovery process. The request was granted on 22 June 2005. As part of this process, the airline was divided into two portions, informally known as ""old"" Varig and ""new"" Varig. ""Old"" Varig was judicially known as Viação Aérea Rio-Grandense. ""New"" Varig, judicially known as VRG Linhas Aéreas, is a new airline formed with some assets of the original Varig and which was auctioned on 14 July 2006. The legal procedures were finalized on 20 July 2006. Since that day VRG Linhas Aéreas and Viação Aérea"
"The negotiation was concluded in June 2006, after strict regulatory approval, particularly concerned with the participation of foreign capital, limited by Brazilian laws to 20%. In July 2006, Volo bought its one-time parent Varig (the ""new"" Varig, founded in 2005) but less than one year later Varig was divested from the Volo group, when on 28 March 2007 Gol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes, the parent company of budget carrier Gol Transportes Aéreos, purchased Varig for US$320 million. In March 2008, there were reports of asset transfers between (LC) VARIG Logistica and (JW) Arrow Air as Arrow Air Cargo was also being"
"of shares in Cruzeiro do Sul. Although Varig and Cruzeiro do Sul were kept as separate companies operating as a consortium, in reality frequencies and fleets were integrated and rationalized in order to avoid duplication of services. Since in 1975 there had been only 4 national airlines operating in Brazil (Varig, Cruzeiro, Vasp and Transbrasil) and the market was rigidly regulated, the government allocated a maximum of 45% of the market share to the consortium Varig/Cruzeiro being the remaining divided between the other two airlines. The consortium had however monopoly of international routes and operated in all major Brazilian cities."
"the country. In 1961 Varig bought a participation in Aerovias Brasil and later the same year, it bought the whole Consortium Real-Aerovias-Nacional. Aerovias Brasil and its sister companies were merged into Varig. Aerovias Brasil, still as a part of the Consortium Real-Aerovias-Nacional, bought three Convair CV-990A to operate on its intercontinental routes shortly before the Consortium was sold to Varig. Varig tried to cancel the transaction but was unable. Therefore, against its will, Varig had to receive and operate those three aircraft. As of May 1950, Aerovias Brasil served the following Brazilian and international destinations: Accidents involving fatalities Aerovias Brasil"
"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. The 1973 oil crisis brought to Varig the need to replace its older generation aircraft with newer ones. For international, the chosen type was the Douglas DC-10, which had its first flight with Varig on and this aircraft had the range to serve European destinations including Paris without a refuelling stop en route. In the domestic arena gradually the Boeing 737-200 became the work-horse. Still as a consequence of the 1973 oil crisis which caused many difficulties to"
"Condor. On June 10, 1927 the Brazilian Government authorized a businessman from Porto Alegre, Otto Ernst Meyer-Labastille, to establish an airline that could operate in the States of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, and to extend the services, with the necessary governmental authorizations, to Uruguay. This airline was named Viação Aérea Rio-Grandense – Varig, which had the support of Condor Syndikat, including share-holding. In order to facilitate start-up operations, Condor Syndikat transferred to Varig its rights for the route Porto Alegre - Rio Grande and the seaplane ""Atlântico"". Flights started on June 22, 1927. Until that date, Condor"
"on February 10, 1965. After a brief interruption, on November 22, 1965 Varig succeeded Panair in the Brazilian half of the operation, using one of its Lockheed L-188 Electra II. In this phase, TAP also decided to start using its own aircraft, a Lockheed L-1049G Super Constellation, for its share of the services. Thus, each airline had one weekly frequency and operated its own equipment. Flights ended in 1967. It is worth noting that Panair, TAP and Varig also operated nonstop flights between Brazil and Portugal without the restrictions imposed by the ""Voo da amizade"". For these, from 1960 to"