Varig/GOL taglia in Europa: FRA, FCO e LHR

[skyrobbie]

São Paulo, January 29, 2008 – GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A. (NYSE: GOL and
Bovespa: GOLL4), the parent company of Brazilian airlines GOL Transportes Aéreos S.A.
(“GTA”, Brazil’s low-cost, low-fare airline) and VRG Linhas Aéreas S.A. (“VRG”, Brazil’s
premium service airline), today announced changes in VRG’s business strategy. The
measures, which will optimize the Company’s route network, aim at improving efficiency and
the quality of services.
Domestically, a new route network was conceived in order to provide business customers
with adequate schedules and frequency. The new network will connect the most important
business and tourism centers, benefiting from the return of connections at Congonhas Airport.
The Company recently launched operations of several new routes – Porto Alegre-Brasília,
Belo Horizonte (Confins)-Rio de Janeiro (Galeão) and Belo Horizonte (Confins)-Brasília – all
of which will be operated by Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft. “By year-end, our goal is to
replace our fleet of Boeing 737-300s with the more modern, efficient, economic and
comfortable Boeing 737-700s and 737-800s,” says Murilo Barbosa, VRG’s marketing director.
Additionally, beginning in March the Company will focus its long haul services from Brazil to
Europe on two destinations, offering connections to other cities through partner airlines. VRG
will operate direct flights with Boeing 767-300ER aircraft to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport,
where it keeps an interline agreement with Air France-KLM, and Madrid’s Barajas
International Airport, where it has a code share with Air Europa and and interline agreement
with Iberia. VRG will cease operations of direct flights to London as of March 1st and Frankfurt
and Rome on March 29th. VRG customers will be able to travel from Brazil to the most
important destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East through the partner airlines
mentioned.
Customers holding purchased tickets to the suspended destinations may obtain additional
information at VRG’s corporate site (http://www.varig.com) and the Smiles rewards program
website (http://www.smiles.com.br).
The Company will continue daily operations to Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela and
Mexico, and plans to launch flights to the United States in 2008. Routes to Mexico and Chile
are currently operated by Boeing 767 aircraft and, soon, the same will apply for Colombia and
Venezuela. The objective is to offer service with more comfort and an executive class.

[I-TIGI]

Varig senza una alleanza non riesce piu' a riprendere il mercato che aveva, TAM passa in Star quindi su FRA e MXP andra' sempre meglio, priam a MXP erano in code share con AZ, adesso a FCO da soli senza code share e alcuna alleanza oltre ad AZ non avrebbero retto.
Ricordiamoci che su MXP caricavano un bel po' di cargo imbarcato a differenza ovviamente di FCO.

[skyrobbie]

RG ha degli accordi per le prosecuzioni con AP, ma evidentemente cio' non è bastato. Credo che a questo punto le possibilità di rivedere il vettore a Mxp nel breve/medio termine sono minime (nonostante le dichiarazioni della compagnia riportate di recente nel forum). TAM di certo consoliderà la sua presenza.

[I-TIGI]

RG ha degli accordi per le prosecuzioni con AP, ma evidentemente cio' non è bastato. Credo che a questo punto le possibilità di rivedere il vettore a Mxp nel breve/medio termine sono minime (nonostante le dichiarazioni della compagnia riportate di recente nel forum). TAM di certo consoliderà la sua presenza.

Cancellando FRA e' molto difficile che riaprano su MXP, piu' facile un incremento di TAM dato che stano per entrare in Star sempre piu' di casa a MXP.
Piuttosto in futuro AP potrebbe essere il secondo player da MXP in code share con TAM.