Varig shutdown

Shutdown of Varig Brazilian Airlines is imminent.

Most flights are now cancelled, and all planes are returning home to
Brazil. A judge in New York has issued an order to impound around 20
planes.

Brazilian government will start parting out Varig's routes to other
airlines this week.

Arrangements are being made to bring Brazil's World Cup team and fans
back from Europe via other airlines. Varig was the official airline
of the Brazilian team.

Varig could close down as soon as tomorrow. A sad end to one of
aviation's great pioneers.

A nossa Varig e agora a Varig de ninguem.

Adeus Varig. Goodbye Varig.

"Adeus Varig" <adeus@varig.good.bye> wrote in message
news:tdtg92t6mafue6fgsesgfgo2roa9fonqnk@news...
> Shutdown of Varig Brazilian Airlines is imminent.
>
> Most flights are now cancelled, and all planes are returning home to
> Brazil. A judge in New York has issued an order to impound around 20
> planes.
>
> Brazilian government will start parting out Varig's routes to other
> airlines this week.
>
> Arrangements are being made to bring Brazil's World Cup team and fans
> back from Europe via other airlines. Varig was the official airline
> of the Brazilian team.
>
> Varig could close down as soon as tomorrow. A sad end to one of
> aviation's great pioneers.
>
> A nossa Varig e agora a Varig de ninguem.
>
> Adeus Varig. Goodbye Varig.


This does not surprise me. Another Brazilian airline following in the
footsteps of Transbrasil, VASP and Cruzeiro do Sul.

For the past few years, Varig's trans-altantic prices have been outrageous
compared to BA, Air France, Alitalia, Iberia, Lufthansa, KLM, etc.
Also there are quite a few budget carriers operating in Brazil these days -
Gol, BRA, Ocean Air, etc., who must have bled Varig's domestic routes dry.
As the OP says, a sad end to one of aviation's great pioneers.

Gerry

Jens Arne Maennig wrote:
> Gerald Oliver Swift wrote:
>
> > For the past few years, Varig's trans-altantic prices have been
> > outrageous
>
> At a certain time, they were the only ones who managed to serve a
> steak medium rare on flights departing from Sao Paulo. And it's the
> only airline where I ever got an upgrade from economy to first after
> talking to the CEO :-)
>
> Too bad ...
>
> Jens

perhaps these are some of the contributing factors !!

On Wed, 21 Jun 2006 08:14:53 +0200, Jens Arne Maennig
<maennig0606@cricetus.com> wrote:

>Gerald Oliver Swift wrote:
>
>> For the past few years, Varig's trans-altantic prices have been
>> outrageous
>
>At a certain time, they were the only ones who managed to serve a
>steak medium rare on flights departing from Sao Paulo. And it's the
>only airline where I ever got an upgrade from economy to first after
>talking to the CEO :-)

You mean that the other CEO's declined your request?

tim

>
>Too bad ...
>
>Jens

Adeus Varig wrote:

>Shutdown of Varig Brazilian Airlines is imminent.
>
>Most flights are now cancelled, and all planes are returning home to
>Brazil. A judge in New York has issued an order to impound around 20
>planes.
>
>Brazilian government will start parting out Varig's routes to other
>airlines this week.
>
>Arrangements are being made to bring Brazil's World Cup team and fans
>back from Europe via other airlines. Varig was the official airline
>of the Brazilian team.
>
>Varig could close down as soon as tomorrow. A sad end to one of
>aviation's great pioneers.
>
>A nossa Varig e agora a Varig de ninguem.
>
>Adeus Varig. Goodbye Varig.

O Globo of Sao Paolo is reporting that IATA has kicked Varig out. This
is effectively the end for them. They can no longer participate in
the international ticket clearing system, that means no other airline
will accept Varig tickets or passengers from Varig, and Varig will no
longer get payments from other airlines.

All suppliers and service providers are now demanding advance payments
in cash from Varig. Varig is not able to pay for fuel. All flights
to the USA are suspended since any Varig plane arriving in the US will
be immediately repossessed. The USA routes were their biggest money
makers. The few flights they had left to Europe are now suspended
too.

Poor Varig is collapsed on the floor breathing it's last few breaths.
Sad indeed to see such a great airline disappear. For many decades
they had the best service in the air. Everyone who flew Varig raved
about them. Articles were written in the world's magazines about
their legendary service. An oft-repeated remark heard when passengers
from other airlines complained about the poor service they were
getting from them was "You should have flown Varig!"

Adeus Varig schrieb:

> Most flights are now cancelled, and all planes are returning home to
> Brazil. A judge in New York has issued an order to impound around 20
> planes.
>
> Brazilian government will start parting out Varig's routes to other
> airlines this week.
>
> Arrangements are being made to bring Brazil's World Cup team and fans
> back from Europe via other airlines. Varig was the official airline
> of the Brazilian team.
>
> Varig could close down as soon as tomorrow.

Still flying (partly)?

Regards, ULF