Varig set to join OW!!- true??- Where do they still fly?
Jan 5, 2007, 8:39 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: dublin,ireland AA ( 3mm)
Posts: 1,825
Varig set to join OW!!- true??- Where do they still fly?
According to Joe Brancatelli, Varig has left ( been kicked out of Star) and will join OW at the end of January.
I find this hard to believe.
If true what advantage does it bring to OW? I thought that their route structure had been decimated. Where exactly do they still fly?
I find this hard to believe.
If true what advantage does it bring to OW? I thought that their route structure had been decimated. Where exactly do they still fly?
Jan 5, 2007, 8:43 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: HKG/LHR/JFK
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My guess is that this is just a misreading of this story below from the front page of www.oneworld.com, which states that as of the end of January--once * drops Varig--no other alliance will have a South American-based airline
" 02 Jan 2007
oneworld reinforces global lead as only alliance with South American airline
oneworld is to be the only global airline alliance with a member in South America from the end of January, reinforcing its position as the airline grouping of obvious choice for truly global air travel."
" 02 Jan 2007
oneworld reinforces global lead as only alliance with South American airline
oneworld is to be the only global airline alliance with a member in South America from the end of January, reinforcing its position as the airline grouping of obvious choice for truly global air travel."
Jan 5, 2007, 10:38 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold(OWE), QF LTG, MR Plat, IHG Spire, Hertz PC
Posts: 8,156
Not quite true. BA does have it's Comair francise operating out of South Africa which is part of OW.
Whilst Comair is not South African, it does open up a few extra destinations.
Whilst Comair is not South African, it does open up a few extra destinations.
Jan 5, 2007, 10:45 am
#6
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Austin
Posts: 4,629
Not really the same as BA does fly throughout southern Africa using their affiliate. Also, from an economic standpoint judged by relative GDP, South America is more important.
Jan 5, 2007, 1:38 pm
#10
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL
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For whatever it may be worth, the local press has quoted top brass at TAM as stating that TAM is not interested in joining ANY alliance -- all TAM wants is code-share agreements with airlines that compete on TAM's international routes. Furthermore, TAM withdrew six planes during the Christmas rush season, supposedly for emergency maintenance, resulting in total chaos at Brazilian airports. VARIG flew thousands of TAM passengers on its unused planes, and the government even lent TAM an old 707 that used to be the Presidential plane as well as an old 727 (known as 'sucatão' and 'sucatinho', respectively). Even with that 'help', thousands of TAM passengers either spent days and nights in the airport, or simply took the bus. After this disappointing performance, it is doubtful that any respectable alliance would want TAM at this point. TAM used to have a great reputation, but it will take a good deal of time to restore it.
Jan 6, 2007, 1:50 pm
#13
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,903
Jan 6, 2007, 2:13 pm
#14
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: GRU
Programs: *A Gold, OW Sapphire, SPG Gold, HH Diamond, Accor Plat
Posts: 3,367
While anything can happen - what we know for sure - no rumours - is that (new) RG investors have met *A CEO in December to include the new RG in *A - now that the contract with the (old) RG comes to an end.
http://www.panrotas.com.br/canais/re...?cod_not=26470
Wouldn't make any sense for RG to be in OW, now that LAN has hubs in EZE, SCL and LIM - several non-stop flights from GRU to those hubs...
Agree TAM got market share but their service pales compared to what it used to be.
http://www.panrotas.com.br/canais/re...?cod_not=26470
Wouldn't make any sense for RG to be in OW, now that LAN has hubs in EZE, SCL and LIM - several non-stop flights from GRU to those hubs...
Agree TAM got market share but their service pales compared to what it used to be.