The year
1927. Commercial aviation has begun its first
flights throughout the world. In Brazil, it
navigates between the dream and the bold venture.
Until, in a small room of the Commercial Association
of Porto Alegre, at a meeting of idealists – more
audacious than dreamers – having before them Otto
Ernst Meyer, VARIG’s creator, was launched the major
and most important chapter in the history of
Brazilian air transportation.
img_aviao.gifOn this day, May 7, 1927, was born S.A.
Empresa de Viacao Aerea Rio-Grandense, VARIG, whose
birth certificate – the company’s statutes, approved
by the first share-holders – was nothing more than a
document with some proposals and many signatures,
symbols of support for the building of an ideal that
history has shown to be noble and that has been a
source of pride for Brazil and Brazilians. From the
first Aircraft – the Atlantic, 9 passengers, 180
km/h – to today’s Boeing 777 (the most modern
commercial aircraft in the world), with a capacity
to carry 287 passengers and a speed of almost 1000
km/h, it has been a true story of men and machines,
where the name Ruben Berta – the company’s first
employee and its president from 1941 to 1966, the
year of his death – stands out not only as a symbol,
but as an example of the outreach and the dedication
of the company.
VARIG began with a mere 270-kilometer route – Porto
Alegre – Pelotas –Rio Grande, which, in its first
year of existence, logged 25 flights, carried 652
passengers, in 210 hours of flight. Actually,
together with Rio Sul and Nordeste, it operates the
largest and most complete network of routes in
Brazil, with service to 110 cities. Outisde Brazil,
it has direct service to 27 destinations in 18
countries on four continents. And since joining the
Star Alliance, the largest alliance of airines in
the world, it has been able to offer even more
convenience to the passenger, who can now
comfortably and rapidly reach anywhere on the
terrestrial globe.
Today, VARIG, the pioneer – the first commercial
airline of Brazil – can proudly cite numbers that
secure its position as the largest airline company
in the country and in Latin America and one of the
leaders of the world market: in over 75 years of
existence, it has carried more than 210 million
passengers, logged more than 7 million hours of
flight, completed more than two and a half million
flights; and its aircraft have flown roughly 115
thousand times around the world.
The Ruben
Berta Foundation has as its primary objective the well-being
of the employees of a conglomorate of companies created with
one major trunk: VARIG.
The creation of FRB-Par holding, meant to permanently care
for the Group’s investments among other interests, provided
greater transparency for disclosure of each of the companies,
focus on each business activity, autonomy in decision making,
maximum return to share holders and the creation of
investment opportunities.
The Group FRB-Par, in turn, controls three other holdings:
VARIG S/A (Viacao Aerea Rio-Grandense) which controls
VARIGLOG, PLUNA and VEM;
VARIG Participacoes em Transportes Aereos S.A. (VPTA) which
controls
VARIG Participacoes em Servicos Complementares S.A. (VPSC)
which controls SATA, REDE TROPICAL HOTELS E RESORTS BRASIL,
AMADEUS BRASIL and VARIG TRAVEL.
There are a total of 14 companies under the control of GRUPO
FRB-PAR.
VARIG is the largest airline in Latin America and, united
with Rio Sul and Nordeste, mobilizes 115 planes to offer the
biggest and most diversifies airline network in the country.
With this operating alliance, which consolidated the group’s
leadership in the market, the passenger can now count on
three times the comfort and convenience, from the
reservation to boarding, he fitteen companies offer
connections between 70 Brazilian cities.
The national network of airlines is interconnected to
VARIG’s international services which today directly reach 24
cities in various countries and, since 1997 thanks to the
connection to the network of Star Alliance partners – the
alliance of strategic cooperation that unites, VARIG and
fitteen other highly regarded companies on the planet: Air
Canada, Air New Zeeland, All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines,
Austrian Airlines, British Midland BMI, Lufthansa, LOT
Polish Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapure Airlines,
Spanair, Thai International, Tap, United Airlines and U.S
Airways, beyond the regional patners Blue, Croatia Airlines
and Adria Airlines, guarantees its Brazilian clients access
to more than 800 destinations throughout the world. The
aircraft of the three companies realize nearly five thousand
take-offs per week, which means one take-off every two
minutes. The operational integration of VARIG, Rio Sul and
Nordeste has the goal of providing easier access to any
destination.The unification of reservations and ticket
office and airport services cuts down on wasted time and
allows passengers to better plan their trips. always being
able to avail themselves of the most convenient schedules,
the most modern and comfortable planes, and on-board service
under the auspicies of some of the most renowned
international chefs. On connections with highest demand,
between the main airports of cities such as Rio de Janeiro,
Sao Paulo, Brasilia, Belo Horizonte, Curitiba, Porto Alegre
and Vitoria, the Air Shuttle concept is being widely
utilized, offering flights in intervals as short as 15
minutes.
Quality, safety and profit are the strategic pillars adopted
by the company to function in the competitive global
commercial aviation market. Since its founding, in 1927,
VARIG’s continuous challenge has been to exceed the
expectations of the most demanding passengers.
Within this context was born VARIG’s service style, which
has won over customers of the most diverese nationalities by
being synchronized with the best the world has to offer. The
recipe is to add to the human warmth of the Brazilian people,
technology, and the highest international standards of
quality.
Star Alliance was established in 1997 as the first
truly global airline alliance to offer customers
global reach and a smooth travel experience. Star
Alliance has been voted Best Airline Alliance by
Skytrax in 2003 and 2005. The members are Air Canada,
Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, bmi,
LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian
Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Spanair, TAP Portugal,
THAI, United, US Airways and VARIG Brazilian
Airlines. South African Airways and SWISS will be
integrated during the first half 2006. Overall, the
member carriers offer more than 15,000 daily flights
to 790 destinations in 138 countries.
The
Smiles Program is the special way that VARIG and
Pluna have found to thank people like you for
choosing us; Smiles is the largest mileage program
in Latin America, with more thatn 4,800,000
participants and more than 80 partners.
Program enrollment is free and you can accumulate
miles by flying on VARIG, Pluna, on Star Alliance
carriers, or on partner-companies South African
Airways and Alitalia. Some flights, however, might
have restrictions on mileage accrual, due to a
company’s internal policies. To confirm that a
flight you are using allows mileage credit, please
see Smiles Service Center.
Another way to accumulate miles is to use the
products and services of Smiles Program partners,
among them credit cards, hotels, car rental
companies, restaurants, and many others.
Accrued miles can be exchanged for free flights to
more than 800 destinations in 120 countries, or even
for upgrades to the next higher class from the
ticketed class on VARIG and Pluna flights. And when
you fly you will enjoy even more privileges and
benefits, by way of the Silver, Gold or Diamond
card. Among these: preferred check-in, VIP lounge
access, class upgrades, etc. Look here for Smiles
Program Rules.
The importance of investment in the area of Human
Resources is directly related to the commitment to
quality service.
In awareness of this, VARIG is a company that
invests in its professionals in order to attain the
highest customer satisfaction.
HUMAN RESOURCES MISSION:
To harmonize relations between the Comany and its
employees, in order for them to become partners in
the business, motivated, enabled and committed to
results, supported by leader-managers, so that VARIG
will be an excellent place to work.
PROFILE OF THE VARIG EMPLOYEE:
Communication
Ability to relay information spontaneously and
clearly, as well as the ability to understand
customer needs and expectations, leaving him/her
with a positive impression through attitude,
appearance and courtesy (verbal and non-verbal
communication).
Courtesy and Sensitivity
Ability to win over the customer through an
agreeable and hospitable attitude, listening to him/her
and being able to empathize; understanding customer
needs and values; striving for efficient and
personal service.
Team Spirit
Ability to work as a team, maintaining a
professional, involved and collaborative attitude,
incorporating the contributions of all individuals
for better goal attainment.
Initiative and Enthusiasm
Ability to act and make spontaneous decisions that
are appropriate and positive in diverse
circumstances, with innovative solutions compatible
with the Company’s philosophy of good customer
service.
Interpersonal Relationships
Takes interest and pleasure in activities involving
personal contact with a strong bent toward public
relations, always displaying a friendly, pro-active,
receptive and solicitous attitude.
|
The Company
Fleet
VARIG Mania
Route Map
Smiles
Varig Log |