Rafabozzolla From Brazil, joined Apr 2000, 1165 posts, RR: 0 Posted (12 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 1186 times:
After a period of rapid expansion in the 90’s, Varig has. in the last two years, made several changes to its long-haul routes. In the wake of the Asian crisis the first victim was its longest flight GRU to HKG. It had stops in JNB and BKK but in 1998 was axed and became a flight between Brazil and South Africa only.
Last year due to the crisis in Brazil Varig stopped serving ATL and IAD and the flight from Rio to New York became a continuation of the daily GRU-JFK service. Other services suspended were JNB in South Africa, and in Europe Porto, Amsterdam and Zurich. This was not truly a reduction, but rather a change in strategy. Varig boosted frequencies to the remaining destinations and every county to which it flies long haul are served at least on a daily basis (except for Denmark served 3x a week from London).
Last July Varig showed its first sings of expansion, opening flights to Munich (the fight is proving successful for the original 3x a week 767 service will be upgraded to MD11 soon, one more frequency will be added and Lufthansa will start flying from MUC to GRU next summer), and doubling frequencies to LAX. In terms of alliances Varig has now code share services with LH, UA, NH, SK, SA and Lan Chile and is soon to start code share with Air Canada once services between Toronto and São Paulo are taken over from Canadian.
Now that services to main destinations seem to be well established, and considering that VASP no longer flies internationally, wouldn’t it be time for Varig to try some new services to destinations that, at least from a layman’s point of view, seem underserved? A few suggestions:
- In Japan Varig should change its second destination from Nagoya to Osaka. Vasp had the authority but might have lost it by now.
- Auckland and Sydney seem very logical. There is a substantial traffic between Brazil and these two countries. Brazilians often go to Buenos Aires or even Los Angeles to get to Australia. Besides it would have the feed from Star partners Ansett and Air NZ.
- Instead of flying to LAX twice a day, one of the services should be changed to SFO to allow better connections with United’s flights.
- In Europe VASP made many mistakes but had successful flights to BCN and Zurich. Varig should definitely assume these two important markets.
The777Man From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 6082 posts, RR: 56 Reply 1, posted (12 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 1040 times:
I think that BCN could certainly work. I think they should be daily to MUC before any other expansion in Europe. The MUC flight seems to be doing extremely well. I would also like to see them go back to JNB before SFO or SYD/AKL. The later flight from GRU to LAX connects very well with UA and NZ flights to MEL, SYD and AKL. KIX makes sense but there's more flights from LAX to KIX than to NGO. Varig has traffid rights on the US-Japan sector. We'll see what happens. Interesting topic. The777Man
Need a Boeing 777 Firing Order....Further to fly....GA, T5, CI and LX 777s
Northwest 777 From United States of America, joined Sep 2000, 222 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (12 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 1 hour ago) and read 1021 times:
Is Varig supposed to be receiving 777s? I thought i might have heard something about it but I can't remember. If they are going to get them will it be for expansion or strictly as replacement aircraft. Also, where do they serve in Europe and with what aircraft? Where do they have to stop in order to make these flights. Thanks!
Rafabozzolla From Brazil, joined Apr 2000, 1165 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (12 years 7 months 1 week 1 day ago) and read 1013 times:
The 777s are to be used first on the Japanese routes (GRU-LAX-NRT and GRU-LAX-NGO) and at least for the time being will be used to increase capacity as today these flights are operated by MD11s.
The network? Here it goes
North America
New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Mexico City and Cancun plus Chicago in code share with United.
Europe
Lisbon, Madrid, Paris, London, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Munich, Milan and Rome.
Asia
Nagoya and Tokyo
South America
Caracas, Bogota, Lima, Santa Cruz de La Sierra, La Paz, Asuncion, Montevideo, Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Rosario and Santiago de Chile.
In africa it codeshares with SAA on the São Paulo-Johannesburg route.
The777Man From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 6082 posts, RR: 56 Reply 4, posted (12 years 7 months 1 week 16 hours ago) and read 987 times:
I also think Varig shoukd increase frequencies to both MXP and FCO. I think they could fly daily to both cities which I don't think they do now. The777Man
Need a Boeing 777 Firing Order....Further to fly....GA, T5, CI and LX 777s
The777Man From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 6082 posts, RR: 56 Reply 5, posted (12 years 7 months 1 week 16 hours ago) and read 980 times:
Rafabozzolla, is it confirmed that Varig will use the 777s to LAX and Japan first? I know that was the last route with 743s and the GRU-LAX nightflights are always full. I'm very much looking foreward to seeing Varig 777s here at LAX!!!!! The777Man
Need a Boeing 777 Firing Order....Further to fly....GA, T5, CI and LX 777s
Planenutz From United States of America, joined Dec 1999, 1267 posts, RR: 12 Reply 7, posted (12 years 7 months 1 week 13 hours ago) and read 963 times:
Didn't VARIG fly to SFO at one time? I remember seeing a billboard in San Francisco advertising there service sometime in 1992-93. I also remember them having a large city ticket office off of Union Square in San Francisco up until 1995 or so. The flight may have been an extension of their service to LAX.
Rafabozzolla From Brazil, joined Apr 2000, 1165 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (12 years 7 months 1 week 9 hours ago) and read 950 times:
Dear Capt. Picard and Planenutz,
I'll try to answer your questions. but I am not sure about all the responses.
I think Varig never flew into SFO, but I am pretty sure that VASP did it for a while as an exetention of its LAX service. Nowadays RG code shares with United on the LAX-SFO route.
I am not an employee so I can not tell you why Varig started operations to HKG. I can only assume a few things. I've heard that it was a good cargo route, and maybe RG's management was expecting a boom in business traffic, but this was cut short due to the asian crisis.
The JNB route was manly a tourist route. For many years Varig had exclusive rights as Brazil's flag carrier, even though it has allways been a private company. In "exchange" for this privilege, during the 70's and 80's Varig developed a route network in Africa (Luanda, Maputo, Lagos, Abdjan, Dakkar and of course Johannesbug) that never realy made money, but was considered strategical on the eyes of the Military government then in power. As soon as democracy was restored these routes were dropped and only JNB was kept.
As for the 747-400s they were operated in the mid 90's togheter with some 747-300s, but were later replaced by smaller aircraft in tune with the new strategy of increasing frequencies to key destinations.
Mmm From United States of America, joined Mar 2007, 0 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (12 years 7 months 1 week 5 hours ago) and read 930 times:
Rafa,
I think that some time last year I heard that Varig was going to resume the JNB flight. And, I agree with you and beleive it's time for an expansion...
Just following your ideas:
1) The GRU-JNB-BKK-HKG could turn into GRU-JNB-SIN and maybe codeshare with partner SQ.
2) Qantas and Aerolineas fly "free"of competition the EZE-AKL-SYD route and it's more than time to put some pressure on them . A great deal of the traffic, as you well pointed out, is made by Brazilians that HAVE () to go down to EZE to connect with the Oceania flights. What about if NZ/RG started a SYD-AKL route to GRU or GIG via SCL ?! ... that would definetly put some pressure on.
ANother point to add to this is that StarAlliance has no coverage in the southern hemisphere. A flight linking SouthAmerica with Oceania and SouthAmerica with Africa is definetly needed. Now, if you are on StarAlliance RTW fare you have to go via Europe/USA to get to those places,... makes no sense !
Neo From Brazil, joined Jan 2001, 671 posts, RR: 7 Reply 13, posted (12 years 7 months 1 week 4 hours ago) and read 924 times:
Mauricio
You definetly have a point there. I also agree that a flight linking Brazil and Oceania would work. I thought that RG would open this new route, with the up coming traffic for the Olympic Games,,,, like it did, in Atlanta!!!
I agree with Rafabozzolla in his suggestions for new flights. Although i think that RG is focusing more in stabilishing a solid network!!! what do you think???
I also have a question? What do you think about TAM's expansion, i think we can't let that pass.....
Latinplane From United States of America, joined Dec 1999, 2629 posts, RR: 15 Reply 15, posted (12 years 7 months 1 week 3 hours ago) and read 917 times:
Hi,
Wow, that was very interesting. I had not idea that Varig flew the African routes for political reasons. I have an old Varig brochure from the early 90's or late 80's that has all those African destinations on the map. I always wondered why Varig flew there.
I thought that Luanda was flown mainly because of Brazil and Angola's Portugese heritage. Since both countries speak Portugese and both are directly accross the ocean, I thought that there was some sort of trade that stimulated scheduled flights between both countries. There is also many born African's of pure Portugese decent that left Angola and the other countries to Brazil after civil unrest developed in these countries.
Can you tell me if TAAG Angola still flies into Rio de Janeiro. For an airline that comes from a country that has been torn up by a revolution they are doing pretty well flying those big 747-300's. Also, how long would the flight duration from Rio to Luanda be if anyone knows?
Mmm From United States of America, joined Mar 2007, 0 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (12 years 7 months 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 911 times:
latinplane,..
I wonder if TAAG still flies to Rio too ... can anybody help !?!
Regarding flying times,... RIO-Luanda wouldn't be more that 7 hours. I flew a couple of times GRU-JNB and that is about 8.5h.. depending on the winds.
Also ,... I remembered somthing now. Before the Asian crisis in 97 , Singapore Air was planning to star a South American route. ... things cooled down, but I think now would be the time. The only airline linking SE Asia with SAmerica now via SAfrica is Malaysian Air, with their KUL-JNB-CPT-EZE flight !
Rafabozzolla From Brazil, joined Apr 2000, 1165 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (12 years 7 months 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 899 times:
Iraqi's flight to Rio was basically due to the fact that a brazilian contractor won a major (realy BIG) bid to built railroads and they had to find a way to ship equipment and people all the way there.
Johnboy From United States of America, joined Aug 1999, 2472 posts, RR: 1 Reply 21, posted (12 years 7 months 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 885 times:
I'd also like to see some South American flights from SFO! Seems to be somewhat sensible, as UA has more flights to Japan, China, Korea, etc. than LAX.
The777Man From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 6082 posts, RR: 56 Reply 22, posted (12 years 7 months 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 881 times:
Varig had three 747-400s, PP-VPG, -VPH and VPI. First delivery on 31 May91 and returned the last aircraft on 28Dec94. I think Varig could return to AMS, perhaps start with a 767-200ER. They seem to fly the 767-200ERs from regional cities in Brazil to some overeas detination. Perhaps they could start new routes with these 767-200ERs from GRU and GIG? The777Man
Need a Boeing 777 Firing Order....Further to fly....GA, T5, CI and LX 777s
Dutchjet From Netherlands, joined Oct 2000, 7864 posts, RR: 58 Reply 24, posted (12 years 7 months 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 871 times:
I would not look for VARIG to return to many more European cities, I think that they will focus on using LH flights (Star ALliance partner) to feed flights out of Frankfurt. AMS was a problem for Varig, and the flights in/out of AMS were a continuation of the Paris flights. The Alliances, such as Star, will lead to more hub to hub flights, with the partner airlines feeding eachother. I do think that the downfall of VASP is an opportunity for Varig, but now they must watch out for TAM, which has very ambitious expansion plans!
25 Planenutz: What are some of TAM's expansion plans?
26 The777Man: Maybe Varig could restart IAD with a nonstop flight from GRU? This would provide great connections to other points in the US. A 767-200ER could start
27 Rafabozzolla: TAM has daily flights to Paris and double daily to Miami. It code shares with AF and AA on these routes. A new flight to Buenos Aires has been annouce
29 Mmm: Thanks for the TAM info Rafa,... they have great service and would be nice to see them going to Milan . However,.... they DO have to take some action
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() to go down to EZE to connect with the Oceania flights. What about if NZ/RG started a SYD-AKL route to GRU or GIG via SCL ?! ... that would definetly put some pressure on.
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