TOMASKEMPNER From Mexico, joined May 2001, 389 posts, RR: 1 Posted (11 years 9 months 2 weeks 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 746 times:
I was going through RG history and I found incredible things.
Only South American airline to fly into Japan
Only South American airline to fly 747-400
Only South American airline to fly into Hong Kong, Bangkok, etc.
Today RG has quite a network, covering almost all the most important cities in Latin America, Europe, U.S., Japan.
They fly to LIS, MAD, CDG, LHR, CPH, FRA, MUC, MXP, FCO in Europe. NRT and NGO in Japan. LAX, MIA and JFK in the US, and I think they still have the rights to operate HKG, BKK, JNB, ZRH, AMS.
Als they will be the first Latin American carrier to operate 777.
I think that Varig is such a great example for other airlines. There are other good L.A. carriers like LAN CHILE, AEROMEXICO and the almost dead AR. But VARIG is a pioneer.
Aio86 From United States of America, joined Sep 2000, 928 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (11 years 9 months 2 weeks 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 666 times:
Varig wasn't always the only one with the large international presence. VASP used to serve tons of places in Europe and I think they used to fly GRU-LAX-NRT (but they might not have continued on to Japan).
VASP lost lots of money, they bought into Ecuatoriana and Lloyd Aero Boliviano (Probably mistakes on their part) and now don't serve any more international destinations. Lan Chile is definately growing and is gaining a strong international presence, though not nearlyt as big as Varigs, yet with a comparitably comfortable product.
Doug_or From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 3163 posts, RR: 4 Reply 3, posted (11 years 9 months 2 weeks 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 662 times:
they're also hemeraging cash. Only brazilian carrier to make a profit last year? TAM (not a suprise, they've been consistantly profitable (and debt free) for 11 years). They've having double digit growth for a good long while now (32% last year, 33% estimated this year), and they are rapidly expanding to fill the gap VASP's interntaional services left. BTW, TAM is also the leading doemestic carrier, and has one of the lowest fleet ages in SA, which they indend to maintain, with 75 more new aircraft by 2005.
Wimpycol From Netherlands, joined Aug 2001, 484 posts, RR: 6 Reply 5, posted (11 years 9 months 2 weeks 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 652 times:
Sorry I must say that Avianca is the first pioneer in South America!!!
They are the oldest airline in South America and North America (second in the world). They also introduced the B 747 as first Latin Airline in Latin America.
They also have good destinations to the USA and Europe and whole Latin America.
And in bad times they still have the most friendly and kindly services on board!!
F/A of Avianca rules because Colombian women’s are the most beautiful ones in the world, that's a fact!!!
At the moment the 3 best Airliners from South America are Avianca, Varig and Lan Chile.
Saludos
Wimpycol from BOG now @ AMS
Colombia... can't wait to be there again!!!!!!!!!!
Latinplane From United States of America, joined Dec 1999, 2630 posts, RR: 15 Reply 7, posted (11 years 9 months 2 weeks 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 634 times:
Correction.
The oldest airlines in the world are as follows:
1) KLM 81 years
2) Qantas 80 years
3) Avianca 80 years
4) Mexicana 80 years
5) Brathens 78 years
So you see, Avianca is the 3rd oldest in the world. Originaly established by the Germans as S.C.A.D.T.A.
Avianca was the first airline in Latin America with the 747.
By the way, I trully agree that Varig is the the best example of a good Latin American carrier. And I say this because they are the only global Latin American carrier serving the most continents and most international destinations.
Guerosinfe From Brazil, joined Mar 2001, 316 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (11 years 9 months 2 weeks 4 days ago) and read 622 times:
TAM actually has tons of debts to be paid, they have annual profit. There's no brazilian airline in very good financial conditions. Transbrasil lost their last 763 in MIA some days ago. VASP is not that bad now that they reduced fleet and only fly to Santa Cruz out of Brasil.
A real pionner in South America was Panair do Brasil, they had lots of international destinations in Europe, South America and U.S., and 40/50 years ago they had the greatest domestic network in the world, a Panair Constellation was the first non-UK register plane to land at LHR.
TAM plans for the next years are to have this fleet: 50 F100, 50 A319/320, 20 A332. According to Cmte. Rolim (R.I.P.) with less 40% of the international routes , they could have more than half of the market, I belive in this.
I think that the three better south american airlines are TAM, RG and LanChile
Wimpycol From Netherlands, joined Aug 2001, 484 posts, RR: 6 Reply 11, posted (11 years 9 months 1 week 6 days ago) and read 575 times:
Latinplane, thank you for the corrections.
But most of that I already knew.
I really thought that Avianca was the world second! Well Qantas was only a view months or weeks sooner.
For me personally Avianca is still a Pioneer in Latin America, only when you look to the past.
At the moment Varig and Lan Chile are the strongest in South America. TAM, Aerolineas Argentinas and Avianca are following them!
Thanks also for your information about Iberia. I hope that I'll get some good flights with them next month when I travel to Colombia with Iberia! AMS-MAD-BOG. I really will write a report of their flights in the trip reports.
Saludos
W.A. now @ AMS but soon to be seen @ BOG!
Colombia... can't wait to be there again!!!!!!!!!!
RJ_Delta From Chile, joined Oct 2000, 1943 posts, RR: 13 Reply 12, posted (11 years 9 months 1 week 6 days ago) and read 570 times:
Of course Varig is the best airline in Latin america and is consider one of the best in the world. But Lan Chile is closer to Varig. Remember Lan Chile fly to Papeete and sometimes has flown to Sydney. The fight between Varig and Lan Chile is very red and I consider a fight between Boeing vs Airbus:
Mah4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31121 posts, RR: 74 Reply 13, posted (11 years 9 months 1 week 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 559 times:
Varig never operated 747-400s. They had 747-300s, but those are gone. They are a pretty good airline, but are facing some trouble with TAM. Varig's popular routes from MIA to smaller Brazilian cities (Recife, Fortazela, Manaus, Belo Horizonte, Belem), which they used to dominate, is finally begining to fell the sting as TAM moves in. And TAM has really succeded very well at MIA, and will serve four destinations (GRU, GIG, MAO, BSB) with four daily flights by the end of the year from MIA, and are moving into JFK in early 2002.
Latinplane, the world's oldest airline is Miami-based Chalk's Ocean Airways (it's in the Guiness Book), formed a few months before KLM Royal Dutch and still flying those Gruman Mallards today from MPB and FLL to the Bahamas (I flew them this morning, as a matter of fact).
Latinplane From United States of America, joined Dec 1999, 2630 posts, RR: 15 Reply 15, posted (11 years 9 months 1 week 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 542 times:
Yes, you are right. Chalks is recognized as the world's oldest airline, however, in my view you can't really compare chalk's with the likes of all these other airlines that have gone on and expanded and now fly worldwide destinatiions.
By the way, by now I don't think that Chalks can still claim the title as the original Chalks became Pan Am Air Bridge for several years before it ceased operations for a few months until a new company was formed rechanging the name to the new Chalks International Airways.
I flew Chalks, rather Pan Am Air Bridge in 1997 on the Watson Island-Bimini-Paradise Island route. Great flight and great experience.
RJ_Delta From Chile, joined Oct 2000, 1943 posts, RR: 13 Reply 16, posted (11 years 9 months 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 516 times:
Lan Chile and his subsidiaries would be consider another Latin America example. Lan Chile is the second carrier in Latin America in fleet, destination and service. The third is AeroMéxico. I think that TAM will be a future Latin America example.
AM744 From Mexico, joined Jun 2001, 1689 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (11 years 9 months 3 days 6 hours ago) and read 507 times:
Let's put things straight.
According to ATW year 2000 statistics:
AeroMexico carried 9,750,000 pax(12.4% change), had 14,392 million RPK and has a fleet of 70 aircraft(95 with it's subsidiaries but I won't count those).
LANChile carried 3,106,000 pax(-3.2% change), had 8,882 million RPK and had a fleet of 44 aircraft.
by the same measures Mexicana is slighly smaller than Aeromexico(60 aicraft). Regarding fleet size goes like this:
Anyway. LAN Chile is a Latin American example indeed and a very large airline considering Chile's population and size. I like LAN Chile, any World-Class Latin American carrier is more than welcome.
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