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GOL Launches Daily Flights to Santiago, Chile
São Paulo, September 25, 2006 GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes (NYSE: GOL and Bovespa: GOLL4), Brazils low-cost, low-fare airline, yesterday began operating daily flights to Chile, one of the most popular travel destinations in South America. The Company will initially operate three daily flights to Santiago, Chile: two flights will depart from Rio de Janeiro, making stops in São Paulo and Buenos Aires, while a third will depart from Florianopolis, making stops in Porto Alegre and Buenos Aires. GOL also plans on adding two nonstop flights São Paulo - Santiago by the end of 2006. Santiago, the capital of Chile, is GOLs seventh international destination. Currently, the Company flies to Buenos Aires, Rosario and Cordoba (Argentina), Montevideo (Uruguay), Asuncion (Paraguay), and Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia).
The Buenos Aires-Santiago route also, the second most traveled international route in South America, will be also supported by GOL with three daily flights. Between January and May of this year, more than one million tourists traveled to Chile. According to Sernatur, the National Tourism Service of Chile, 351,400 of those visitors arrived from Argentina, while 67,200 traveled from Brazil. Of the total number of visitors traveling to Chile, 390,800 arrived via the countrys airports. Sernatur data also shows a 12.5 percent increase in Chiles tourism for the first half of 2006, compared to the same period last year.
One of GOLs main objectives is to popularize air travel throughout Brazil and South America and we believe our low-fares and high-quality service will further stimulate demand for flights to Chile, says Tarcísio Gargioni, Vice President of Marketing and Services of GOL. As business opportunities between Brazil and Chile continue to grow, we look forward to contributing to the economic, social and tourist development of Brazil and Chile.
Chiles economy grew by 6.3 percent in 2005; nearly 40 percent of the countrys 16 million inhabitants live in Santiago.
Tickets can be purchased over the phone, through a travel agent, or on GOLs website, www.voegol.com.br. Please see the destination table below for more information on flight schedules:
Origin | Stops | Destinations | Frequency |
Departure* |
Arrival* | |||||
Rio de Janeiro | São Paulo (Cumbica) & | Santiago | Daily | 9:10 AM | 3:25 PM | |||||
(Galeão) | Buenos Aires (Ezeiza) | (Chile) | 4:00 PM | 10:15 PM | ||||||
São Paulo | Buenos Aires (Ezeiza) | Santiago | Daily |
10:40 AM | 3:25 PM | |||||
(Cumbica) |
(Chile) |
5:30 PM | 10:15 PM | |||||||
Florianópolis | Porto Alegre & Buenos | Santiago |
Daily |
7:40 AM | 12:35 PM | |||||
Aires (Ezeiza) | (Chile) | |||||||||
Porto Alegre | Buenos Aires | Santiago | Daily | 9:00 AM | 12:35 PM | |||||
(Ezeiza) | (Chile) | |||||||||
Santiago | Buenos Aires (Ezeiza) | Rio de Janeiro | Daily | 7:30 AM | 3:20 PM | |||||
(Chile) | & São Paulo (Cumbica) | (Galeão) | 1:15 PM | 9:10 PM | ||||||
Santiago | Buenos Aires (Ezeiza) | São Paulo | Daily | 07:30 AM | 1:50 PM | |||||
(Chile) | (Cumbica) | 1:15 PM | 7:45 PM | |||||||
Santiago | Buenos Aires (Ezeiza) | Florianópolis | Daily | 5:20 PM | 11:50 PM | |||||
(Chile) | & Porto Alegre | |||||||||
Santiago (Chile) |
Buenos Aires (Ezeiza) | Porto Alegre | Daily | 5:20 PM | 10:30 PM | |||||
* All times are local (until October 07th not considering summer time) | ||||||||||
GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes, a low-cost, low-fare airline, is one of the most profitable and fastest growing airlines in the industry worldwide. GOL operates a simplified fleet with a single class of service. It also has one of the youngest and most modern fleets in the industry that results in low maintenance, fuel and training costs, with high aircraft utilization and efficiency ratios. In addition, safe and reliable services, which stimulate GOLs brand recognition and customer satisfaction, allow GOL to have the best value proposition in the market. GOL currently offers over 500 daily flights to 53 airports in Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. GOL growth plans include increasing frequencies in existing markets and adding service to additional markets in both Brazil and other high-traffic South American travel destinations. GOL shares are listed on the NYSE and the Bovespa. GOL: here everyone can fly!
For more information, flight times and fares, please access our site at www.voegol.com.br or call: 0300-789-2121 in Brazil, 0810-266-3131 in Argentina, 800-1001-21 in Bolivia, 0004 055 127 in Uruguay, 009 800 55 1 0007 in Paraguay, 1 888 0042 0090 (Telefônica) and 1230 020 9104 (Intel) in Chile, and 55 11 2125-3200 in other countries.
CONTACT: GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A.
Ph: (5511) 3169 6800
E-mail: ri@golnaweb.com.br
Site: www.voegol.com.br/ir
Corporate Communications
Ph: (5511) 3169 6449
E-mail: rcorbioli@golnaweb.com.br
Media Brazil & Latin America | Media U.S. & Europe | |
MVL Comunicação; D. Nakayama and C. Silva | Edelman; G. Juncadella and M. Smith | |
Ph: (5511) 3049-0341 / 3049-0343 | Ph: +1 (212) 704-4448 / 704-8196 | |
E-mail: daniela.nakayama@mvl.com.br | E-mail: gabriela.juncadella@edelman.com | |
meaghan.smith@edelman.com |
This release contains forward-looking statements relating to the prospects of the business, estimates for operating and financial results, and those related to growth prospects of GOL. These are merely projections and, as such, are based exclusively on the expectations of GOLs management concerning the future of the business and its continued access to capital to fund the Companys business plan. Such forward-looking statements depend, substantially, on changes in market conditions, government regulations, competitive pressures, the performance of the Brazilian economy and the industry, among other factors and risks disclosed in GOLs filed disclosure documents and are, therefore, subject to change without prior notice.
GOL LINHAS AÉREAS INTELIGENTES S.A. |
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By: |
/S/ Richard F. Lark, Jr.
|
|
Name: Richard F. Lark, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President Finance, Chief Financial Officer |
This press release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements are statements that are not historical facts, and are based on management's current view and estimates offuture economic circumstances, industry conditions, company performance and financial results. The words "anticipates", "believes", "estimates", "expects", "plans" and similar expressions, as they relate to the company, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Statements regarding the declaration or payment of dividends, the implementation of principal operating and financing strategies and capital expenditure plans, the direction of future operations and the factors or trends affecting financial condition, liquidity or results of operations are examples of forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the current views of management and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. There is no guarantee that the expected events, trends or results will a ctually occur. The statements are based on many assumptions and factors, including general economic and market conditions, industry conditions, and operating factors. Any changes in such assumptions or factors could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.