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Founded | 7 May 1927 Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil | ||||||
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Ceased operations | 20 July 2006 | ||||||
Hubs | Rio de Janeiro/Galeão International Airport | ||||||
Frequent-flyer program | Smiles | ||||||
Alliance | Star Alliance (1997–2007) | ||||||
Subsidiaries | |||||||
Headquarters | Rio de Janeiro | ||||||
Key people | Key People List
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VARIG (acronym for Viação Aérea Rio-Grandense, Rio Grandean Airways) was the first airline founded in Brazil, in 1927. From 1965 until 1990, it was Brazil's leading airline and virtually its only international one. In 2005, Varig went into judicial restructuring, and in 2006 it was split into two companies – Flex Linhas Aéreas, informally known as "old" Varig, heir to the original airline – now defunct, and "new" Varig, a new company, fully integrated into Gol Airlines.