Varig

VARIG – Viação Aérea Rio-Grandense S.A.
Founded	7 May 1927; Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Ceased operations	20 July 2006
Hubs	Rio de Janeiro/Galeão International Airport
Frequent-flyer program	Smiles
Alliance	Star Alliance (1997–2007)
Subsidiaries	Cruzeiro; PLUNA; Rio Sul; Nordeste;
Headquarters	Rio de Janeiro
Key people	Key People List Otto Ernst Meyer; Ruben Berta; Erik de Carvalho; Hélio Smidt; Fernando Pinto;

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.