TAM and Air Canada expand flight service between Brazilian and Canadian cities
October 07 2008 - 11:46AM
PR Newswire (US)
Bilateral agreement includes codesharing in both countries and
benefits for members of frequent flier programs of both airlines
SAO PAULO, Brazil, Oct. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- TAM (Bovespa:
TAMM4 and NYSE: TAM) and Air Canada, Canada's largest airline and a
founding member of the Star Alliance, announced today in Sao Paulo
that they have reached an operational agreement for codesharing and
the integration of their frequent flier programs, TAM Fidelidade
and Aeroplan (Air Canada's mileage plan). (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080221/SPTH002LOGO ) The
bilateral agreement will enable the two companies to expand
services for customers traveling between Brazil and Canada,
including more options for destinations in both countries and
convenient connections to the main Brazilian and Canadian cities.
The implementation of codesharing and the integration of the TAM
Fidelidade and Aeroplan programs are scheduled for November, once
the authorities in both countries have approved the partnership.
For Commander David Barioni Neto, President of TAM, the agreement
with Air Canada contributes to the company's strategy of expanding
its operations abroad and consolidating its position as one of the
principal airlines in the world aviation market. "We have an
important commitment to our clients to provide world-class service
within the framework of our activities based on the three pillars:
Service Excellence, Technical and Operational Excellence, and
Excellence in the Management of the company," states Barioni. TAM's
Vice President of Sales and Planning, Paulo Castello Branco, adds:
"The agreement with Air Canada reinforces our strategy of
establishing partnerships with the world's main airlines and
enables us to offer our customers a wide variety of destinations
throughout all of North America." Montie Brewer, President and CEO
of Air Canada, who was at today's ceremony announcing TAM's entry
into the Star Alliance, also spoke about codesharing. "Air Canada
has the pleasure of initiating this relationship with TAM, the
leader of Brazil's market for commercial aviation. It will be of
benefit to the customers of both airlines by facilitating greater
access to the principal cities of Brazil, Canada and other
countries," he said. "As a founding member of the Star Alliance, we
have witnessed the benefits that the Alliance has brought for
international travelers, simplifying travel and expanding options
for connections all over the world. We welcome the arrival of TAM
as a member of the Star Alliance and are expanding for our
customers the benefits they most appreciate." With the
implementation of the bilateral agreement between Air Canada and
TAM, the customers of both airlines will benefit from the
simplification of plane reservations, convenient connections on a
single airline ticket, and check-in of luggage through to the final
destination. TAM passengers will also be able to take advantage of
the benefits of flights between S�o Paulo and Toronto operated as a
codeshare by Air Canada, as well as connections in Toronto to
Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal and Quebec.
Passengers on Air Canada, in turn, will have access to six
Brazilian cities -- Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Recife, Belo
Horizonte, Curitiba and Porto Alegre -- on codeshare flights
offered by TAM departing from Guarulhos International Airport in
Sao Paulo. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080221/SPTH002LOGO
DATASOURCE: TAM CONTACT: Libano Miranda Barroso, TAM Investor
Relations, +011-55-11-5582-9715, fax, +011-55-11-5582-8149, Web
site: http://www.tam.com.br/
Copyright