Choice between Varig or TAM?

I can choose Varig. TAM Brazilian, or maybe South African Airways for an
internal flight in Brazil. Any recommendations?

For connections from U.S. to Recife, Brazil, any strong reasons to
connect through Sao Paulo versus Rio? (I don't want to stop over in
either place.)

On Fri, 19 Mar 2004 18:49:02 -0800, AES/newspost wrote:

I can choose Varig. TAM Brazilian, or maybe South African Airways for an
internal flight in Brazil. Any recommendations?

South African, for a Brazilian domestic flight? I don't think so.

Aren't Varig and TAM now in bed together?

I think they now have a low fare operation called Gol. VASP may still
exist, but last time I heard it was to be avoided.

For connections from U.S. to Recife, Brazil, any strong reasons to
connect through Sao Paulo versus Rio? (I don't want to stop over in
either place.)

Odds are you'll have more flights to GRU and better connections. Although
it's not inconceivable that some flights from GRU to REC stopover at GIG,
in which case connecting at GRU would be self-defeating.

(Ah, the olden days, back in the seventies, when I would regularly fly the
5:20 pm RG flight from CGN to REC. Which more often than not would end up
landing at Viracopos because of the afternoon storm. I guess we are
getting old...)

In article ,
AES/newspost wrote:

I can choose Varig. TAM Brazilian, or maybe South African Airways for an
internal flight in Brazil. Any recommendations?

I recommend Aeroflot for internal flights in Brazil. They have about
the same number of flights as South African Airways.

More seriously, I've never flown Varig, but I've flown TAM a fair bit,
and my impression is that they are very competently run.

For connections from U.S. to Recife, Brazil, any strong reasons to
connect through Sao Paulo versus Rio? (I don't want to stop over in
either place.)

There are no connections from U.S. to Recife that go through Rio.
How is that for a strong reason?

AFAIK, the only nonstop from the U.S. to Rio is AA from Miami, and
their Brazilian partner (TAM) does not operate any flights between
Rio and Recife.

In article ,
(Vitaly Shmatikov) wrote:

I can choose Varig. TAM Brazilian, or maybe South African Airways for an
internal flight in Brazil. Any recommendations?

I recommend Aeroflot for internal flights in Brazil. They have about
the same number of flights as South African Airways.

Expedia shows a connection from Orlando to Recife thru Miami and Sao
Paulo, using United 9631 + 9269 + South African Airways 7866, at about
the same price and duration as several other options.



For connections from U.S. to Recife, Brazil, any strong reasons to
connect through Sao Paulo versus Rio? (I don't want to stop over in
either place.)

There are no connections from U.S. to Recife that go through Rio.
How is that for a strong reason?

Expeida shows an option for Recife to SFO using Varig 2341 + United 9260
+ United 853 and connecting in Rio and JFK, at about the same price and
overall duration as other options thru Sao Paulo.


But I haven't checked to see if these can or can't be actually booked.

In article ,
AES/newspost wrote:

I recommend Aeroflot for internal flights in Brazil. They have about
the same number of flights as South African Airways.

Expedia shows a connection from Orlando to Recife thru Miami and Sao
Paulo, using United 9631 + 9269 + South African Airways 7866, at about
the same price and duration as several other options.

SA 7866 is a Varig flight, with South African codeshare number.

There are no connections from U.S. to Recife that go through Rio.
How is that for a strong reason?

Expeida shows an option for Recife to SFO using Varig 2341 + United 9260
+ United 853 and connecting in Rio and JFK, at about the same price and
overall duration as other options thru Sao Paulo.

United 9260 is also a Varig flight, and it stops in Sao Paolo on the
way from Rio to JFK. Neither United, nor Varig has any nonstops from
Rio to the U.S.

But I haven't checked to see if these can or can't be actually booked.

I'm sure all of these can be booked, but why on earth would you want to?
Connecting in Rio will add several hours to your trip. The plane will
go to Sao Paolo anyway, so you'll only waste time flying from Rio to
Sao Paolo and then sitting on the ground in Sao Paolo.

On Sat, 20 Mar 2004 04:33:53 +0000, Vitaly Shmatikov wrote:

In article ,
AES/newspost wrote:

I recommend Aeroflot for internal flights in Brazil. They have about
the same number of flights as South African Airways.

Expedia shows a connection from Orlando to Recife thru Miami and Sao
Paulo, using United 9631 + 9269 + South African Airways 7866, at about
the same price and duration as several other options.

SA 7866 is a Varig flight, with South African codeshare number.

There are no connections from U.S. to Recife that go through Rio.
How is that for a strong reason?

Expeida shows an option for Recife to SFO using Varig 2341 + United 9260
+ United 853 and connecting in Rio and JFK, at about the same price and
overall duration as other options thru Sao Paulo.

United 9260 is also a Varig flight, and it stops in Sao Paolo on the
way from Rio to JFK. Neither United, nor Varig has any nonstops from
Rio to the U.S.

But I haven't checked to see if these can or can't be actually booked.

I'm sure all of these can be booked, but why on earth would you want to?
Connecting in Rio will add several hours to your trip. The plane will
go to Sao Paolo anyway, so you'll only waste time flying from Rio to
Sao Paolo and then sitting on the ground in Sao Paolo.

Last time I checked, the guy wasn't going to Italy.

It's Paulo, not Paolo.

In article ,
devil wrote:

It's Paulo, not Paolo.

Paulo, Paolo, whatever, I could never figure out why they ain't using
English instead of their gibberish. Saint Paul - now that's something
you don't have to twist your tongue to pronounce.

On Sat, 20 Mar 2004 05:03:49 +0000, Vitaly Shmatikov wrote:

In article ,
devil wrote:

It's Paulo, not Paolo.

Paulo, Paolo, whatever, I could never figure out why they ain't using
English instead of their gibberish. Saint Paul - now that's something
you don't have to twist your tongue to pronounce.

Indeed, as long as you speak French, it comes out fine. Not sure in
Russian though.

Vitaly Shmatikov schrieb:

It's Paulo, not Paolo.

Paulo, Paolo, whatever, I could never figure out why they ain't using
English instead of their gibberish. Saint Paul - now that's something
you don't have to twist your tongue to pronounce.

So, go to St. Paul airport.

http://www.mspairport.com/msp/

Regards, ULF