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05457-006 São Paulo, São Paulo
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annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
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registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):
VRG Launches Flights to Santiago, Chile
São Paulo, December 9, 2007 – GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A. (NYSE: GOL and Bovespa: GOLL4), the parent company of Brazil’s low-cost airlines GOL Transportes Aéreos S.A. and VRG Linhas Aéreas S.A., announces that today VRG began daily operations to its newest international route: São Paulo – Santiago.
Daily flights will depart from Guarulhos International Airport at 10:50 AM (local time), arriving at the Chilean capital at 1:50 PM (local time). On the return, flights will depart from Santiago’s Merino Benitez International Airport at 3:30 PM (local time), landing in São Paulo at 8 PM (local time).
“Launching the São Paulo – Santiago route is another step in the expansion of VRG’s route network, which currently offers connections between countries in South America and Europe,” says Lincoln Amano, VRG’s commercial director. The Company currently flies to Frankfurt, London, Paris, and Rome in Europe, and Bogotá, Buenos Aires and Caracas in South America.
According to Brazil’s Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, Chile now ranks seventh among the largest importers of Brazilian goods. Brazilian exports to Chile grew nearly 8 percent last year, totaling US$ 3.9 billion. Brazil imported approximately US$ 2.9 billion in goods and services from Chile, a 66.5 percent increase compared to 2005. According to Embratur, since 2002 Chile has ranked eleventh among the top 15 countries providing tourists to Brazil. Approximately 150,000 Chilean tourists visited Brazil in 2006 and nearly 197,000 Brazilians traveled to Chile over the same period.
Tickets to Santiago are available for purchase through VRG’s website (www.varig.com) and the Company’s call centers. Please see the destination table below for flight departure schedules:
| Origin | Destination | Frequency | Departure* | Arrival* |
| São Paulo | Santiago | Daily | 10:50 AM | 01:50 PM |
| Santiago | São Paulo | Daily | 03:30 PM | 08:00 PM |
*Local time |
About GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A.
GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A. is the parent company of low-cost airlines GOL Transportes Aéreos S.A. (“GTA”, which operates the GOL brand) and VRG Linhas Aéreas S.A. (“VRG”, which operates the VARIG
brand). GTA and VRG offer daily flights to more destinations in Brazil than any other domestic airline while providing customers with the most convenient flight schedules in the country. The airlines operate a young, modern fleet of Boeing aircraft,
the safest and most comfortable aircraft of its class, with low maintenance, fuel and training costs, and high aircraft utilization and efficiency ratios. In addition to safe and reliable services, which stimulate brand recognition and customer
satisfaction, the Company’s service is recognized as the best value
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proposition in the market. Growth plans include increasing frequencies in existing markets and adding service to additional markets in both Brazil and other high-traffic travel destinations. Shares are listed on the NYSE (GOL) and the Bovespa (GOLL4) stock exchanges.
GOL Transportes Aéreos S.A. offers over 630 daily flights to 59 destinations connecting the most important cities in Brazil as well as the main destinations in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. For more information on GOL flight times and fares, please access www.voegol.com.br or call: 0300 115 2121 in Brazil, 0810 266 3131 in Argentina, 800 1001 21 in Bolivia, 1 888 0042 0090 or 1230 020 9104 in Chile, 009 800 55 1 0007 in Paraguay, 0800 52 900 in Peru, 0004 055 127 in Uruguay and 55 11 2125-3200 in other countries.
VRG Linhas Aéreas S.A. offers over 120 daily flights to 14 destinations in Brazil: Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Curitiba, Fernando de Noronha, Florianópolis, Fortaleza, Manaus, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro (Santos Dumont and Tom Jobim), Salvador and São Paulo (Congonhas and Guarulhos). VRG also offers 16 daily flights to eight international destinations in South America and Europe: Buenos Aires, Bogotá and Caracas, in South America and Frankfurt, London, Paris, Rome and Santiago, in Europe. For more information on VRG flight times and fares, please access www.varig.com.br or call: 4003 7000 in Brazil, 0810 266 6874 in Argentina, 57 1 350 7100 in Colombia, 44 207 660 0341 in England, 33 1 70 48 00 58 in France, 39 06 4877 1352 in Italy, 34 91 754 7014 in Spain and 1 800 468 2744 or 1 800 GO VARIG in the USA and Canada.
CONTACT: GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A.
| Corporate Communications and Media – | Investor Relations |
| Brazil & Latin America | Ph: (5511) 3169 6800 |
| Ph: (5511) 3169 6967 | E-mail: ri@golnaweb.com.br |
| E-mail: comcorp@golnaweb.com.br | Site: www.voegol.com.br/ir |
| Media – U.S. & Europe | |
| Edelman; G. Juncadella and M. Smith | |
| Ph: +1 (212) 704-4448 / 704-8196 | |
| 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 GOL’s management concerning the future of the business and its continued access to capital to fund the Company’s 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 GOL’s filed disclosure documents and are, therefore, subject to change without prior notice.
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GOL LINHAS AÉREAS INTELIGENTES S.A. |
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By: |
/S/ Richard F. Lark, Jr.
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Name: Richard F. Lark, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President – Finance, Chief Financial Officer |
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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.