The Brazilian Airline With an Eye on Its Passengers and the Environment

RE N ATA HE R M A N N, VARIG Brazilian Airlines, Sao Paulo, Brazil

A B S T R A C T

ARIG was founded in 1927; it is the larg e s t airline in Latin America, carrying over 10 million Vpassengers a year, nationally serving 34 cities in Brazil, and internationally covering 19 countries spanning four continents. The constant challenge has been to surpass the expectations of the most discerni n g passengers. It was in this context that the VARIG style was born, and has won passengers from a wide variety of nationalities, because it is in tune with the w o r l d ’s best. The key is to combine technology, the highest international standards of quality, with a touch of Brazilian warm t h .

THE STAR ALLIANCE NETWORK VARIG aims to conquer the challenge of globalisa- tion. In this sense, joining the Star Alliance network in flown on other companies in the alliance. Figure 1 1997 was a decisive strategic action by the company, forme d Ho w e v e r , the biggest benefit of the Star Alliance VARIG MD11 by fifteen of the largest airlines in the world – Air network is the synergy stimulated by this union, since, together, Canada, Air New Zealand, ANA (All Nippon Airwa y s ) , the fifteen airlines have new means available for expanding Ansett Australia, Austrian Airlines, British Midland, Lauda their services and improving the quality of their servi c e s . Ai r , Lufthansa, Mexicana Airlines, SAS (Scandinavian Airlines), Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways Interna t i o n a l , Tyrolean Airlines, United Airlines and VARIG. E N V I R O N M E N TAL CARE AND SAFETY IS VERY The Star Alliance network has united the best in I M P O RTA N T in t e r national commercial aviation around a common The VA R I G policy is to make their passengers feel objective: provide the most in facilities and quality of servi c e safe and comfortable inside the airplanes: “We don’t want for the increasingly discerning passengers from all over them to feel they’re in an aeroplane. Besides that, we worry the world. It is in the context of this strategic co-opera- about their lives outside it too. . . our aim is to make their tion agreement that the identity and independence of each time better inside and outside VA R I G ’s airplane.” The company has been pres e r ved. Fifteen airlines have forme d question of aircraft safety is the number one priority at a large network of services provided by some 200 000 VARIG. For that reason, the company has modern employees and 1650 aircraft capable of handling over 180 Maintenance Centres in Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre and million passengers a year to 815 cities in 130 countries. São Paulo, besides an Operation Training Centre in each For passengers, the benefits begin with the check-in, of these cities. VAR I G ’ s largest Maintenance Centre, located especially for those who use the services of diffe r ent compa- in Rio de Janeiro in a 200 000 m2 ar ea next to Antonio nies. When people fly with diffe r ent members of the Star Carlos Jobim International Airport, has modern instal- Alliance network it is as though they were travelling with lations and highly sophisticated technological res o u rc e s . one company; they have only one check-in and baggage dispatch, even if they change planes several times. Environmental management system Another benefit of the Star Alliance network is a The company follows an Environmental Policy and p a rtnership of their mileage programmes, allowing has set up a management committee to the effect that VARIG passengers, for example, to receive credit for miles VARIG is a signatory of the corporate charter for

S U S TA I N A B L E D E V E L O P M E N T IN T E R N AT I O N A L 115 Figure 2 VARIG Maintenance Centre, in Rio de Janeiro

Figure 3 aw a r eness. These activities include recycling workshops, VARIG Maintenance Centre, in ec o l o g y - r elated needs and educational handouts (F.R . B . ) . Rio de Janeiro Drama and ecology programmes are run at the Company for ret i r ed senior citizens. These programmes are orga n - ised together with F.R.B. An ecology for childre n (youths and young children) of employees (summer camp) programme is run together with the F.R.B.

E N V I R O N M E N TAL PROJECTS Investments in installations and environmental proj e c t s in the last ten years totalled US$ 4,083,000 at the facilities in Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre. Planned invest- ments for 2000 add up to US$ 400,000. The following projects have been set up: • Management of Industrial Residues • Environmental Audits • Selective Collection for Recycling • Environmental Policy • Campaigns to Fight Waste • Recycling on board airplanes. sustainable development. Quality, environmental care, safety and profitability are the foundations for the I F Y O U H AV E A N Y E N Q U I R I E S R E G A R D I N G T H E strategy followed by the company in its active partici- pation in the competitive worldwide commercial aviation C O N T E N T O F T H I S A RT I C L E, P L E A S E C O N TA C T: market. Every department is involved in the Environ m e n t a l Sandra Rangel Management Programme which was established in 1997. One of the first projects was the implementation VARIG BRAZILIAN AIRLINES of the Estação de Tratamento de Efluentes Líquidos (Liquid Varig S/A Ef fluent Treatment Facility) in Porto Alegre. Subsequently Av. Almirante Silvio de Noronha, 365 the same kind of treatment facility was installed at the industrial area in Rio de Janeiro, of which the infrastruc t u r e 20021-010 Castelo was wholly planned to treat effluents and control pollu- Rio de Janeiro-RU tion. To this effect, the facility is equipped with gas washers, Brazil acoustic control devices, dust collectors, oil traps and special waste collecting systems. Tel: +55 11 3814 5799 Environmental education The Programa Interno de Educação Ambiental (In- Fax: +55 11 241 7336 Company Environment Education Programme) was E-mail: [email protected] developed to educate our employees and build their

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