Flex Linhas Aéreas
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| Founded | 2006 (as Nordeste) 2007 (as Flex) |
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| Commenced operations | 2008 | ||||||
| Ceased operations | 2010 | ||||||
| Operating bases | Rio de Janeiro/Galeão - Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport | ||||||
| Fleet size | 1 | ||||||
| Destinations | Charters | ||||||
| Parent company | Ruben Berta Foundation | ||||||
| Headquarters | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | ||||||
| Key people | Carlos Berardinelli (Director) | ||||||
| Website | www.voeflex.com.br | ||||||
Flex Linhas Aéreas, styled as FLEX, was a Brazilian non-regular charter airline based at Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport. It is the brand name of Nordeste Linhas Aéreas S.A., judicial successor of former Viação Aérea Rio-Grandense, known as Varig. Informally Flex is known as "old Varig". The rebranding was necessary because since July 20, 2006 the brand Varig belongs to a different judicial entity. Flex was declared bankrupt on August 20, 2010.
The history of Flex Linhas Aéreas is intimately related to the one of Varig, since Flex is the judicial successor of Varig.
On 17 June 2005 the airline Varig requested to be placed under bankruptcy protection and to begin a recovery process. The request was granted on 22 June 2005.
As part of this process, the airline was divided into two portions, informally known as "old" Varig and "new" Varig. "Old" Varig was judicially known as Viação Aérea Rio-Grandense. "New" Varig, judicially known as VRG Linhas Aéreas, is a new airline formed with some assets of the original Varig and which was auctioned on 14 July 2006. The legal procedures were finalized on 20 July 2006. Since that day VRG Linhas Aéreas and Viação Aérea Rio-Grandense have been different judicial entities and airlines.
At the time of the auction, the assets of VRG Linhas Aéreas comprised the brands Varig and Rio Sul Serviços Aéreos, Varig's route rights, all aircraft but one and the Smiles mileage program. VRG Linhas Aéreas was bought by VarigLog. On 28 March 2007 VarigLog sold "new Varig" to Gol Transportes Aéreos, which presently operates the brand Varig.
Viação Aérea Rio Grandense, informally known as "old Varig", retained the brand of Varig's former subsidiary Nordeste Linhas Aéreas Regionais, the IATA code of Nordeste, one aircraft, debts, liabilities, legal disputes, and various assets, concessions and properties of the original Varig. Since "old Varig", could not use the name Varig (brand and judicial name) anymore, its official judicial denomination changed to Nordeste Linhas Aéreas S.A.
In order to give an image of new start, the brand name Flex was chosen. This name was unveiled on 23 October 2007 during the Brazilian Travel Agents Congress ABAV, in Rio de Janeiro. The first flight under the new brand, a charter return flight between Rio de Janeiro Galeão-Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport and Salvador-Deputado Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport, took place on 8 March 2008.
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