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05457-006 São Paulo, São Paulo
Federative Republic of Brazil
annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
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registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):
GOL Announces Traffic Statistics for August 2007
São Paulo, September 6, 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. (“GTA”, that operates the GOL brand) and VRG Linhas Aéreas S.A. (“VRG”, that operates the VARIG brand), today released preliminary passenger statistics for the month of August 2007. Consolidated domestic passenger traffic (RPK) for August 2007 increased 1% and capacity (ASK) increased 44% year-over-year. Domestic consolidated load factor for the month was 54%, and in the international market consolidated load factor was 55%. GOL’s total consolidated load factorfor the month of August was 54%. Average fares increased approximately 4% versus August 2006.
Domestic load factors were negatively impacted by a reduction in demand during August, as a result of events at the Congonhas airport in São Paulo during late July, reflecting in immediate aversion by customers, especially corporates. Suspension of ticket sales at the end of July, bad weather, transfer of flights to Guarulhos and intense press coverage of an accident translated into a reduction in demand. At the end of July, GOL transferred 11 daily flights from the Congonhas airport to the Guarulhos airport and maintained 70 direct daily flights departing from Congonhas to 16 Brazilian cities. VRG currently keeps 52 direct daily flights departing from the Congonhas airport to seven Brazilian cities.
GTA’s domestic passenger traffic (RPK) for August 2007 was 1,160mm and capacity (ASK) was 2,098mm. International passenger traffic (RPK) was 201mm and capacity (ASK) was 354mm. VRG’s domestic passenger traffic (RPK) for August 2007 was 72mm and capacity (ASK) was 192mm. International passenger traffic (RPK) was 192mm and capacity (ASK) was 356mm.
| Operating Data | August | August | Change | |||
| 2007 * | 2006 * | (%) | ||||
| Total System | ||||||
| ASK (mm)(1) | 2,999.2 | 1,745.5 | 71.8% | |||
| RPK (mm)(2) | 1,625.1 | 1,345.7 | 20.8% | |||
| Load Factor(3) | 54.2% | 77.1% | -22.9 p.p. | |||
| Domestic Market | ||||||
| ASK (mm)(1) | 2,289.2 | 1,591.3 | 43.9% | |||
| RPK (mm)(2) | 1,232.3 | 1,226.0 | 0.5% | |||
| Load Factor(3) | 53.8% | 77.0% | -23.2 p.p. | |||
| International Market | ||||||
| ASK (mm)(1) | 710.0 | 154.2 | 360.4% | |||
| RPK (mm)(2) | 392.8 | 119.7 | 228.2% | |||
| Load Factor(3) | 55.3% | 77.6% | -22.3 p.p. |
| ( * ) August 2007 - preliminary data; final data for August 2006. |
| (1)Available seat kilometersrepresents the aircraft seating capacity multiplied by the number of kilometers the seats are flown. |
| (2)Revenue passenger kilometersrepresents the numbers of kilometers flown by revenue passengers. |
| (3)Load factorrepresents the percentage of aircraft seating capacity that is actually utilized (calculated by dividing revenue passenger kilometers by available seat kilometers). |
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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 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 58 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 13 destinations in Brazil: Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Curitiba, Fernando de Noronha, Florianópolis, Manaus, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro (Galeão and Santos Dumont), Salvador and São Paulo (Congonhas and Guarulhos). VRG also offers 18 daily flights to four international destinations in South America and Europe: Buenos Aires, Bogotá and Caracas, in South America and Frankfurt, in Europe. For more information on VRG flight times and fares, please access www.varig.com.br or call: 4003-7000 in Brazil, 54 11 4329 9211 in Buenos Aires (Monday - Friday), 0810 32182744 in other areas of Argentina (Monday - Friday), or 54 11 5480 8017 9 in all areas of Argentina (Saturday - Sunday and Holidays), 57 1 350 7100 in Colombia, 44 207 660 0341 in England, 33 1 70 48 00 58 in France, 39 023 859 1250 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.
| Investor Relations | Corporate Communications |
| Ph: (5511) 3169 6800 | Ph: (5511) 3169 6967 |
| E-mail:ri@golnaweb.com.br | E-mail: |
| Site:www.voegol.com.br/ir | comunicacaocorporativa@golnaweb.com.br |
| Media – Brazil & Latin America | Media – U.S. & Europe |
| MVL Comunicação; D. Barbará and A. | Edelman; G. Juncadella and M. Smith |
| Michelacci | Ph: +1 (212) 704-4448 / 704-8196 |
| Ph: (5511) 3049-0349 / 0341 | E-mail:gabriela.juncadella@edelman.com; |
| E-mail:daniela.barbara@mvl.com.br; | meaghan.smith@edelman.com |
| alexandre.michelacci@mvl.com.br | |
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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. | ||
| By: | /S/ Richard F. Lark, Jr. | |
Name: Richard F. Lark, Jr. Title: Executive Vice President – Finance, Chief Financial Officer | ||
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.