Brazil's once flagship airline has very little of its past glory left. Now, it has been stripped even from its logo. The the old bankrupted company, which was bought by young Gol, got a new visual based in the orange color of its parent company.
The initial changes in the company's new visual identity are based on a new logo: orange surrounded by a strong blue with waves that simulate the aerodynamics of an airplane during flight.Â
These lines also appear in the exterior design painted on the aircraft, on the cabin crew's uniforms, and in all of Varig's airport terminals.
Varig, which was bought for US$ 320 million in March, plans to increase by 65% the number of its workers until the end of next year. This means it will count on 4,166 employees instead of the current 2,522.
According to Constantino de Oliveira Júnior, Gol's president, Varig's workers who were dismissed when the company went into bankruptcy will the first ones called:
"The hiring has already started. Gol as well as Varig are giving priority to Varig's former employees."
Gol is not saying how much it's spending on the Varig's new visual identity, but Oliveira Júnior, guaranteed that it's a lot: "It's a high-figure value, but we're not revealing how much it is."
There are also promises of 200 new daily flights, new routes and new fleet. Varig should grow from a fleet of 20 planes to over 30. They will be for the most part Boeings with a few Airbuses in the mix.
The transformation of Varig's brand will also cater to passenger's senses, says Gol. On international routes, the company created a new concept, "Espaço Vita" (Life Space). This means, according to the company that flight attendants will now offer passengers selections from a specially-created menu with nutritious meal options as well as complimentary newspapers and magazines.
Passengers in domestic flight will have what's being called Sabores e Aromas do Brasil (Tastes and Aromas of Brazil) – a new in-flight service offering.
"The new low-cost operating model adopted by the company allows Varig to offer high standards of customer service at a lower cost. Passenger satisfaction is our main concern: 100% care, 0% excess," says Murilo Barbosa, Varig's Marketing Director.
Varig's VIP rooms at Rio de Janeiro's Tom Jobim Airport, Sao Paulo's Guarulhos Airport, Paraná's Afonso Pena Airport, and Rio Grande do Sul's Salgado Filho Airport are being remodeled.
