Aerovias Brasil Aerovias Brasil Empresa de Transportes Aéreos Aerovias Brasil S/A was a Brazilian airline founded in 1942. It was merged into Varig in 1961, when Varig bought the Consórcio Real-Aerovias-Nacional, of which Aerovias Brasil was one of the partners. Aerovias Brasil was founded on August 26, 1942, as part of an ambitious project of TACA Airlines: the creation of one national airline in each Latin American country. Therefore, two of the shareholders of Taca had 66.6% of the shares whereas 33.4% belonged to 29 Brazilian share-holders being the brothers Oscar and Roberto Taves the most important. Later, the brothers would leave
Varig a new competitor in the Brazilian market: Gol Airlines and increasing competition of VASP and Transbrasil fighting for survival by dumping fares. Furthermore, for the first time since 1961, Varig lost the first place in the domestic market share in terms of passengers/km for TAM Airlines. Later in the year, the September 11 attacks further increased operational and economic difficulties of Varig. In 2002, Ruben Berta Foundation merged the administration of Varig and its subsidiary Rio Sul Serviços Aéreos Regionais (which included the brand Nordeste Linhas Aéreas Regionais). The three brands were used separately with Rio-Sul and Nordeste providing feeder