Varig Varig's subsidiaries: After two unsuccessful attempts to auction the airline as a whole, the bankruptcy court decided to split the airline in two different judicial entities, informally known as "old" Varig and "new" Varig: Since , the former "Viação Aérea Rio-Grandense S/A" was judicially known as "Nordeste Linhas Aéreas S/A", and operated under the brand-name Flex Linhas Aéreas. On 18 August 2009, the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil renewed the authorization of Flex to operate non-regular passenger, cargo and postal services. Therefore, Flex operated flights on behalf of other airlines, as contracted. Between 17 June 2005 and 2 September
Varig 2009, "old Varig" remained in Recovery Order in the 1st Business Court of Rio de Janeiro, under the leadership of Judges Luiz Roberto Ayoub and Miguel Dau. After the bankruptcy protection was lifted, the administration of the airline could have returned to its original owner, Fundação Ruben Berta, which still owed 87% of the shares of Varig. However, Fundação Ruben Berta preferred to keep a judicial administrator. In September 2006 "old" Varig sold its participation in PLUNA (49% of the shares) to the Uruguayan Government. On , Varig Brazilian Airlines ("old" Varig) was suspended from membership in Star Alliance for