Card will provide customers with a globally accepted payment option for corporate travel
SAO PAULO, Oct. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. (NYSE: GOL; Bovespa: GOLL4), the largest low-cost and low- fare airline in Latin America, announced today that the Company has become the first airline in Latin America to issue UATP accounts with the launch of its new GOL Corporate Card to business customers.
Accepted by more than 250 associated airlines, representing over 95% of all passenger air travel capacity worldwide, UATP is designed to lower the cost of sale by reducing or eliminating credit card transaction fees to airlines. Travel agencies also benefit through UATP due to lower credit card merchant service fees and the ability to automatically reconcile ticket numbers to service fees via UATP's travel agency merchant program. For corporations, the network provides a simple and direct payment method which, unlike other forms of payment, allows them to avoid foreign currency conversion fees, annual fees and per card fees. All UATP subscribers enjoy robust transactional data on all air travel purchases.
"UATP is a valuable tool to strengthen GOL's position among corporations and travel agencies, while reducing our distribution costs," says Tarcisio Gargioni, GOL's vice-president - Marketing and Services. "This is a new way of payment in Latin America and GOL is the first airline in the region to become a UATP Issuer." GOL UATP subscribers will benefit from simple enrollment, payment and reconciliation processes combined with state-of-the-art air travel activity reports. The GOL UATP program enhances travel expense management through detailed information including passenger name, carrier, destination, and other components of the travel itinerary. GOL will use UATP's new hosted billing system and corporate portal, UATP Processing Solutions, which allows for corporations to assign individual UATP account numbers to specific cost centers.
According to Ralph Kaiser, president and CEO, UATP: "Adding one of the leading low-cost, low-fare carriers like GOL to UATP's list of Issuing airlines demonstrates how popular this payment model is, not only in the Brazilian market, but worldwide. Corporate travelers in South America who use the GOL Corporate Card will experience a new level of convenience and service wherever they travel, which will enhance GOL's already stellar reputation." "By becoming an Issuer in the UATP network, GOL adds a new option for corporate travel payment capable of servicing the needs of corporations to include those who prefer to book through direct channels. With the Company's largest route network in South America, our new UATP Corporate Card program will enable us to strengthen our relationship with our corporate customers," added Mr. Gargioni.
About GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A.
GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. (NYSE:GOLNYSE:andNYSE:Bovespa:NYSE:GOLL4), the largest low-cost and low-fare airline in Latin America, offers around 800 daily flights to 49 destinations that connect all the important cities in Brazil and ten major destinations in South America and Caribbean. The Company operates a young, modern fleet of Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft, the safest and most comfortable of its class, with high aircraft utilization and efficiency levels. Fully committed to seeking innovative solutions through the use of cutting-edge technology, the Company -- via its GOL, VARIG, GOLLOG, SMILES and VOE FACIL brands -- offers its clients easy payment facilities, a wide range of complementary services and the best cost-benefit ratio in the market.
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.
CONTACT:
Investor Relations
Leonardo Pereira - CFO and IRO
Rodrigo Alves - Head of IR
Phone: (55 11) 2128-4700
E-mail:
Website: http://www.voegol.com.br/ir
Twitter : http://www.twitter.com/GOLInvest Corporate Communications
Phone: (55 11) 2128-4413
E-mail:
Twitter : http://www.twitter.com/GOLcomunicacao Media Relations
Edelman (U.S. and Europe):
M. Smith and N. Dean
Phone: 1 (212) 704-8196 / 704-4484
Emails: or
DATASOURCE: GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A.
CONTACT: Leonardo Pereira - CFO and IRO, or Rodrigo Alves - Head of IR, both of GOL Investor Relations, +011-55-11-2128-4700, ; or GOL Corporate Communications, +011-55-11-2128-4413, ; or Media Relations, M. Smith, , or N. Dean, , both of Edelman (U.S. and Europe), +1-212-704-8196, +1-212-704-4484, for GOL Web site: http://www.voegol.com.br/ir
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