Major trouble today as many international flights are suspended. Heard that aircraft are being impounded left right and centre, mainly B777s.
LHR/FRA routes seem to be the only ones remaining but NO LHR flight today. People & ticketed pax are now starting to get stranded.
From our Internal Travel Dept
American Express Global Business Travel has been advised:
Brazilian airline cancels flights:
The embattled Brazilian airline Varig has been forced to cancel 67 of its 180 daily flights amid mounting fears of financial collapse.
The move came just a day after a bankruptcy judge agreed to sell the airline to a consortium of Varig workers and two foreign investors.
This saved Varig from immediate liquidation, but the consortium must now find $75m (£40m) by Friday.
The judge has warned that without this first payment the buyout will fail.
The NV Participacoes, which represents Varig workers and two foreign investors, has agreed to pay $449m for the struggling airline.
Reports in the Brazilian media say it is appealing to Brazil's National Development Bank for a loan to cover the first deposit required for the sale.
Brazil's national airport authority has said it will begin demanding that Varig pays its airport fees every day, in cash.
The news came as the country's civil aviation authorities met other airlines to divide up Varig's routes should it cease to fly.
Increased competition
Varig has been under bankruptcy protection for a year.
It was the top airline in Brazil until 2004, but was then overtaken by TAM and later by Gol.
The airline has suffered years of financial problems because of rising costs and growing low-cost competition.
It now has just 16.7% of the domestic market, but remains the leading Brazilian carrier internationally, with a 66.4% share.
Flights from Brazil to Milan, Munich, Madrid, Paris, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Montevideo, Asuncion and Bogota are temporarily suspended," said the company.
"Flights from Brazil to Frankfurt, London, Buenos Aires, Lima, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Santiago de Chile and Caracas are operating as usual," the company added.
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