PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 OF THE
Vila Olímpia
05457-006 São Paulo, São Paulo
Federative Republic of Brazil
annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F ___X___ Form 40-F ______
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the
information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the
information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Yes ______ No ___X___
registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):
GOL Announces Traffic Statistics for December 2007
São Paulo, January 3, 2008 - GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A. (NYSE: GOL and Bovespa: GOLL4), the parent company of Brazilian airlines GOL Transportes Aéreos S.A. (“GTA”, Brazil’s low-cost low-fare airline)
and VRG Linhas Aéreas S.A. (“VRG”, Brazil’s premium service airline), today released preliminary passenger statistics for the month of December 2007. Consolidated domestic passenger traffic (RPK) for December 2007 increased 56%
and capacity (ASK) increased 54% year-over-year. Domestic consolidated load factor for the month was 72% and international consolidated load factor was 56%. GOL’s total system load factor for the month of December was 68%.
GTA’s
domestic passenger traffic (RPK) for December 2007 was 1,741mm and capacity (ASK) was 2,337mm. International passenger traffic (RPK) was 190mm and capacity (ASK) was 293mm. VRG’s domestic passenger traffic (RPK) for December 2007 was 144mm and
capacity (ASK) was 268mm. International passenger traffic (RPK) was 302mm and capacity (ASK) was 582mm.
| Consolidated Operating Data | December | December | Change | |||
| 2007 * | 2006 * | (%) | ||||
| Total System | ||||||
| ASK (mm) (1) | 3,480.5 | 2,262.9 | 53.8% | |||
| RPK (mm) (2) | 2,376.7 | 1,526.1 | 55.7% | |||
| Load Factor (3) | 68.3% | 67.4% | +0.9 p.p. | |||
| Domestic Market | ||||||
| ASK (mm) (1) | 2,605.2 | 1,987.7 | 31.1% | |||
| RPK (mm) (2) | 1,884.9 | 1,370.3 | 37.6% | |||
| Load Factor (3) | 72.4% | 68.9% | +3.5 p.p. | |||
| International Market | ||||||
| ASK (mm) (1) | 875.3 | 275.2 | 218.1% | |||
| RPK (mm) (2) | 491.8 | 155.8 | 215.7% | |||
| Load Factor (3) | 56.2% | 56.6% | -0.4 p.p. | |||
| ( * ) December 2007 - preliminary data; final data for December 2006. | ||||||
| (1) | Available seat kilometers represents the aircraft seating capacity multiplied by the number of kilometers the seats are flown. |
| (2) | Revenue passenger kilometers represents the numbers of kilometers flown by revenue passengers. |
| (3) | Load factor represents the percentage of aircraft seating capacity that is actually utilized (calculated by dividing revenue passenger kilometers by available seat kilometers). |
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About GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A.
GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A. is the parent company of Brazilian airlines GOL Transportes Aéreos S.A. (“GTA”, a low-cost, low-fare airline which operates the GOL brand) and VRG Linhas Aéreas S.A. (“VRG”, a
premium service airline which operates the VARIG brand). GTA and VRG offer daily flights to more destinations in Brazil than any other domestic airline while providing customers with the most convenient flight schedules in the country. The airlines
operate a young, modern fleet of Boeing aircraft, the safest and most comfortable aircraft of its class, with low maintenance, fuel and training costs, and high aircraft utilization and efficiency ratios. In addition to safe and reliable services,
which stimulate brand recognition and customer satisfaction, the Company’s service is recognized as the best value proposition in the market. Growth plans include increasing frequencies in existing markets and adding service to additional
markets in both Brazil and other high-traffic travel destinations. Shares are listed on the NYSE (GOL) and the Bovespa (GOLL4) stock exchanges.
GOL Transportes Aéreos S.A., Brazil’s low-cost, low-fare airline, offers over 640 daily flights
to 60 destinations connecting the most important cities in Brazil as well as the main destinations in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. For more information on GOL flight times and fares, please access www.voegol.com.br or call:
0300 115 2121 in Brazil, 0810 266 3131 in Argentina, 800 1001 21 in Bolivia, 1 888 0042 0090 or 1230 020 9104 in Chile, 009 800 55 1 0007 in Paraguay, 0800 52 900 in Peru, 0004 055 127 in Uruguay and 55 11 2125-3200 in other countries.
VRG Linhas
Aéreas S.A., Brazil’s premium service airline, offers over 120 daily flights to 14 destinations in Brazil: Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Curitiba, Fernando de Noronha, Florianópolis, Fortaleza, Manaus, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de
Janeiro (Santos Dumont and Tom Jobim), Salvador and São Paulo (Congonhas and Guarulhos). VRG also offers 14 daily flights to eight international destinations in South America and Europe: Buenos Aires, Bogotá, Caracas and Santiago, in South
America and Frankfurt, London, Paris and Rome, in Europe. For more information on VRG flight times and fares, please access www.varig.com.br or call: 4003 7000 in Brazil, 0810 266 6874 in Argentina, 57 1 350 7100 in Colombia, 44 207 660 0341 in
England, 33 1 70 48 00 58 in France, 39 06 4877 1352 in Italy, 34 91 754 7014 in Spain and 1 800 468 2744 or 1 800 GO VARIG in the USA and Canada.
CONTACT: GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A.
| Investor Relations | Media | |
| Ph: (5511) 3169 6800 | Ph: (5511) 3169 6967 | |
| E-mail: ri@golnaweb.com.br | E-mail: comcorp@golnaweb.com.br | |
| Site: www.voegol.com.br/ir | Edelman; G. Juncadella and M. Smith | |
| Ph: +1 (212) 704-4448 / 704-8196 | ||
| E-mail:gabriela.juncadella@edelman.com; | ||
| meaghan.smith@edelman.com |
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.
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GOL LINHAS AÉREAS INTELIGENTES S.A. |
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By: |
/S/ Richard F. Lark, Jr.
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Name: Richard F. Lark, Jr.
Title: Executive Vice President – Finance, Chief Financial Officer |
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This press release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements are statements that are not historical facts, and are based on management's current view and estimates offuture economic circumstances, industry conditions, company performance and financial results. The words "anticipates", "believes", "estimates", "expects", "plans" and similar expressions, as they relate to the company, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Statements regarding the declaration or payment of dividends, the implementation of principal operating and financing strategies and capital expenditure plans, the direction of future operations and the factors or trends affecting financial condition, liquidity or results of operations are examples of forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the current views of management and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. There is no guarantee that the expected events, trends or results will a ctually occur. The statements are based on many assumptions and factors, including general economic and market conditions, industry conditions, and operating factors. Any changes in such assumptions or factors could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.