SAO PAULO, Brazil, Aug. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- TAM (Bovespa: TAMM4 and NYSE: TAM) will begin operating regular flights between Sao Paulo and Bariloche, Argentina, beginning Thursday, August 14. The service will provide continuity to the exploratory flights begun July 3. Customers will be able to fly to Bariloche any time of the year, selecting the most convenient date for a trip.

Flights will depart Guarulhos International Airport in Sao Paulo Thursdays and Sundays, landing at San Carlos de Bariloche International Airport - Teniente Luis Candelaria. In the opposite direction, flights will be leaving Mondays and Fridays. Flights will be operated by the Airbus A320 aircraft, which can carry up to 174 passengers.

TAM is the only airline to operate regular direct flights between Sao Paulo and Bariloche. The company offers holiday packages to Bariloche through TAM's operating partners, as well as TAM Viagens, the tourism unit of TAM Linhas Aereas. Complete infrastructure for cargo transport is available through TAM Cargo.

Regular TAM flights to Bariloche will be on new schedules. The flight will depart Guarulhos International Airport at 8:45 p.m., arriving in Bariloche at 1:35 a.m. The return will leave Bariloche at 3:05 a.m., arriving in Sao Paulo at 7:18 a.m.

About TAM:

TAM (www.tam.com.br) has been the leader in the Brazilian domestic market since July 2003, closing July with a 51.1% market share. The company operates flights to 42 Brazilian destinations. It serves 79 different destinations in the domestic market through commercial agreements with regional companies. Among Brazilian airline companies, its international market share was 72.5% in July. International operations include direct flights to 15 destinations in the United States, Europe and South America: New York and Miami (USA), Paris (France), London (England), Milan (Italy), Frankfurt (Germany), Madrid (Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Cochabamba and Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia), Santiago (Chile), Asuncion and Ciudad del Este (Paraguay), Montevideo (Uruguay) and Caracas (Venezuela). Additionally, it has code share agreements with international airline companies allowing passengers to travel to another 64 destinations in the U.S., Europe and South America. Pioneer in the launch of a loyalty program in Brazil, at present TAM has more than 5 million associates and has redeemed more than 5.9 million tickets in exchange for points.

SOURCE TAM