KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and TAM Brazilian Airlines initiate Buenos Aires codeshare service

Subject to Government approval, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and TAM Brazilian Airlines will begin codesharing on the route between Sao São Paulo and Buenos Aires with the commencement of the 2002/03 winter schedule. These services will be operated by the TAM Brazilian Airlines carrier and will connect with KLM´s six weekly services between Amsterdam and SãoSao Paulo. This will include Buenos Aires in KLM's route network for the first time since the nonstop direct services between Amsterdam and the Argentinean capital were stopped in summer 2001.

TAM will operate the six weekly codeshare flights between SãoSao Paulo and Buenos Aires using modern Airbus 330 aircraft.

"We are very pleased that the cooperation with such a distinguished airline as TAM brings back Buenos Aires into KLM´s global route network", says KLM´s Chief Operating Officer Peter Hartman. "We are glad that together with TAM we can offer our passengers an extended continental route network in South America through a smooth connection in SãoSao Paulo and the modern and convenient TAM service".

TAM Brazilian Airlines is the second largest airline in Brazil. It operates a fleet of 74 aircraft, using mainly Airbus (A330, A320 and A319) and Fokker 100 equipment. TAM serves more than 40 domestic destinations in Brazil. Additionally, the Brazilian airline boasts Miami and Paris as international destinations in the U.S. and Europe respectively. In 2001, the Brazilian airline carried 13 million passengers.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and its partners serve over 400 cities in 78 countries on six continents. KLM operates a fleet of 152 aircraft from its homebase Amsterdam Schiphol in the Netherlands, one of the world's most modern hub airports. KLM is the core airline of the KLM Group, further comprising KLM cityhopper, KLM uk and Transavia. In 2001, KLM carried more than 15.9 million passengers.