Business class is TAM's comfort class.

The business of doing international business became considerably more comfortable and less stressful last December, when TAM Brazilian Airlines initiated daily flights from Miami to Sao Paulo.

TAM has always been the businessperson's airline. From its beginnings thirty years ago as an air taxi service in the city of Marilia to its current international status throughout Brazil, South America and now into the United States, business has powered the airline.

TAM president Rolim Amaro, who initiated the airline's Red Carpet Service concept, believed business travelers were looking for schedules that enabled them to complete a business trip in one day, with most flights in early morning and late evening. There really was a red carpet rolled out for passengers to walk on, as there is a red carpet in front of each TAM ticket counter today.

Today Amaro has further extended business travel comfort, beginning with the largest, fastest, most-comfortable wide-bodied passenger carriers in the air. Business Class travel in TAM's new Airbus 330/200 is like flying in a favorite easy chair that reclines up to 145 degrees with double arm rests and only aisle and window seating. Each seat is equipped with its own power port for laptop computers and in-seat telephone systems for business communication with the added bonus of individual Internet hook-ups.

TAM's Miami-to-Sao Paulo flight staff is trilingual to accommodate travelers who feel more comfortable speaking English or Spanish, as well as Portuguese.

A recent agreement with American Airlines allows TAM passengers to fly to more than 20 cities in the United States from select Brazilian locations. Just as noteworthy is TAM's new codeshare arrangement and linked Frequent Flyer program with American Airlines, allowing travelers to accrue and redeem miles on each other's programs.

TAM also boasts the quickest turnaround time--10 minutes--from landing to take-off on all domestic flights, offering more than 100 destinations out of the downtown airport in Sao Paulo, Congohas, a free shuttle ride away.

As part of the Red Carpet Service, all Business Class travelers receive a travel kit, a pillow for back and neck support, and other useful items. A hot towel is offered prior to take-off and at landing for freshening up. On arrival, Business Class travelers receive special treatment, including priority disembarking privileges, luggage service and personal assistance via the ground crew.

TAM doubled its passenger volume over last year and the company has shown a steady profit for the past decade, a feat no other Brazilian passenger carrier has accomplished. As a member of the Airline Reporting Corporation (ARC), TAM is currently selling air carrier tickets to more than 45,000 travel agencies in the United States and 500 more in Puerto Rico. TAM is a full member of the Bank Settlement Plan (BSP) in Canada, adding 8,000 Canadian travel agencies.

TAM's flight schedules and fares are displayed in Sabre, Systeml, Apollo, Worldspan, Galileo and Amadeus, worldwide. Travel agencies can book TAM flights from Central America, the Caribbean and the Far East. Beginning next June, TAM will operate four flights between Sao Paulo and Paris, linking TAM's frequent flyer program with Air France's. A codeshare agreement with Air France will allow TAM passengers not only to connect to main cities in France, but to other European destinations as well.

The fact that TAM has world-class quality service, a solid financial balance sheet, the most complete coverage in Brazil, and excellent connections throughout South America may make it the first choice for travel agents and business passengers alike when it comes to South American travel.