TAM Tops 2008 Top of Mind Survey Among Airlines in Rio Grande do Sul

SAO PAULO, Brazil, April 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- TAM (Bovespa: TAMM4 and NYSE: TAM) is the first Brazilian airline that comes to mind for the "gauchos", the people of Rio Grande do Sul. The company achieved the ranking in the 2008 Top Of Mind survey, conducted since 1991 by Revista Amanha, a business and economics magazine from Porto Alegre (RS). This is the first time the company has led in its category, scoring 34.8% among those surveyed in the area.

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According to the magazine, 1,200 interviews conducted from the beginning of the year through February were used to calculate the results. Customers surveyed were from all social classes, between 16 and 65 years of age. To arrive at the final list that put TAM in first place, the question asked was: out of all the categories surveyed, what is the first company, product, service or personality that comes to mind?

"We're pleased with this recognition in a market as important as the Gaucho is," said TAM Marketing Director, Manoela Amaro. "The results go along with our commitment to providing excellent service, which is one of TAM's three pillars -- along with excellent management and technical operational excellence."

    Investor Relations:
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About TAM:

TAM (http://www.tam.com.br) has been the leader in the Brazilian domestic market for more than four years and closed March 2008 with a 51.4% market share. The company operates flights to 42 Brazilian destinations. It serves 79 different destinations in the Brazilian market through commercial agreements with regional companies. Among Brazilian airline companies, TAM's international market share was 68.9% in March. Its international operations include direct flights to 17 destinations: New York and Miami (USA), Paris (France), London (England), Milan (Italy), Frankfurt (Germany), Madrid (Spain), Buenos Aires and Cordoba (Argentina), Santiago (Chile), Caracas (Venezuela), Montevideo and Punta del Este (Uruguay), Asuncion and Ciudad del Este (Paraguay), and Santa Cruz de la Sierra and Cochabamba (Bolivia). Additionally, it has code share agreements with international airlines, which allow passengers to travel to another 64 destinations in the United States, South America and Europe. TAM was the first airline company to launch a loyalty program in Brazil; TAM's program currently has 4.5 million members and has redeemed more than 5.2 million tickets in exchange for points.