Oct. 21, 2009 (PR Newswire) --

SAO PAULO, Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. (Bovespa: GOLL4 and NYSE: GOL), the largest low-cost and low-fare airline in Latin America, announced today that the Company has become the first airline in Latin America to issue UATP accounts with the launch of its new GOL Corporate Card to business customers.

Accepted by more than 250 associated airlines, representing over 95% of all passenger air travel capacity worldwide, UATP is designed to lower the cost of sale by reducing or eliminating credit card transaction fees to airlines. Travel agencies also benefit through UATP due to lower credit card merchant service fees and the ability to automatically reconcile ticket numbers to service fees via UATP's travel agency merchant program. For corporations, the network provides a simple and direct payment method which unlike other forms of payment, allows them to avoid foreign currency conversion fees, annual fees and per card fees. All UATP subscribers enjoy robust transactional data on all air travel purchases.

"UATP is a valuable tool to strengthen GOL's position among corporations and travel agencies, while reducing our distribution costs," says Tarcisio Gargioni, GOL's vice-president - Marketing and Services. "This is a new way of payment in Latin America and GOL is the first airline in the region to become a UATP Issuer."

GOL UATP subscribers will benefit from simple enrollment, payment and reconciliation processes combined with state-of-the-art air travel activity reports. The GOL UATP program enhances travel expense management through detailed information including passenger name, carrier, destination, and other components of the travel itinerary. GOL will use UATP's new hosted billing system and corporate portal, UATP Processing Solutions, which allows for corporations to assign individual UATP account numbers to specific cost centers.

According to Ralph Kaiser, president and CEO, UATP, "Adding one of the leading low-cost, low-fare carriers like GOL to UATP's list of Issuing airlines demonstrates how popular this payment model is, not only in the Brazilian market, but worldwide. Corporate travelers in South America who use the GOL Corporate Card will experience a new level of convenience and service wherever they travel which will enhance GOL's already stellar reputation."

"By becoming an Issuer in the UATP network, GOL adds a new option for corporate travel payment capable of servicing the needs of corporations to include those who prefer to book through direct channels.