Sociedade Anônima Viação Aérea Gaúcha

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SAVAG – Sociedade Anônima Viação Aérea Gaúcha was a Brazilian airline founded on November 25, 1946, in Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul. It began flying in 1947 and mainly served Rio Grande do Sul, later expanding to Santa Catarina. The founders were Augusto Otero and Gustavo Kraemer.

SAVAG bought three Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar aircraft from Panair do Brasil in 1947 and started routes connecting Porto Alegre, Rio Grande, Pelotas, and Bagé. In 1948 it extended service to the northern part of the state. The airline faced strong competition from Varig and received support from Cruzeiro do Sul, which helped with an operational partnership and the purchase of two Douglas DC-3s.

Varig pressured the Air Force Ministry to reduce SAVAG’s route concessions due to competition. On January 1, 1966, SAVAG was bought by and merged into Cruzeiro do Sul.

In 1953 Bagé International Airport was named after Gustavo Kraemer, founder of SAVAG. Porto Alegre’s Salgado Filho International Airport was named after Joaquim Pedro Salgado Filho, a senator and minister who died in a 1950 SAVAG aircraft accident.

By 1960, SAVAG operated in Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul.