Tag Archives: LATAM Airlines (Brazil)

LATAM and Delta inaugurate the joint venture’s first route between the U.S. and Brazil

The first flight connecting the U.S. and Brazil as part of the joint venture between LATAM Airlines and Delta Air Lines landed in Los Angeles (LAX) on August 2.

The Boeing 777 aircraft landed in the morning, having taken off from São Paulo (GRU) on Tuesday evening (August 1). This makes Los Angeles the first city on the West Coast with a direct flight to Brazil and the airline’s fifth destination in the U.S., after Miami (MIA), Orlando (MCO), New York (JFK), and Boston (BOS).

The direct flight between Los Angeles and São Paulo takes 12 hours — a trip four hours shorter than connecting through Santiago or Lima, where LATAM also offers flights.

From São Paulo, LATAM customers will also be able to easily connect to more than 120 popular South American destinations operated by LATAM in countries such as Colombia, Peru, and Chile. There are three weekly flights operating with Boeing 777 aircraft, which accommodate 38 passengers in the Premium Business cabin, 50 in Economy+, and 322 in Economy.

After November 2023, the route will be operated on Boeing 787-9 aircraft, with capacity for 30 customers in the Premium Business cabin, 57 in Premium Economy, and 213 in Economy.

LATAM eliminates 88% of single-use plastics on board its aircraft, advancing in its goal of eliminating them by the end of 2023

The LATAM group ended the first half of the year with significant progress in its goal of eliminating single-use plastics on board its aircraft by the end of 2023. The group managed to reduce them by 88% thanks to the implementation of circular economy projects, which meant a total reduction of 1,600 tons of plastic, equivalent to 266 million plastic bags.

“Our commitment is to eliminate single-use plastics by 2023 and to be zero waste to landfills by 2027. Two years ago, we decided to migrate from a linear model to a circular one, where waste becomes a resource with a new life. We will continue working on more initiatives that allow us to contribute to the environment”, comments Estela Espinoza, Experience Manager of the LATAM Group.

Use of organic and reusable materials

One of the initiatives implemented by the group was the replacement of single-use plastics for organic materials, such as paper in the case of the new cups, bamboo for cutlery, sugar cane for container lids and reusable materials such as pans and trays in the economy cabin and cloth bags in the business cabin.

This was complemented by the work being done by LATAM with its “Recycle your trip” program, which promotes the segregation of certain waste generated in the on-board service to be subsequently recycled, which is under permanent review and improvement. “Recycle your trip” is currently operating on domestic flights in Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and is being evaluated to be implemented in Brazil in the near future.

LATAM also continued with its “Second Flight” program, which gives the airline’s uniforms and various disused textile elements a second life. To do this, South American artisans and entrepreneurs transform these items into new products, such as passport holders, luggage tags, wallets and keychains, among others.

In May 2021, the LATAM group launched its renewed sustainability strategy in which it set challenging goals: to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, to eliminate single-use plastics by 2023; and to become a zero waste to landfill group in 2027, in order to contribute to the protection of South America´s ecosystems for the next 30 years.

LATAM receives a new aircraft using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for the first time

LATAM Group and Airbus carried out their first ferry flight with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), between the cities of Toulouse (France) and Fortaleza (Brazil).

The flight, which used a fuel blend with 30% SAF produced from used cooking oil, was carried out in an A320neo, an aircraft with advanced technology to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, and is part of the project renewal of the LATAM fleet that will allow the group to have more than 100 A320neo family aircraft in operation by the end of this decade.

By the end of this year, LATAM expects to have 31 A320neo family aircraft in operation as part of the renewal plan, with the group reaching a total fleet of 323 aircraft by the end of 2023. This will allow it not only to complement its current fleet of new generation aircraft, but also to become one of the most modern and efficient fleets in South America, further improving its connectivity. Currently, the group operates 1,500 daily flights to 147 destinations in 24 countries.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is a type of fuel that comes from alternative raw materials such as waste, fats and oils, among others, which are processed to produce a low CO2 fuel during its life cycle. In this case, the 30% of SAF used in the flight had an attributed reduction factor of around 80% of CO2 in its life cycle, compared to conventional fuel. (According to the ICAO “Default Life Cycle Emissions Values for CORSIA Eligible Fuels”)

“This flight is a joint effort between LATAM and Airbus and represents one of our most concrete advances in the group’s agenda regarding the use of SAF. Last year, we announced our interest in reaching a 5% use of SAF by 2030, prioritizing its production in South America, and we did so because we are convinced that sustainable aviation fuels will play an important role in the decarbonization of the industry.” said the CFO of the LATAM Group, Ramiro Alfonsín.

The executive added that “today, the quantities of SAF available worldwide are very limited, and access to this type of fuel in South America continues to be one of the major challenges facing the decarbonization of the industry. South America has great potential to produce SAF and thereby make a very significant contribution to climate action, which is why it is important to advance an agenda that involves different stakeholders to promote SAF production in our region”.

The A320neo aircraft offers an average fuel saving, compared to previous technology, of 15%, which can reach 20% on the longest hauls. According to data from the manufacturer, since its entry into service, the A320neo Family has managed to avoid the generation of approximately 20 million tons of CO2 and a reduction of up to 50% in its acoustic footprint.

In May 2021, the LATAM group launched its renewed sustainability strategy in which it set challenging goals: Achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, eliminate single-use plastics by 2023; and become a zero waste to landfill group in 2027, in order to contribute to the protection of South American ecosystems for the next 30 years.

LATAM group domestic operations to exceed pre-pandemic levels

LATAM group projects a passenger operation of 85% for January (measured in available seat kilometers – ASK) compared to the same period in 2019. The group expects to operate approximately 1,409 domestic and international daily flights during the month, connecting 144 destinations in 22 countries. In terms of cargo, the group has more than 1,590 flights scheduled.

At the group level, domestic operation data for January (Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru) exceeds the levels of the same period in 2019, with the exception of Chile whose recovery has been slower compared to the rest of the markets. In the case of cargo, the positive trend continues and accumulates a sixth consecutive month with a capacity projection above pre-pandemic data.

In December 2022, passenger traffic (measured in revenue passenger-kilometers – RPK) was 80.0% compared to the same period in 2019, based on an operation measured in ASK (available seat-kilometers) of 85.2% compared to December 2019. This implied that the load factor decreased 5.1 percentage points, reaching 78.4%.

In cargo, the load factor was 54.7%, which corresponds to a decrease of 2.6 percentage points compared to December 2019.

LATAM Group Operation Estimate – January 2023

(passenger operations measured in ASK / cargo operations measured in ATK)

Brazil	● 94% projected operation (versus January 2019). Reference December 2022 projection: 92% 120% domestic and 71% international ● Total destinations in January: 54 domestic and 21 international.
Chile	● 73% projected operation (versus January 2019). Reference December 2022 projection: 80% 74% domestic and 73% international ● Total destinations in January: 17 domestic and 27 international.
Colombia	● 113% projected operation (versus January 2019). Reference December 2022 projection: 113% 130% domestic and 97% international ● Total destinations in January: 17 domestic and 5 international.
Ecuador	● 75% projected operation (versus January 2019). Reference December 2022 projection: 73% 143% domestic and 56% international ● Total destinations in January: 8 domestic and 4 international.
Peru	● 85% projected operation (versus January 2019). Reference December 2022 projection: 83% 122% domestic and 75% international ● Total destinations in January: 19 domestic and 27 international.
Cargo	● 111% projected operation (versus January 2019). Reference December 2022 projection: 116% o 94% belly domestic and 81% belly international* o 192% dedicated freighter

*Belly: merchandise transported in the cargo hold (lower deck) of the aircraft.

Operation estimate by segment vs 2019 – January 2023

(measured in ASK)

Domestic Spanish-speaking countries	83%
Domestic Brazil	120%
International	71%
Consolidated Total	85%

Note: Argentina’s domestic operations are considered in the 2019 operational statistics above; however, on June 17, 2020 LATAM announced the indefinite cessation of its domestic passenger and cargo operations in Argentina.

Top Copyright Photo: LATAM Airlines (Brazil) Airbus A320-271N WL PR-XBA (msn 8529) GRU (Rodrigo Cozzato). Image: 959882.

LATAM (Brazil) aircraft photo gallery:

LATAM approaches pre-pandemic levels and projects 85% of operation by the end of the year

The LATAM group projects an 85% passenger operation for December (measured in available seat kilometers – ASK) compared to the same period of 2019, confirming its estimate for the end of the year and approaching pre-pandemic operations levels. Thus, the group expects to operate approximately 1,370 domestic and international daily flights during the month, connecting 144 destinations in 22 countries. The cargo business, in turn, has more than 1,540 flights scheduled.

Among the novelties of the period is the reactivation of the seasonal route Santiago – Florianopolis and the start of the sale of emblematic routes that return in mid-2023, such as São Paulo (GRU)-Johannesburg, Brasília-Lima and Porto Alegre-Santiago. The Cargo division, meanwhile, accumulates five consecutive months with a capacity projection higher than the pre-pandemic numbers, with an estimate for this month of 116% compared to 2019 data.

In November 2022, passenger traffic (measured in revenue passenger-kilometers – RPK) was 82.4% compared to the same time period in 2019, based on an operation measured in ASK (available seat-kilometers) of 82.4% compared to October 2019. This suggests that the load factor remained at 82.6%.

For cargo, the load factor was 54.1%, corresponding to a decrease of 3.2 points compared to November 2019.

LATAM Group Operation Estimate – December 2022

(passenger operations measured in ASK / cargo operations measured in ATK)

Brazil

● 92% projected operation (versus December 2019). Reference November 2022 projection: 89%

o 98% domestic and 84% international

● Total destinations in December: 54 domestic and 21 international.

o Updates:

▪ International: Restart Florianopolis-Santiago seasonal route (5 w/f)

Chile

● 80% projected operation (versus December 2019). Reference November 2022 projection: 78%

o 77% domestic and 81% international

● Total destinations in December: 17 domestic and 27 international.

o Updates:

	▪ International: Restart Florianópolis-Santiago seasonal route (5 w/f)
Colombia	● 113% projected operation (versus December 2019). Reference November 2022 projection: 110% o 115% domestic and 110% international ● Total destinations in December: 17 domestic and 5 international.
Ecuador	● 73% projected operation (versus December 2019). Reference November 2022 projection: 67% o 131% domestic and 55% international ● Total destinations in December: 8 domestic and 4 international.
Peru	● 83% projected operation (versus December 2019). Reference November 2022 projection: 79% o 99% domestic and 78% international ● Total destinations in December: 19 domestic and 27 international.
Cargo	● 116% projected operation (versus December 2019). Reference November 2022 projection: 105% o 90% domestic and 92% international belly* o 180% dedicated freighter

*Belly: merchandise transported in the lower deck of the aircraft.

Operation estimate by segment vs 2019 – December 2022

(measure in ASK)

Domestic Spanish-speaking countries	80%
Domestic Brazil	98%
International	79%
Consolidated Total	85%

Note: Argentina’s domestic operations are included in the 2019 operational statistics above, however, on June 17, 2020 LATAM announced the indefinite cessation of its domestic passenger and cargo operations in Argentina

Top Copyright Photo: LATAM Airlines (Brazil) Airbus A320-214 PR-MYV (msn 5222) GRU (Rodrigo Cozzato). Image: 959644.

LATAM (Brazil) aircraft photo gallery:

LATAM and Delta announce nonstop service between São Paulo and Los Angeles

LATAM Airlines Brazil will begin a nonstop flight between São Paulo (Brazil) and Los Angeles (United States) on July 1, 2023, adding a destination not currently served from Los Angeles.

The flight will have an initial frequency of three times a week on Boeing 777-300 aircraft, with capacity for 410 passengers (38 in the Premium Business cabin, 50 in Economy+ and 322 in Economy). It will take off from the São Paulo (Guarulhos) airport at 11:05 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, arriving in Los Angeles at 7:00 a.m. the next day. From Los Angeles, flights will take off at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, scheduled to arrive in São Paulo (Guarulhos) at 5:20 a.m. the following day.

More capacity to and from Latin America

Another highlight of the announcement was the capacity increase on routes to and from the United States and that will benefit customers of both partners. In the case of the LATAM Group, the changes will be the following:

Santiago-Los Angeles: As of September 2023, LATAM Airlines Group will total 5 frequencies to Los Angeles International Airport. In total, it will add more than 900 seats with the two additional flights to the current offer.
São Paulo-Orlando: Starting in August 2023, LATAM Airlines Brazil will increase its operation to the Orlando International Airport, adding a fourth weekly frequency. The operation will be carried out with Boeing 787-9 aircraft and will add 600 extra seats to this itinerary.
Lima-Miami: The operation, by LATAM Airlines Peru, will go from 14 to 17 weekly frequencies, on Boeing 767 aircraft with the updated interior cabin scheme. This adjustment will add more than 1,300 weekly seats, so that customers can better connect to destinations in North America.
Lima-New York: The itinerary will be adjusted from 7 to 12 weekly frequencies, on Boeing 767 aircraft operated by LATAM Airlines Peru, equipped with the updated interior cabin scheme. From Lima, passengers will be able to connect with regional destinations of the LATAM network such as Córdoba, Mendoza, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, among others. As well, the flights that will connect in New York will be able to do so quickly to destinations in the Delta network such as Toronto, Boston and Washington. Said adjustment will add more than 2,200 weekly seats, so that customers can better connect to destinations in North America.
Lima-Los Angeles: The operation of LATAM Airlines Peru will go from 7 to 14 weekly frequencies, in a mix between Boeing 767 and 787 aircraft. This adjustment will add more than 3,400 weekly seats, so that customers can better connect to destinations in North America, like San Francisco, Las Vegas and Seattle. In Lima, in turn, they will be able to connect with regional destinations of the LATAM network such as Córdoba, Mendoza, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, among others.

On the part of Delta Air Lines, the recently will be the following:

Atlanta-Santiago de Chile: The operation increased from three weekly flights between Atlanta and Santiago de Chile to daily service on an Airbus A350, which is equivalent to more than 2,700 weekly seats between its main hub in the United States and the Arturo Merino Benitez Airport.
Atlanta-Lima: The service will upgrade to an Airbus 350 aircraft, which translates into more than 1,700 extra weekly seats, so that more customers can connect between Atlanta and the Peruvian capital’s International Airport. Delta’s Airbus A350-900 aircraft has capacity for 339 passengers, and is equipped with Delta One, Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin.
New York-São Paulo: Delta’s three weekly flights between its New York JFK hub and São Paulo increased to daily service beginning Oct. 29 with the Airbus A330-300 aircraft.
Atlanta-São Paulo: A second daily seasonal flight between Atlanta and São Paulo (GRU) will begin on December 17 using Airbus A330 aircraft.
Atlanta-Rio de Janeiro: Delta will resume the popular, seasonal route between Atlanta and Galeão International Airport (GIG) in Rio de Janeiro on Dec. 17.
Miami-Orlando: Delta will launch a new daily service between Miami and Orlando on December 1.
Miami-Los Angeles: A new daily service between Miami and Los Angeles will launch on December 17.

With these frequency adjustments, Delta and LATAM will add 23,000 weekly roundtrip seats to their regular itineraries to connect North and South America like never before.

Joint Venture between LATAM and Delta

The Joint Venture between LATAM and Delta seeks to improve the travel experience of its passengers and cargo customers. The agreement applies to select markets between North America (United States and Canada) and South America (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay), providing benefits such as the joint accumulation of miles/points in frequent flyer programs and faster connections to access over 300 destinations between the US/Canada and South America.

The alliance between LATAM and Delta began in 2019, when they announced their first agreement for the reciprocal accumulation/redemption of miles/points, shared terminals in airports such as New York/JFK, São Paulo/Guarulhos and Santiago, reciprocal access to 53 Delta VIP Sky Club lounges in the United States and 5 LATAM Lounges in South America, including the new and exclusive Delta Sky Club in Los Angeles (LAX) and the new LATAM Lounge Santiago in Chile, the largest in South America.

Top Copyright Photo: LATAM Airlines (Brazil) Boeing 777-32W ER PT-MUJ (msn 40588) AMS (Ton Jochems). Image: 952176.

LATAM (Brazil) aircraft photo gallery:

LATAM projects operations of 83% for November and reaches 144 destinations, matching pre-pandemic levels

LATAM group projects passenger operations 83% for November (measured in available seat-kilometers – ASK) in comparison to the same time period in 2019 (in a pre-pandemic scenario) and maintains its projection to exceed 85% in terms of consolidated operational recovery by the end of the year. This month, the group will hit a major milestone in resuming to fly to the same number of destinations as it did prior to the Covid-19 pandemic in November 2019.

At the same time, the group restarted its routes of Curitiba-Santiago and Antofagasta-Lima, which solidified its regional network connectivity.

LATAM plans to operate approximately 1,347 daily national and international flights this month, connecting 144 destinations across 22 countries. Meanwhile, the cargo business has more than 1,500 flights scheduled. All these projections are subject to changes in the pandemic across the countries in which it operates.

In October 2022, passenger traffic (measured in revenue passenger-kilometers – RPK) was 82.8% compared to the same time period in 2019, based on an operation measured in ASK (available seat-kilometers) of 81.9% compared to October 2019. This suggests that the load factor increased 0.9%, reaching 83.3%.

For cargo, the load factor was 55.4%, corresponding to an increase of 0.7 points compared to September 2019.

LATAM Airlines Group Estimated Operations, November 2022

(passenger operations measured in ASK / cargo operations measured in ATK)

*Belly: merchandise transported in the cargo hold (lower deck) of the aircraft.

Operational Estimate by Segment vs. 2019 – November 2022

(measured in ASK)

Note: While Argentina’s domestic operations are considered in the 2019 operational statistics above, LATAM announced the indefinite cessation of its domestic passenger and cargo operations in Argentina on June 17, 2020.

Top Copyright Photo: LATAM Airlines (Brazil) Boeing 777-32W ER PT-MUE (msn 38886) AMS (Ton Jochems). Image: 950078.

LATAM Airlines (Brazil) aircraft photo gallery:

Virgin Atlantic announces partnership with LATAM Airlines (Brazil)

Virgin Atlantic has announced a new codeshare agreement with LATAM Airlines offering customers the opportunity to fly seamlessly to the South American country of Brazil.

Customers booking through Virgin Atlantic are now able to travel from Heathrow direct to São Paulo as well as connecting onwards onto 12 domestic airports in Brazil including Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Florianopolis. Customers traveling from São Paulo to London Heathrow will also have the option to smoothly connect onto Virgin Atlantic’s rest of world destinations through Terminal 3 including Tel Aviv, Delhi and Hong Kong.

Codeshare destinations:

São Paulo, Brazil

Direct from London Heathrow on LATAM Airlines

Further domestic destinations in Brazil

Rio de Janeiro (GIG), Porto Alegre (POA), Belo Horizonte (CNF), Brasilia (BSB), Curitiba (CWB), Goiania (GYN), Recife (REC), Salvador (SSA), Florianopolis (FLN), Fortaleza (FOR), Vitoria (VIX) and Londrina (LDB)

Connect via LATAM Airlines’ direct service to São Paolo from London Heathrow

Azul ends its codeshare agreement with LATAM, will pursue merger opportunities

Azul issued this statement:

Azul, the largest airline in Brazil in terms of destinations and departures updates the market on its codeshare with LATAM and possible industry consolidation.

Azul believes that consolidation is an important part of the post-pandemic industry response and the Company is in a strong position to drive that consolidation. The Company has hired advisors and is actively exploring industry consolidation opportunities in the region.

“The codeshare with LATAM was a unique solution in our pandemic response. We also realized that industry consolidation would be important for the post-pandemic recovery and Azul would be a key part of any such activity. At the end of the first quarter of 2021 we hired financial advisors and are actively exploring consolidation opportunities. We believe the cancelation of the codeshare by LATAM is a reaction to that process,” says John Rodgerson, CEO of Azul. “Azul is emerging from this crisis in a leadership position in terms of liquidity, network recovery and competitive advantages. Our plans are unchanged and I am confident that we are in the best position to pursue strategic alternatives at this point in time,” says Rodgerson.

Azul will keep the market update of any developments.

Azul Route Map:

Top Copyright Photo: Azul Brasil (Azul Linhas Aereas Brasileiras) Airbus A330-941 F-WWYO (PR-ANV) (msn 1952) TLS (Eurospot). Image: 952080.

Azul aircraft slide show:

Delta and LATAM receive final approval in Brazil for Joint Venture agreement

Delta Air Lines also made this announcement:

More and improved travel options, shorter connection times and new routes between North America and Brazil will be just some of the benefits for customers.
The Joint Venture agreement has also been authorized in Uruguay while the application process continues in the U.S., Chile and other jurisdictions.

Delta Air Lines and LATAM have received final approval, without conditions, of their commercial agreement (“trans-American Joint Venture agreement” or “JVA”) by the Brazilian competition authority – the Administrative Council for Economic Defense – after initial approval was granted in September 2020. The JVA seeks to enhance the route networks served by both airlines, delivering a seamless travel experience between North and South America. The Delta-LATAM agreement has also been approved in Uruguay while the application process continues in other countries, including Chile.

“This final approval in Brazil furthers our mission to provide customers in this important market with the world-class travel experience and options they deserve,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian. “Moving forward, we will continue working with LATAM to unlock more benefits for our customers and create the premier airline alliance of the Americas.”

LATAM Airlines Group CEO Roberto Alvo added, “This ruling reinforces the benefits of this type of agreement for travelers and enables us to advance in our commitment to delivering greater and better connectivity between South America and the world.”

The ratification by the Brazilian authority supports the work of both airlines to deliver a broader and more competitive network of benefits for their customers that will include, among others:

Code-share agreements between Delta and certain subsidiaries of the LATAM group, which allow the purchase of tickets to a larger network of destinations.
Members of the Delta SkyMiles and LATAM Pass programs can redeem points / miles on both airlines, accessing more than 435 destinations around the world.
Shared terminals and faster connections at Terminal 4 of New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and at Terminal 3 of São Paulo’s Guarulhos Airport.
Reciprocal lounge access: Customers can access 35 Delta Sky Club lounges in the United States and five LATAM VIP lounges in South America.