Air Lease Corporation confirms the delivery of a new Airbus A321 aircraft to LATAM Airlines

Today Air Lease Corporation confirmed one new Airbus A321-200neo aircraft has been delivered to LATAM Airlines. This A321-200neo aircraft is the first of eight new Airbus A321s confirmed to deliver to the South American carrier from ALC’s order book with Airbus. Two A321-200neos are scheduled to deliver to the airline from ALC in 2023 and 2024, followed by five A321 XLRs starting in 2025 through 2026.

“ALC is pleased to announce our first A321-200neo delivery to LATAM Airlines today,” said Steven Udvar-Házy, Executive Chairman of Air Lease Corporation. “With this new A321-200neo aircraft, LATAM adds to the airline’s fleet modernization program by obtaining the most advanced technology aircraft to optimize and grow the carrier’s expanding international route network.”

LATAM Airlines is a leading airline in Latin America, the group has a presence in five domestic markets in the region - Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. In addition, it also flies international services within Latin America and to Europe, Oceania, the United States and the Caribbean. 

The group has a fleet of Boeing 767, 777, 787, Airbus A321, A320, A320neo and A319 aircraft. LATAM Cargo Chile, LATAM Cargo Colombia and LATAM Cargo Brazil are the LATAM group's cargo subsidiaries, having a combined fleet of 18 freighter aircraft, which will gradually increase to a total of 19 cargo aircraft by 2024. 

LATAM and Delta celebrate a year of joint venture operations.

During the inaugural year of their Joint Venture, Delta and LATAM have streamlined travel and grown connections in their key hubs. The partners will continue to launch new routes and increase current routes.

One year after the start of their Joint Venture, the Delta and LATAM alliance has enabled the partners to announce six new routes, carry out 15,000 flights, transport more than 3 million customers and cover more than 56 million miles (90 million kilometres), which is equivalent to the distance between planet Earth and Mercury. 

With the mission to significantly enhance connectivity and the customer experience for travel between North America (United States and Canada) and South America (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay), the partners are celebrating the milestone and looking to the future. 

Delta and LATAM have already launched new service between Orlando and Bogota, Colombia (LATAM); and between São Paulo and Los Angeles (LATAM), the only direct route between Brazil and the U.S. West Coast.  

On Oct. 29, the partners will launch additional new routes and increase current routes with new Medellin-Miami (LATAM) service; LATAM’s new service between Lima and Atlanta, adding to Delta’s existing service; and Delta’s second frequency between Atlanta and Bogota, adding to its existing service. The introduction of new routes continues in December, with Atlanta-Cartagena on Dec. 22 (Delta), seasonal service between New York JFK and Rio de Janeiro on Dec. 16 (Delta), and in response to growing demand, Delta’s seasonal service between Atlanta and Rio de Janeiro that returns on Dec. 16 will now operate year-round. 

"We are thrilled to mark the first anniversary of our transformative partnership," said Alex Antilla, Vice President of Latin America for Delta Air Lines. "Together, we're connecting North and South America and attracting new customers. We've worked hard together to add exciting new routes, grow existing routes, and make travel easier, more enjoyable, and more rewarding for millions of customers. As we look to the future, we continue our commitment to building on this extraordinary first year, delivering exceptional services, and reinforcing our bond with customers who travel between the two continents. We're excited to continue this incredible journey."   

Delta and LATAM celebrate their one-year Joint Venture anniversary.....

During the inaugural year of their Joint Venture, Delta and LATAM have streamlined travel and grown connections in their key hubs. The partners will continue to launch new routes and increase current routes.

One year after the start of their Joint Venture, the Delta and LATAM alliance has enabled the partners to announce six new routes, carry out 15,000 flights, transport more than 3 million customers and cover more than 56 million miles (90 million kilometres), which is equivalent to the distance between planet Earth and Mercury. 

With the mission to significantly enhance connectivity and the customer experience for travel between North America (United States and Canada) and South America (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay), the partners are celebrating the milestone and looking to the future. 

Delta and LATAM have already launched new service between Orlando and Bogota, Colombia (LATAM); and between São Paulo and Los Angeles (LATAM), the only direct route between Brazil and the U.S. West Coast.  

On Oct. 29, the partners will launch additional new routes and increase current routes with new Medellin-Miami (LATAM) service; LATAM’s new service between Lima and Atlanta, adding to Delta’s existing service; and Delta’s second frequency between Atlanta and Bogota, adding to its existing service. The introduction of new routes continues in December, with Atlanta-Cartagena on Dec. 22 (Delta), seasonal service between New York JFK and Rio de Janeiro on Dec. 16 (Delta), and in response to growing demand, Delta’s seasonal service between Atlanta and Rio de Janeiro that returns on Dec. 16 will now operate year-round. 

"We are thrilled to mark the first anniversary of our transformative partnership," said Alex Antilla, Vice President of Latin America for Delta Air Lines. "Together, we're connecting North and South America and attracting new customers. We've worked hard together to add exciting new routes, grow existing routes, and make travel easier, more enjoyable, and more rewarding for millions of customers. As we look to the future, we continue our commitment to building on this extraordinary first year, delivering exceptional services, and reinforcing our bond with customers who travel between the two continents. We're excited to continue this incredible journey."   

LATAM Airlines takes delivery of its first A321neo, adds 13 more to orderbook

LATAM Airlines has taken delivery of its first A321neo leased from AerCap and placed an order for 13 additional A321neo aircraft to further expand its route network and drive its regional growth. This is the first delivery of a committed backlog of 76 A321neo aircraft. In total, LATAM has 111 A320 Family aircraft to be delivered.

The newly delivered A321neo for LATAM can seat up to 224 passengers and feature Airbus’ Airspace XL bins in the cabin. The larger bins provide a 40% increase in storage space and facilitates 60% more carry-on bags, allowing a more relaxed boarding experience for passengers and cabin crews. The newly delivered A321neo flew to its destination with 49% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

“Our fleet renewal and modernization strategy is fully aligned with our sustainability commitment and brings us closer to the goal of becoming a carbon-neutral group by 2050,” said Ramiro Alfonsín, Chief Financial Officer of LATAM Airlines Group. “We will continue to work on enhancing the current fleet with next-generation aircraft to further improve our connectivity while caring for the environment.”

“We thank LATAM for their continued confidence in our aircraft, reselecting the A321neo for its continued network growth. This strategic move also accelerates LATAM decarbonisation trajectory as the A321neos are at least 20% more fuel-efficient, emitting 20% less CO2  and 50% less noise compared to previous generation aircraft,” said Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International.

The A321neo is the largest member of Airbus’ best-selling single-aisle A320 Family. The A321neo allows operators to cover the entire market, while offering the lowest seat-mile cost of any single-aisle available. To date, more than 5,200 A321neos have been ordered by customers worldwide.

LATAM Airlines Group and its affiliates are the main group of airlines in Latin America, with presence in five domestic markets in the region: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, in addition to international operations throughout Europe, Oceania, the United States and the Caribbean. Today, LATAM operates 240 Airbus aircraft and is the largest Airbus operator in Latin America. In July this year, LATAM took delivery of a new Airbus A320neo, the first delivery using 30% SAF.

Airbus has sold over 1,150 aircraft in Latin America and the Caribbean. More than 750 are in operation throughout the region, with more than 520 in the order backlog, representing a market share of 58% of in-service passenger aircraft. Since 1994, Airbus has secured 75% of net orders in the region.

In 2016, Airbus became the first aircraft manufacturer to offer customers SAF at delivery flights. Today, aircraft and helicopters leave Airbus delivery centres with SAF onboard. SAF has been identified as one of the key elements in helping achieve emissions reduction goals.

LATAM group received delivery of a new Boeing 787-9, and is the only group in South America operating this model.

LATAM group has received delivery of a new Boeing 787-9 directly from Charleston to Santiago, Chile, and is the only group of airlines in South America operating this model.

The Boeing 787-9 is equipped with advanced technology that allows it to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 20-30% when compared to the previous aircraft according to data from its manufacturer. 

Its arrival is part of LATAM group’s fleet renewal and modernization strategy, which will enable it to have 37 Dreamliners - including the 787-8 variant - by the end of this year, becoming one of the most modern and efficient fleets in South America.

With this, the LATAM group aims to finish 2023 with a fleet of 332 aircraft, of which 78 are Wide Body and 254 are Narrow Body.

“Our renewal and modernization strategy for the fleet is fully aligned with our commitment to sustainability and brings us closer to the goal of becoming a carbon-neutral group by 2050”, said LATAM Airlines Group S.A., CFO, Ramiro Alfonsín. ”We will continue to work on complementing the current fleet with next-generation aircraft to further improve our connectivity while caring for the environment“.

LATAM Airlines selects ABM for cabin cleaning at London Heathrow Airport

ABM, a leading provider of integrated facility and aviation services, has secured a three-year cabin cleaning contract with one of South America’s largest carriers - LATAM Airlines. The partnership deepens ABM’s presence at London Heathrow Airport, now serving 27 airlines and cleaning eight million seats every year.  

With over a decade of experience working with Heathrow Airport and the airlines which operate there, the new contract will see the ABM team cleaning a 150,000 seats annually for the airline. Having recently announced seven new routes and a 26.5% increase in passengers in June compared with 2022, LATAM Group’s growth plans very much align with ABM’s.   

ABM recently, doubled its cabin cleaning presence at Manchester Airport, increasing headcount by 163%. With cabin cleaning contracts at all major UK airports, the partnership with LATAM Airlines is part of ABM’s strategic growth plan.  

 

LATAM continues to expand its network of destinations

LATAM group delivered the news of its operation for the coming weeks, highlighting the resumption of the route between Santiago and Melbourne (operated by LATAM Airlines Group) with three weekly flights from September 1 this year. LATAM Airlines Brazil also announced the expansion of its codeshare agreement with Voepass, allowing LATAM customers to access 13 new destinations within Brazil: Ipatinga, Barreiras, Feira de Santana, Valença, Paulo Afonso, Teixeira de Freitas, Lençóis, Fernando de Noronha, Uruguaiana, Santa Maria, Pelotas, Santo Ângelo and Aracati.

Finally, LATAM Cargo announced a new route between Quito and Brussels, with four weekly frequencies, allowing for the reduction of transport time and maximization of its transfer capacity between both places.

Operational statistics for March 2023

In March 2023, passenger traffic (measured in revenue passenger-kilometers - RPK) grew by 28.4% compared to the same period in 2022, and operations measured in ASK (available seat-kilometers) increased by 30.0%. This implied that the load factor decreased 1.0 percentage points, reaching 80.1%.

In cargo, the load factor was 55.0%, which corresponds to a decrease of 5.6 percentage points compared to March 2022.

The above table summarizes the operational statistics for the month and the year to date for the main business units in LATAM

For travel insurance....

Delta and LATAM Group to launch new route connecting Bogota and Orlando

As part of the Delta-LATAM Joint Venture, LATAM Airlines Colombia will expand its international operation by launching new daily service between Bogota and Orlando on July 1.

New route offers more destinations that passengers can access between Colombia and the U.S.

LATAM Airlines Colombia will launch new non-stop service between Colombia’s capital Bogota and Orlando, Florida, on July 1, 2023. The new route is the latest addition after the approval of Delta and LATAM’s joint venture agreement in September 2022 and will offer customers new access between Colombia’s largest city and the popular Florida destination.

LATAM Airlines Colombia will launch new non-stop service between Colombia’s capital Bogota and Orlando, Florida, on July 1, 2023. The new route is the latest addition after the approval of Delta and LATAM’s joint venture agreement in September 2022 and will offer customers new access between Colombia’s largest city and the popular Florida destination. From Orlando, Delta offers 67 flights to 18 destinations, including Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Seattle and New York. From Bogota, LATAM Colombia offers 166 daily flights to 17 destinations, allowing easy connections to cities like Medellin, Cali and Cartagena.

“Delta’s partnership with LATAM is meant to expand access and elevate the experience for customers travelling between North and South America. This exciting new route between Orlando and Bogota will provide customers with more access to the places they want to go,” said Alex Antilla, Delta Vice President for Latin America. “Through this new route, Delta and LATAM customers will enjoy better and more convenient travel thanks to our powerful route networks and award-winning service.”

"Despite the challenging context with which this year began, we continue to improve our international network with the incorporation of a new route of utmost importance for travellers in the country. Through the Joint Venture with Delta, we will improve our presence in the United States market, which continues to be one of the most important international destinations for Colombian passengers," said Santiago Álvarez, CEO of LATAM Airlines Colombia.

The route will depart from Bogota at 10:15 a.m., arriving in Orlando at 3:33 p.m.. The flight from Orlando will depart at 4:57 p.m. and arrive in Bogota at 8:10 p.m. The 4-hour, 15-minute journey will operate with Airbus A320 aircraft, with a capacity for 174 passengers. "With this agreement, we will boost our presence in the North American market with the aim of becoming the best option for passengers from that region who wish to travel to Colombia and the other South American countries that are part of the agreement," added Álvarez.

LATAM & Delta announce non-stop service between São Paulo and LAX as Joint Venture’s 1st new market

LATAM will be the only airline operating a nonstop flight between Brazil and Los Angeles, where customers will have connections to the Delta hub's most popular destinations on the West Coast of the United States, including San Francisco, Las Vegas and Seattle.

Delta recently announced an increase in frequencies between North and South America, with weekly seats growing 130% in Chile and over 170% in Brazil this winter as ATL-SCL and JFK-GRU are increased to daily service and as Delta seasonally returns to Rio de Janeiro and adds a second daily trip in ATLGRU.

In total, the JV frequency adjustments add more than 23,000 weekly seats to connect North and South America like never before.

LATAM Airlines Group and Delta Air Lines made the first operational announcements after receiving the approval of their Joint Venture agreement in September. Among the initiatives, LATAM announced the launch of new service between São Paulo and Los Angeles beginning July 1, 2023, adding a popular destination not currently served from Los Angeles. Additionally, this new route offers customers access to the largest U.S.-South America corporate and overall market from LAX, where Delta is the largest global carrier.

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

Passengers will be able to connect from LATAM’s hub in São Paulo to destinations in LATAM’s South American network, in addition to connections to the different destinations served by the group. Meanwhile, customers flying to Los Angeles will be able to quickly connect to several popular Delta West Coast destinations, including San Francisco, Las Vegas and Seattle. The new service between São Paulo and Los Angeles is available for booking now through delta.com or latam.com.

Another highlight of the announcement was the capacity increase on routes to and from the United States that will benefit customers of both partners. On the part of Delta Air Lines, the recently announced additional frequencies of the following routes include:

Atlanta-Santiago, Chile: The operation increased from three weekly flights between Atlanta and Santiago, Chile, to daily service on an Airbus A350, which is equivalent to more than 2,700 weekly additional seats between its main hub in the United States and Arturo Merino Benitez Airport.

Atlanta-Lima: The service will upgrade to an Airbus 350 aircraft in February, which translates into more than 1,700 extra weekly seats so that more customers can connect between Atlanta and Jorge Chávez 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: On Dec. 17, a seasonal second daily flight between Atlanta and Sao Paulo (GRU) will begin with Airbus A330 aircraft.

Atlanta-Rio de Janeiro: The popular seasonal route between Atlanta and Rio de Janeiro’s Galeão International Airport (GIG) will resume Dec. 17.

Miami-Orlando: Delta will launch a new daily service between Miami and Orlando on Dec. 1.

Miami Los Angeles: New daily service between Miami and Los Angeles will launch on Dec. 17.

In the case of the LATAM Group, the changes will be the following:

LATAM Airlines Flight 2213 pilots arrested following crash

Authorities in Peru are under pressure following news that The flight crew of LATAM 2213 were also placed under arrest and held in custody in Lima up until last night. 

The  International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations - IFALPA issued a statement condemning the detention. "The Federation considers this situation unacceptable. Holding individuals in custody who are already under intense psychological pressure due to an accident is extremely detrimental to flight safety and can only hinder the investigation. Further, it shows a complete disregard for the Positive Safety Culture principles laid out by Annexes 13 (Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation) and 19 (Safety Management) to the Convention on International Civil Aviation. It may also lead the public to conclude that the accident resulted from the flight crew’s intentional acts, rather than technical issues or a string of errors originating from multiple factors."

In any similar circumstances, the flight crew should be provided immediate medical care and evaluation. In no circumstances is it appropriate to question them in the immediate aftermath of any accident or incident until they have been professionally evaluated by qualified medical personnel who can determine their mental and physical fitness to contribute accurate information to investigators.

The IFALPA also said that only an extensive, complete accident investigation conducted in accordance with ICAO Annex 13 will provide the recommendations required to advance aviation safety and prevent reoccurrence.  IFALPA, therefore, urges the Republic of Peru to adhere to and fully implement ICAO's positive safety culture principles, especially in the wake of such a tragic accident.

Two firefighters killed in collision with LATAM Airbus in Peru

Photo AFP

The investigation is in its early stages into how a fire truck collided with an Abus A320 belonging to LATAM Airlines that was taking off from Lima's Jorge Chavez airport to operate flight LA2213 to the Peruvian city of Juliaca.

The Prosecutor's Office confirmed it was looking into the incident and seeking to 'clarify the facts regarding the possible crimes of culpable homicide and culpable injuries.'

The airline issued a brief statement which said the aircraft "collided with a fire engine that entered the runway during take-off at Lima’s Jorge Chávez International Airport. There are no fatalities among the 102 passengers and six crew members. As a precaution, all passengers and crew are being taken to health centres.

LATAM Airlines Peru regrets the passing of the two firefighters who were on the fire engine that collided with the aircraft, as informed by Lima Airport Partners, the operator of Jorge Chavez Airport.   

Currently, LATAM Airlines Peru is focused on providing support to passengers and their families. At the same time, it is working in coordination with authorities to support the investigation into the event.

LATAM Airlines Peru is deploying all its resources to attend to those affected and has activated its emergency response plan."

According to the local health authorities, some 61 people had been transferred to nearby clinics and hospitals, although it is not believed any were in life-threatening conditions. 

Various images and videos spread on social media show the aircraft sliding down the runway, with its main undercarriage appearing to collapse on one side, with flames and billowing black smoke filling the sky.

🚨 | LATAM Flight 2213, an Airbus A320neo has collided with a fire truck at high speed on takeoff in Lima, Peru. No fatalities have been reported on the plane but sadly, two firefighters have passed away as a result. pic.twitter.com/2rLOwgPx8B

— Air Crash Investigation (@AirCrash_) November 19, 2022

Todos los videos que me han llegado del accidente en el aeropuerto Jorge Chavez.#Latam pic.twitter.com/uS2d82ls7S

— 2023 VUELVO (@himselfsv) November 18, 2022

There is some confusion why the fire truck entered the runway while an aircraft was in the process of taking off,  during a press conference, LATAM CEO Manuel Van Oordt confirmed the aircraft had been cleared by the tower for take-off,  "We don't know why [fire truck] was there,  - We didn't ask for their services."

President Pedro Castillo used social media to pay tribute to the dead firefighters, "I express my heartfelt condolences to the relatives of Ángel Torres and Nicolás Santa Gadea, brave firefighters who died in the accident. My thoughts and my prayers are with them. I pray for the recovery of the wounded."

The airport said:  "Lima Airport Partners deeply regrets the loss of the lives of two members of the Aeronautical Fire Department of LAP in the accident that occurred this afternoon between a fire engine and the aircraft that attended flight LA2213 that covered the Lima-Juliaca route. 

We express our solidarity with the families of Angel Torres of the Garibaldi 6 Fire Company and Nicolás Santa Gadea of the Garibaldi 7 Fire Company, with whom we have already contacted to put ourselves at your disposal. 

At this moment we are conducting all the necessary investigations to determine the causes of this fact."

Local media is reporting that a third firefight had been seriously injured in the crash and was undergoing treatment in hospital, however, this has yet to be confirmed. 

The airport also reported that:

The Aviation Accident Investigation Commission (CIAA) of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, comes Working since last night to determine the causes of the accident and supervising the removal work on the runway of landing.

Although the work has been carried out intensively by the airline and in permanent coordination with LAP and the authorities, this is taking longer than estimated due to the complexity of the accident and the Treatment of fuel spillage caused.

In view of the revision, LAP has requested to extend the suspension of operations until 00:00hrs on November 20 of 2022.

LAP is working in parallel in the repair of pavement, lights and other affectations, in order to to ensure the safety of passengers and aircraft.

The reopening of the runway and aeronautical operations will only be possible with the approval of the authority corresponding.

Without wishing to preempt any investigation, it would seem that there has been a horrendous lack of communication or a tragic misunderstanding that has led to this crash, which could have been so much more serious. 

LATAM Airlines plane crashes at Peruvian runway, nobody reported killed

LATAM Airlines said on Friday that one of its passenger jetliners suffered an accident on the runway of Peru's Jorge Chavez International Airport, adding that no passengers or crew members were killed in the incident.

The accident appears to have occurred when the jetliner collided with a vehicle on the runway, according to videos circulating on social media and broadcast by Peruvian media outlets.

Jorge Chavez in Lima, Peru's most important airport, suspended all operations and is investigating the causes of the accident, said Lima Airport Partners, which operates the airport.

Lima Airport Partners had earlier said that all passengers were unharmed.

Images posted on Twitter by local radio station RPP Noticias showed a plane belonging to LATAM Airlines partially on fire on the runway.

Fire brigade officer Mario Casaretto told RPP Noticias the plane had reported problems with its landing gear.

Flight LA2213, which was involved in the accident, covered the domestic Lima-Juliaca route, LATAM Airlines said.

(Reporting by Marco Aquino; Editing by Anthony Esposito, Jonathan Oatis and Rosalba O'Brien for Reuters)

LATAM and Virgin apply for codeshare deal on flights via USA

Aviacionline.com is reporting that LATAM and Virgin Atlantic have applied to the Department of Transportation in the U.S. to be allowed to operate a codeshare deal on some flights between South America and the United Kingdom from various destinations in the United States. Apparently, this application includes LATAM’s Colombian, Chilean and Peruvian operations.

Photo Virgin Atlantic

The airlines will only be able to use the deal for traffic flowing between the United Kingdom and Colombia/Chile/Peru via various points in the United States. Codeshare services will not be available to any Virgin Atlantic and LATAM Airlines passengers with U.S. origins or destinations and are only available for connections to the U.K. and South America.

Air Lease Corporation Announces Lease Placement of Five New Airbus A321-200 XLR Aircraft with LATAM Airlines

Air Lease Corporation Announces Lease Placement of 

Five New Airbus A321-200 XLR Aircraft with LATAM Airlines

Air Lease Corporation announced long-term lease placements for five new long-range Airbus A321-200 XLR aircraft with LATAM Airlines.  The aircraft are scheduled to deliver to LATAM starting in fall 2025 through 2026 from ALC’s order book with Airbus.

“We are pleased to announce this lease placement for five new long-range Airbus A321-200 XLRs with our airline customer based in Chile, LATAM Airlines, and be the first to introduce the XLR to the airline,” said Steven Udvar-Házy, Executive Chairman of Air Lease Corporation.  “As the largest South American carrier, LATAM is continuing its fleet modernization program adding the most advanced technology aircraft to enhance efficiency and passenger experience. These five new ALC A321XLR jets will optimize and grow the airline’s expanding international route network.” 

LATAM is Latin America’s leading airline group, with presence in five domestic markets in South America: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, along with international operations within Latin America and to Europe, US and the Caribbean.  The group operates a fleet including Boeing 787, Airbus A350, A321, A320neo and A319 aircraft, the most modern models of their kind.  

Air Lease Corporation is a leading global aircraft leasing company based in Los Angeles, California that has airline customers throughout the world. ALC and its team of dedicated and experienced professionals are principally engaged in purchasing new commercial aircraft and leasing them to its airline customers worldwide through customized aircraft leasing and financing solutions. 

Delta and LATAM are cleared for plans to develop unparalleled network connecting the Americas

U.S. Department of Transportation approves Delta and LATAM Joint Venture.

The Joint Venture will allow passengers to access more than 300 destinations between the US/Canada and South America (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay).

The partners will deepen their level of cooperation in these markets with expanded route offerings, more and better connections and strengthening of codeshare routes and reciprocal loyalty benefits already in place.

Image Delta

Delta Air Lines and the LATAM Group will work closely to create the leading airline partnership between the United States/Canada and South America (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay) and connect the Americas to the world like never before with access to more than 300 destinations, after the U.S. Department of Transportation granted final approval to their Joint Venture.

Once implemented, the approval enables Delta and LATAM Airlines Group, LATAM Airlines Brasil, LATAM Airlines Colombia, LATAM Airlines Peru and LATAM Airlines Paraguay to begin the work of unlocking new customer and cargo benefits – including enhanced service and expanded route offerings – that will add to the codeshare routes and reciprocal loyalty benefits already in place. More details on the benefits of the partnership will be shared in the coming months.

“Delta’s partnership with LATAM will help grow the market between North and South America and provide significant and much-needed benefits for customers, and we applaud the DOT for this final approval,” said Ed Bastian, Delta’s chief executive officer. “Now, we’ll get to work with LATAM to transform the travel experience for our collective customers and create new opportunities for our employees.”

“The approval by the DOT will give rise to the start of work with Delta to deliver more and better benefits to LATAM and Delta customers, such as faster connections,  and the joint accrual of miles in frequent flyer programs, among many others. I am sure that, over time, we will be able to offer the best connections, while incorporating a sustainable view of the future,” said Roberto Alvo, CEO of LATAM Airlines Group.

Image Delta

LATAM updates its business plan and moves forward in its exit from Chapter 11

In the context of the Chapter 11 process, and in connection with obligations assumed by LATAM Airlines Group under the Restructuring Support Agreement (RSA) to its Reorganization Plan, and certain confidentiality agreements entered into with certain counterparties to the RSA, LATAM has provided such counterparties with certain financial reports and updates that may constitute material non-public information. Pursuant to such confidentiality agreements, upon the occurrence of certain events set forth therein, LATAM agreed to publicly disclose the information provided thereunder.

In compliance with the above, by means of an material fact sent to the Commission for the Financial Market, LATAM Airlines Group informed that it updated its business plan presented on September 9, 2021, which contains 5-year financial projections (i.e. through 2027), adjusted to the new global macroeconomic context.

The updated business plan reports that over the past few years LATAM has been actively working to improve its cost structure and take advantage of the restructuring opportunity via its Chapter 11 process. In the new version of the plan, the group updated its cost savings estimate from US$900 million to more than US$1 billion annually, resulting from initiatives that have already been implemented.

In parallel, LATAM implemented structural transformations: fleet renegotiation, improving its relative cost position, strengthening its network and reducing its total debt by approximately 36% compared to pre-pandemic levels. 

LATAM receives US Court and shareholder approval on plan of reorganization, secures exit financing and moves forward With plan implementation requirements

LATAM Group announced on Tuesday its consolidated financial results for the second quarter of the year, which reflect a gradual recovery of the operation, reaching a consolidated capacity (measured in ASK) of 72.6% compared to 2019 levels, which in turn represents more than double the capacity of the same quarter of 2021, growing by 135.2%. 

This recovery of capacity is mainly explained by the solidity of the domestic markets in Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador, in addition to the recovery of international operations, and takes place in a context marked by a sharp increase in fuel prices.

During the period, the group’s total operating revenues reached US$2.226 billion, 6.1% less than in 2019, but showed an increase of 150.5% compared to last year. In turn, total operating expenses increased by 3.5% compared to the same quarter of 2019, driven by a 31.5% increase in the Fuel cost line in the quarter compared to the same period of 2019.

At the end of the second quarter, LATAM reported losses of US$523.2 million.

Roberto Alvo, CEO of LATAM Airlines Group, commented that “we have closed a second quarter with significant progress in our reorganization process under Chapter 11 and we hope to emerge from it during the last quarter of this year. Although the group has made advances in its operational recovery, we continue to remain cautiously optimistic about the coming months, closely monitoring fuel prices and macroeconomic variables, as the industry still finds itself in the midst of a very dynamic environment.”

During the period, LATAM Group obtained the approval of its Reorganization Plan by the United States Bankruptcy Court and secured its exit financing.

LATAM Airlines orders 17 Airbus A321neo, endorses A321XLR

LATAM Airlines has ordered 17 A321neo aircraft to further expand their route offering, bringing the airline’s total A320neo order book aircraft to 100. Additionally, the airline has also confirmed to bring in the A321XLR to complement their long haul operations. 

“We applaud LATAM’s strategic vision and sustainability ambition. This order for the A321neo on the heels of its restructuring is a strong sign for the value Airbus brings to making this vision and ambition a reality. The A321XLR will enable the opening of new routes and will allow LATAM to increase its international reach in the region” said Christian Scherer, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International. 

The A321neo is the largest member of Airbus’ A320neo Family, which incorporates new generation engines and Sharklets, delivering more than 20 percent fuel and CO2 savings, as well as a 50 percent noise reduction. The A321XLR version provides a further range extension to 4,700nm, giving the aircraft a flight time of up to 11 hours. Last month, the A321XLR took to the skies for the first time, accomplishing its first test flight successfully.

LATAM commits to eliminating all single-use plastics by 2023

LATAM has announced that it will eliminate 100% of single-use plastics used in its operations by 2023. This commitment will be achieved through initiatives such as changing onboard materials, incorporating more sustainable elements, and with the group’s recycling and reuse programs.

To date, gradual changes have been implemented inside the aircraft. From June 1, all international flights have reusable bags to cover the rest items in the Premium Business cabin. New travel kits were also recently launched for passengers in Premium Business, which have more sustainable elements such as bamboo toothbrushes and kraft paper wrappers.

In Economy cabin, important changes will be announced in the coming weeks in the materials used for all elements of service (glasses, cutlery, tableware), which will be replaced with reusable and/or recyclable materials. In the short term, this initiative will eliminate more than 1,000 tons of single-use plastics, equivalent to 36,000 500ml plastic bottles.

LATAM Cargo is implementing five pilot projects, expected to reduce the use of plastic in cargo operations by more than 60%. One of the most important projects is an initiative that aims to replace the plastic used for wrapping loads with reusable blankets or waterproof covers.

“The proposed goals have challenged us to rethink the design, materiality, and protocols of our onboard service. We are aware that this is a gradual process, where we still have a lot to learn, but we will continue working to implement concrete changes that allow us to generate a greater impact for the benefit of our communities and ecosystems,” said Paulo Miranda, Vice President of Customers at LATAM Airlines Group.

U.S. Court approves LATAM's Reorganization Plan

                    LATAM Airlines Group and its subsidiaries in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and the United States announced that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York approved the group's Plan of Reorganization filed by LATAM in the context of its Chapter 11 reorganization proceeding. Backed by nearly all of LATAM's creditors, the Plan is the result of months of negotiations among major stakeholders, which included an extensive mediation period. The Plan complies with U.S. and Chilean legal requirements. The confirmation order issued today by the U.S. Court represents the latest milestone in the U.S. Chapter 11 process initiated by LATAM to ensure its long-term sustainability.

“We are very satisfied with the judge's confirmation of our restructuring plan. This is a very important step in the process to emerge from Chapter 11, and we will continue working hard to complete the remaining steps in the coming months,” said Roberto Alvo, CEO of LATAM Airlines Group S.A.

LATAM is now focused on the implementation of the corporate actions necessary to complete the exit from the Chapter 11 reorganization process in the coming months. This includes approval at the Extraordinary Shareholders' Meeting of the new capital structure contemplated in the Plan, the registration of shares and bonds in the securities registry of the Financial Market Commission (CMF) and the implementation of the respective preferential offering periods of the convertible shares and bonds in favor of LATAM's current shareholders.

Once effective, the LATAM Plan will inject approximately US$8 billion through a combination of a capital increase, the issuance of convertible bonds and new debt. This includes US$5.4 billion of financing backed by major shareholders (Delta Air Lines, Qatar Airways and Grupo Cueto) and LATAM's major creditors (i.e., the Parent Ad Hoc Group creditors and certain local bondholders). LATAM's exit from the Chapter 11 process is expected during the second half of 2022.

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