LATAM orders 10 Boeing 787 Dreamliners.....

The troubled Boeing Company and LATAM Airlines Group announced the purchase of 10 787 Dreamliners with options for five more aircraft planes. LATAM currently operates 37 787-8s and 787-9s and, including this latest order, expects to grow the fleet to 52 Dreamliners by 2030. The 787 enables the airline to maximize capacity on popular routes and launch new routes including its nonstop flight to Sydney, Australia.

Ramiro Alfonsín, Chief Financial Officer of the LATAM Airlines Group, said:  "The Boeing 787 is a much more efficient aircraft, allowing us to continue growing sustainably while reducing our carbon footprint as we drive the growth of our operations. This order will enable us to receive at least two aircraft of this model each year from 2025 until the end of the decade."

Mike Wilson, Boeing vice president of Commercial Sales for Latin America and the Caribbean, said:  "We appreciate LATAM's continued confidence in the 787 Dreamliner family to further expand its international network from hubs in Santiago, Sao Paulo and Lima. As demand for air travel rises, we will continue to support LATAM's growth strategy and goal of connecting Latin America with the world."

Since entering service in 2011, 787 Dreamliners have helped operators launch more than 400 new nonstop routes and avoid more than 173 billion pounds of carbon emissions.

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LATAM returns to Porto Alegre

From 21 October, LATAM will operate 10 daily flights between Salgado Filho airport and 3 other destinations in Brazil. The offer increases from October 27, with 15 to 17 daily flights to 5 domestic destinations. The resumption of 100% of flights in the capital of Rio Grande do Sul will be carried out from December 16, according to the concessionaire Fraport, when LATAM will offer 20 to 22 daily flights to 5 domestic destinations. Before the floods, LATAM operated 23 daily flights between Porto Alegre and 8 destinations in Brazil.

With the resumption of flights in Porto Alegre, the extraordinary operation at the Canoas Air Base (RS) will end as of October 21. All passengers who purchased tickets to/from the military base for flights from this date onwards will be reaccommodated on flights already scheduled to/from Porto Alegre. 

Regarding its international operation, LATAM plans to resume flights Porto Alegre-Lima and Porto Alegre-Santiago from January.

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LATAM Group begins renewal of cargo fleet.....

LATAM Group has taken delivery of a Boeing 767BCF freighter aircraft as part of the carrier's strategy to operate with a more efficient and modern cargo fleet. And, at just 11 years old, this jet is one of the company's youngest freighter aircraft.

Currently, LATAM Group operates a total fleet of 340 aircraft, including 57 Boeing passenger aircraft, including 767, 777 and 787 and 262 Airbus aircraft spread between the following models, A319, A320, A320neo, A321 and A321neo.

The company previously announced a plan to grow its cargo fleet, with the inclusion of eight passenger aircraft converted to cargo and an increase in capacity by more than 70% compared to pre-pandemic levels. Now, with 21 Boeing 767 freighters, the group offers the most extensive cargo operation in the region, connecting 166 destinations in 33 countries, of which 18 are cargo-only.

Gudny Genskowsky, Senior Vice President of Network and Cargo Alliances at LATAM said:  "Complementing our capacity offering in the passenger aircraft holds with the incorporation of a new Boeing 767BCF, in line with our strategy of renewing the fleet with younger and more efficient aircraft, will allow us to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs and continue to offer a more reliable and sustainable service to our customers," 

 

Delta extends corporate priority benefits to LATAM Airlines

The new benefits will be available on LATAM flights beginning this month, offering corporate travellers even more reasons to choose Delta and its partners for their travel needs. 

Delta Air Lines is expanding its Global Corporate Priority benefits program to include LATAM Airlines, further enhancing the travel experience for business customers. This initiative marks another milestone in Delta's commitment to offering unparalleled service and benefits to corporate travellers worldwide. 

Since becoming the first U.S. global airline to align benefits globally for its corporate customers with Air France and KLM in 2018, and subsequently with Aeromexico and Virgin Atlantic in 2019, Delta continues to lead the way in providing seamless and enhanced travel experiences for business travelers.  

Corporate passengers traveling on Delta and LATAM flights between South America and the U.S. on their travel day will enjoy exclusive benefits such as: 

Priority Boarding: Corporate travellers will be prioritized according to each carrier's boarding process.  

Denied Boarding Prioritization: If every confirmed passenger cannot be accommodated on a flight, corporate travelers receive priority status in involuntary denied boarding situations.   

Downgrade Prioritization: In the unlikely event we cannot accommodate every ticketed passenger in a cabin of service, corporate travelers take priority over nonbusiness travelers of comparable status.   

Priority Service Recovery: Corporate travelers will be prioritized above other passengers during rebooking for flights and seats when loyalty status and booking class are the same.   

This expanded Global Corporate Priority benefits program builds on Delta's Corporate Priority program, initially launched in 2014. Inspired by feedback from hundreds of Delta customers and its partners' joint corporate customers, the program has been continually refined to meet the evolving needs of business travelers. 

"We are thrilled to extend our Global Corporate Priority benefits to LATAM Airlines, offering our corporate customers even more value and convenience," says Luciano Macagno, Delta’s Managing Director for Latin America, the Caribbean and South Florida. "This expansion is a testament to our commitment to providing superior service and benefits to our business travelers, ensuring they receive the best possible travel experience." 

The new benefits will be available on LATAM flights beginning this month, offering corporate travellers even more reasons to choose Delta and its partners for their travel needs. 

DELTA-LATAM 

The expansion of the Global Corporate Priority benefits program is a key component of the broader Delta-LATAM Joint Venture. This partnership aims to enhance connectivity and provide a seamless travel experience for passengers travelling between North and South America. 

Delta-LATAM is the leading airline partnership for travel between the U.S./Canada and South America. The Joint Venture between the two award-winning airlines is transforming travel between the two continents by offering an improved customer experience for its passengers and cargo customers through benefits such as the joint accumulation of miles/points in frequent flyer programs and faster connections to access more than 300 destinations through the partner hubs in Atlanta, Miami, New York JFK, Los Angeles, Bogota, Lima, Santiago, and Sao Paulo. The joint venture applies to select markets between North and South America (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay).  

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Delta and LATAM to launch route between Santiago and Orlando

Launching June 16 and operating until Sep. 28, 2024, this seasonal route will have two weekly frequencies between the Chilean capital and one of Florida’s most popular, family-friendly destinations, recognized for its theme parks and tourist attractions.

With two flights a week on Thursdays and Sundays, Delta and the LATAM group will reactivate the direct route between Santiago, Chile, and Orlando, Florida. The route will be available from June 16 to Sept. 28, 2024, summer season in the Northern Hemisphere, providing a direct and convenient option for Chileans seeking an escape from the Southern Hemisphere winter to Central Florida’s array of all-ages theme parks and attractions.

The seasonal route - which the LATAM Group is resuming after a pause in 2018 - marks a new step in the Joint Venture between Delta and LATAM after they’ve already launched six new routes directly connecting South America with the United States.

With this new route, Delta and LATAM plan to fly approximately 12,800 customers during the summer season in the United States. Aside from customers from Chile, the route will also make it easier for travellers from Brazil to access Orlando during the peak travel season.

Starting June 16, flights from the Chilean capital to Orlando will take off every Thursday and Sunday at 11:15 a.m. (local time) and arrive at 8:15 p.m. (local time). From Orlando, the flight departures will be every Thursday and Sunday at 10:25 p.m. (local time), arriving in Santiago at 7 a.m. (local time) the next day. From July onwards, Sunday flights will be operated on Saturdays on the same itinerary.

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Trip Group and LATAM Airlines Group Partner to Enhance Travel Experience Through NDC Technology

Trip.com Group, a leading travel service provider, has inked a new NDC agreement with LATAM Airlines Group.

This agreement between the two companies aims to provide a contemporary and streamlined ticketing experience for global travellers. It also offers unparalleled connectivity to over 144 destinations covered by LATAM Airlines across 22 countries and regions, including Latin America, the Caribbean, North America, Europe, Africa, and Oceania.

The key benefit of this agreement is the adoption of NDC standard technology. This technology gives customers access to a complete and more comprehensive selection of airline offerings and the option to buy additional products, services, and add-ons such as baggage allowance and seats.

Moreover, customers can access a broader range of ancillary services and more detailed information by browsing the change and cancellation policy section during checkout, leading to improved Trip.com Group and LATAM Airlines Group's after-sales services.

Juan Villanova, Sales Manager of Trip.com for Spain and Latin America, comments: "Trip.com is a cutting-edge online travel company that leads the way in technology. Our commitment is to improve our product offerings to guarantee the highest customer satisfaction. With this tech solution, our passengers will have access to an improved and more competitive selection of flights and products."

LATAM to halt newly introduced Lima-London service.

LATAM is to halt its newly introduced London service after just a month in service, the UK's TTG travel paper reported this week.  The airline only started flying to London from Lima on 1st December and will halt their service on 2nd February.  

Apparently, the airline says the halt is only temporary and it will resume flights on 30th March and passengers will be re-protected via LATAM’s daily Sao Paulo - London Heathrow route or via Madrid using partner Iberia.

 

The TTG reports the airline blames UK regulators for the suspension of the route as they require only aircraft from the carrier's Peruvian fleet.  The service is usually operated by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft in a two-class configuration, with 30 business class and 217 economy seats.

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.