MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Lan Chile closes deal with Argentine partners

Lan Chile and its Argentine associates announced Thursday they closed the deal to purchase Aero 2000 after a whole month of negotiations.

Lan with headquarters in Santiago and affiliates in Peru, Ecuador and Dominican Republic said it will take control of 49% of shares while Argentine associates, solicitors Jorge Perez-Alati and Manuel Benites the other 51%.

Aero 2000 is currently not operating but it will begin "passenger and cargo services in Argentina".

Lan possibly the leading Latinamerican airline and Chile's flag carrier has been for several years trying to have access to the Argentine market with its own operations, and so consolidating the company as the main Southern Cone operator.

In 2004 Lan incorporated several new aircrafts and reported a record profit of 164 million US dollars.