MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Lan Argentina to add 35 new routes

LAN Argentina will add 35 new international and domestic routes as part of an aggressive plan to expand the airline.

The 20 additional domestic routes will allow LAN Argentina to fly to practically all destinations within Argentina, while the 15 international routes will offer options in Central and South America, the United States, Europe and Oceania. Currently the airline only flies three times a week to Miami from Buenos Aires. The expansion will make this flight daily.

The influx of capital driving the expansion is the result of a change in Argentine law that permits the main branch of Santiago-based LAN to invest more money in its Argentine counterpart.

LAN Airlines increased its share of LAN Argentina to have nearly 80 percent of the shares in the company. Previously, Argentine law prevented foreign companies from having more than a 49 percent of an Argentine airline's stock. Passed at the beginning of August, the law reinstates a 1994 law that permits airlines to receive capital from any source.

"This government policy opens the market to competition and de-monopolizes air transport," said Argentine undersecretary of Commercial Air Transport Ricardo Cirielli.

Cirielli added that the Argentine air travel market has grown 72 percent over the past four years, representing some 11 million passengers per year.

By Elaine Ayo The Santiago Times