MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Third year running LAN, best airline in C. and South America

For the third year in a row the prestigious magazine Global Traveller awarded LAN Chile as the 'Best Airline in Central and South America.' The magazine surveyed more than 31,000 readers of the publication to select the best in class for luxury and business travel throughout 2008. This distinction is the direct result of the feedback received in the survey.

Global Traveller magazine introduced these awards five years ago. The honours reflect the opinions of frequent flyers from all over the world. For this annual survey, the magazine asked subscribers to evaluate the best in 55 categories related to Premium class travel. "Once again I have the distinct pleasure of recognizing LAN as the Best airline in Central and South America. For years, LAN's commitment to service and quality has been the model and reference for all airlines in the Latin American region. Our readers recognize LAN as the most respected airline, an honour that is well-deserved," stated Francis X. Gallagher, Publisher and CEO of Global Traveller. Armando Valdivieso, CEO Passenger of LAN Airlines stated, "It is an honour to receive this award for the third consecutive year. The fact that this award reflects the opinion of international business passengers, who have flown on our airline, makes this recognition even more momentous. Our clients have expressed their satisfaction with LAN's Premium Business class, a service that combines the best qualities of our recognized First and Business classes. We will always continue working to offer an excellent product coupled with the utmost in security standards while always remaining at the forefront of the global airline industry." Recently, the company completed the renovations needed for the new Premium Business class aboard the fleet of Boeing 767s designed for long distance travel. With its Premium Business Class LAN offers passengers a full flat seating option when travelling to and from South America. Since the seats recline to 180 degrees, they are designed for a completely horizontal sleeping option. Additionally, panels have been placed between seats for greater privacy and tranquillity. Everything has been designed to give business passengers what they value most on long distance flights: their rest. LAN Airlines is one of the leading passenger and cargo airlines in Latin America. The company and its affiliates serve more than 60 destinations around the world through an extensive network that offers full connectivity within Latin America while also linking the region with North America, Europe and the South Pacific, as well as 58 additional international destinations through its various code-share agreements. LAN Airlines and its affiliates have a leading position in their respective domestic markets of Chile and Peru as well as an important presence in the Argentine domestic market. Currently, LAN Airlines and its affiliates operate one of the most modern fleets in the world, with 81 passenger aircraft, and its cargo affiliate, LAN CARGO, operates 9 dedicated freighters. The company recently completed its short haul fleet renovation process by acquiring new aircraft from the Airbus A320 family, enabling LAN to improve its efficiency and to reduce significantly its CO2 emissions. The fleet renovation is part of the company's commitment to the protection of the environment.