Lan and Tam consolidate under an only brand of Latam Airlines

Friday, August 7th 2015 - 05:55 UTC

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The changes will “gradually become visible” in 2016, though the company has not announced a timeline for all specific elements.

“Most of the travel managers require that you have the whole of South America with one contract, and that’s what we can offer,” Chiozza said.

Latam also is growing service in North America: it added service to Toronto, as well as connections from Orlando to Lima and Brasília.

LATAM Airlines Group will consolidate all its carriers, including Lan Airlines and Tam Linhas Aéreas S.A., into a single brand over the next three years, the company announced Thursday. Since Lan and Tam merged in 2012, they've operated as separate brands, but the parent company's goal has been to provide a carrier that can provide seamless coverage to the entire South American continent.

Lan, Tam, their affiliates and subsidiaries and Latam’s cargo carriers will make branding for aircraft, airports, crew uniforms, websites, offices and loyalty programs consistent as Latam, according to the company. Those changes will “gradually become visible” in 2016, though the company has not announced a timeline for all specific elements.

”Joint corporate contracting between the two brands was available immediately after the merger, and last year Tam left Star Alliance to join Lan in Oneworld, which gave us huge leverage”, said Latam senior vice president for the United States, Canada and Caribbean Pablo Chiozza.

“Most of the travel managers require that you have the whole of South America with one contract, and that’s what we can offer,” Chiozza said. “Whether you are from the West Coast or East Coast and getting to the east or west coast of South America and then traveling domestically in whatever country, that’s what we can offer right now.”

Latam also is growing service in North America, Chiozza said. It recently added service to Toronto, as well as connections from Orlando to Lima and Brasília. It also is swapping out for larger aircraft on some existing routes, he said.

At the same time,LATAM plans to create an international hub in northeastern Brazil—in Natal, Forteleza or Recife—according to Chiozza. That hub could bring additional service to North America or Europe, he said.

Categories: Economy, Investments, Tourism, Brazil, International, Chile.

Tags: Lan Airlines, Latam Airlines Group, Oneworld Alliance, Pablo Chiozza - LATAM, Tam Linhas Aéreas S.A.

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ChrisR
What a complete mistake to make!

I thought they wanted to grow the business in the Northern Hemisphere and calling it LATAM is going to do this? They can't have thought this through, isn't Aerolineas Argieshiteras in LATAM? Isn't that going to ride on the coat tails of LATAM or, more correctly, LATAM is going to suffer the same very low reputation so deserved by the argie morons?

We always travel LAN, no other carrier is acceptable, especially Iberia with their terrible LatAm level of dis-service.
Aug 07th, 2015 - 08:02 pm 0
Chicureo
Chris, please explain. I loyally fly LAN and although TAM is a tier below, this is not much different from LAN Argentina or LAN Peru. What am I missing?

BTW: many years ago, despite my wise financial counsel, my independent minded wife, sold her shares in CTC and used the proceeds to buy the first public offering of LAN Chile. She has never sold the shares and constantly gloats about what they're now worth...
Aug 07th, 2015 - 10:25 pm 0
ilsen
Surely this is progress?

But will they service Venezuela, whose government is still refusing to pay the $4 Billion still owing to various international carriers?
Aug 08th, 2015 - 01:38 am 0

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