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LAN Airlines Celebrates 80 Years of Dedicated Service to Passengers and Cargo Customers

Written by thomas · Filed Under Commercial 

March 6, 2009

thomas

MIAMI, March 6 /PRNewswire/ — LAN Airlines announced the company’s 80th anniversary. Eighty years ago, on March 5th, LAN began offering passengers and cargo clients stellar air transportation service. To commemorate this important milestone, celebrations will take place throughout the year.

Eighty years ago today, Commander Arturo Merino Benitez created this company in Chile, a national air transportation service provider that would one day become the leading Latin American airline. LAN and its affiliates in Chile, Peru, Argentina and Ecuador connect the region to Europe, the United States and the South Pacific. In addition to boasting an important air service provider status in each of the first three domestic markets named above, soon Ecuador will have this same standing.

In 1946 the company operated its first international flight between Santiago, Chile and Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 1956 the company provided service to Lima, Peru and, a few years later, in 1958, LAN flew its first flight to Miami. Then in 1970, the company began to offer service to Europe.

The first year LAN transported 762 passengers, quite an accomplishment for the times. Today, 80 years later, LAN and its affiliates transport more than 13 million passengers annually and through its cargo subsidiary, 660,000 tons of cargo.

Another way to look at LAN’s current capacity is to break these numbers down even further. On a daily basis 45,000 people choose the LAN brand to travel to the most important cities in the region. Thanks in large part to LAN and its affiliates’ comprehensive network, travelers can enjoy ease of travel to amazing destinations.

One of these is Cuzco, where LAN Peru offers up to 18 daily flights from a diverse number of cities throughout Peru. Another is the exotic Easter Island where LAN Airlines offers flights 5 to 7 times per week. One of the most popular destinations in the region is Patagonia in Chile and Argentina, where service is offered to cities like Ushuaia, Punta Arenas, El Calafate and Bariloche. In the near future, LAN Ecuador will begin offering service to the Galapagos Islands.

LAN and its affiliates offer a broad array of travel options through the company’s comprehensive service network within the region and to and from Latin America as well. Throughout the entire network, passengers have come to rely on the consistent and distinguished product that delivers the best in travel experiences.

Currently, LAN and its affiliates operate one of the most modern air fleets in the world. The average age of the aircraft is about five years old. The fleet is comprised of 81 passenger aircraft and its cargo subsidiary, LAN CARGO and its respective cargo affiliates, 9 cargo carriers operated by the its affiliate company, LAN CARGO, and its subsidiary affiliates. The fact that the fleet is so modern has paved the road for greater efficiencies and significant reductions in CO2 emissions, which also clearly reflects the company’s commitment to protecting the environment.

The growth and consolidation of LAN’s operations mean that today every four minutes an aircraft departs; transporting passengers and offering the best quality of service, the most stringent security measures, on-time arrivals and departures and greater efficiencies in many aspects of flight operations.

LAN and its affiliates operate nearly 350 daily departures. Just this past year the company boasted an average rate of 87.2% for on-time departures and arrivals; above the industry levels in both the United States and Europe.

Since the year 2000, LAN has been a member of the oneworld global alliance that brings together the best international airlines. Recently oneworld celebrated its 10 year anniversary. Oneworld’s reputation and that of its member airlines, is world renown because the alliance meets and exceeds passenger expectations and offers the highest service and security standards as well as premier efficiencies and professionalism.

LAN has also made a significant mark on the global landscape because of its solid financial standing. In November of 2007, the company commemorated 10 years as a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange. This milestone placed LAN as the first Latin American airline to publicly trade its stock in the United States. This move exemplifies the company’s resolve and commitment within the company to the international financial community.

The company is one of only a few airlines in the world that has been classified as Investment Grade (BBB) which recognizes LAN’s long term strategy and facilitates access to financial markets. Furthermore, the globalization of today’s world economy makes the transportation of goods and services an ever more critical component for developing markets.

During recent years, LAN’s cargo affiliate, LAN CARGO has been an important partner in the transportation of fresh produce like Peruvian asparagus, Chilean salmon, Argentine blueberries and Colombian and Ecuadorian flowers. In just a few hours time, the company is able to transport these perishable goods to their distribution destinations via a reliable network, while maximizing the critical time sensitive nature of arriving into the hands of millions of consumers.

LAN CARGO also transports time sensitive machinery and critical spare parts from Mexico and the United States to the clients that need them urgently throughout the region. LAN CARGO transports products from different parts of the world to the region through its extensive network that includes operations in every capital of South America, Mexico and recently San Jose, Costa Rica, and Guatemala for Central America.

LAN CARGO has become a major cargo operator at Miami International Airport (MIA), the main port of entry for the entire North American market. The company’s MIA operations complex boasts over 130,000 square feet of warehousing, export and import terminals, refrigerated storage and offices. This complex is the largest in the United States for a foreign-owned airline; underscoring its leadership position in the transportation of cargo to and from the United States.

During the month of March, a new LAN CARGO subsidiary in Colombia will be added to the already extensive cargo network. Two of Boeing’s most modern aircraft, 767-300Fs, will be connecting this market with the most important cities in the region with an emphasis on the Bogota – Miami route. Colombia is the largest air cargo market in Latin America in terms of exports to the United States with an estimated volume totaling 200,000 tons annually. The Colombian affiliate plans to add value by increasing capacity in this route and further developing this important international business route.

As of April 2009, LAN CARGO will incorporate two new Boeing 777F aircraft, becoming the second airline in the world and the first in the region to own this freighter. The Boeing 777F is the most modern and efficient aircraft of its kind with most cargo capacity, which will help expand LAN CARGO’s reach to destinations in Europe and continue operating with the highest service standards.

“During this, our anniversary year, we stand proud of our company’s accomplishments and are grateful to our passengers and to the cargo customers of our affiliate, for continuously choosing LAN for their transportation needs. Without this loyalty and preference, we would not have reached this milestone anniversary. We will continue working to offer the best service and remain committed to economic growth, to the tourism industries in each of the markets we serve, as well as the continued development of the airline industry in Latin America,” stated Enrique Cueto, LAN’s Chief Executive Officer.

About LAN

LAN Airlines is one of the leading passenger 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 alliances. 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 Argentinean 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 subsidiary, LAN CARGO and its respective cargo affiliates, operate 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.

LAN is one of the few Investment Grade airlines in the world (BBB). The company’s world class quality standards enabled its membership in oneworld(TM), the global alliance that encompasses the best airlines in the world. 

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