After more than ten months, LATAM Airlines Group is finally reinstating its connectivity between the United Kingdom and South America, the airline announced in a statement. Starting on December 3, LATAM will reopen the São Paulo-London Heathrow route. Let’s investigate further.
Bem-vindos, welcome
Welcome back. After showing positive signs of recovery, UK holidaymakers will be able to take advantage of LATAM’s reinstated service to Brazil’s São Paulo, said the airline. Starting on December 3, the route will have four weekly flights, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
The last LATAM flight departed London on January 17, 2021. After that, the UK put travel restrictions between the UK and Brazil due to the pandemic.
Next month, the flights will depart from London Heathrow Airport Terminal 3 at 20:35, local time. They will arrive at São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport at 05:20, local time.
LATAM reopening this route will provide “a last-minute opportunity for winter sun-seekers.” The airline will operate the flight using its Boeing 777 fleet. It has a capacity for 365 passengers.
Joao Murias, LATAM Airlines Regional Commercial Director, said,
“We are proud to reconnect London to São Paulo, and from there to all of South America. The demand, as soon as the news broke that we were back in operation, has been incredible, which reinforces that our commitment to connecting the UK to South America is more topical than ever.”
Hear from aviation’s movers and shakers. Book your free ticket for the Future Flying Forum now.
LATAM’s recovery in Europe
In December 2019, LATAM operated 12 routes between South America and Europe. From Sao Paulo, it flew to Lisbon, Paris, Madrid, Frankfurt, London, Milan, and Barcelona. The South American giant also flew from Guayaquil to Ecuador, from Lima to Madrid and Barcelona, and from Santiago de Chile to Madrid, according to Cirium’s database.
LATAM had 630 monthly flights in 2019. Currently, it is scheduling 394 flights for December 2021. That’s a 37.5% decrease in the direct comparison between both periods. Moreover, LATAM still has to reactivate some routes like Guayaquil-Madrid and Lima-Barcelona.
Last week, LATAM resumed flights from Sao Paulo to Barcelona. The carrier has three weekly flights and will add an extra frequency next month.
LATAM’s recovery overall
LATAM Airlines Group is currently facing a Chapter 11 financial reorganization. Moreover, due to the many travel restrictions in South America, LATAM has been slowly picking up its pre-covid routes.
In November 2021, LATAM is offering 34,348 flights throughout South America. The carrier has 6.2 million seats available. Both numbers are a 21.5% and 22.4% decrease compared to the offer and capacity LATAM had in November 2019, prior to the pandemic.
LATAM’s busiest route at the moment is between Lima and Cuzco in Peru, with 474 scheduled flights in November. A couple of years ago, LATAM’s most-served route connected São Paulo-Congonhas Airport and Rio de Janeiro’s Santos Dumont Airport with 690 flights. LATAM is operating at 50% in this particular route.
As stated before, LATAM has slowly but surely been reopening its international connectivity.
From São Paulo Guarulhos, LATAM has re-established its flights to Santiago (14 weekly frequencies), Asuncion (five), Barcelona (three), Bogota (three), Buenos Aires/Ezeiza (ten), Buenos Aires/Aeroparque (13), Mendoza (three), Lima (11), Montevideo (seven), Mexico City (seven), Frankfurt (five), Lisbon (six), Madrid (four), Paris (four), Miami (four), and New York (three).
Are you excited about LATAM’s resume of operations between London and São Paulo? Let us know in the comments below.
