By Juan Pedro Sanchez Zamudio
LATAM Records April’s Operation, Launches New Routes
Recently, the LATAM Airlines Group released its projection for passenger operations for April, which was up 70 percent for April, compared to the same month in 2019. The airline’s projection is measured in available seat kilometers (ASK).
In a press release, LATAM Airlines Group stated its flight and cargo operations for this April, and the reports showed an improvement in operations. This projection represents an increase of 2.1 percent from March — the highest figure so far this year.
LATAM Airlines Group has been promoting the reactivation of tourism and the promotion of trade to increase connectivity in the region. The airline plans to operate approximately 1,059 daily national and international flights during April, connecting 132 destinations in 20 countries.
This month also sees the introduction of operations from Lima to Cartagena, Colombia and Rio de Janeiro and a route between Quito, Ecuador and Bogotá, Colombia. With this new international operation, LATAM Airlines is currently connecting Lima with 5 different cities: Bogotá, Colombia; Medellín, Colombia; San Andrés Barranquilla, Colombia and now Cartagena.
The group’s cargo business has almost 1,360 cargo freighter flights, with the delivery of a newly converted freighter, which brings the operating fleet to a total of 13 freighters. These projections are subject to the pandemic’s evolution in the countries where the group operates.
In March 2022, passenger traffic, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was 66.5% in relation to the same period in 2019, based on an operation measured in available seat kilometers (ASK) of 67.9 percent, compared to March 2019.
As a result, the load factor decreased 1.7 percent, down to 81.1 percent. In regards to cargo operations, the load factor was 60.6 percent, which corresponds to an increase of 2.6 percentage points — compared to March 2019.
| Brazil | ● 74% projected operation (versus April 2019). March 2021 projection reference: 74% ● 97% domestic and 53% international ● Total April destinations: 49 domestic (equivalent to 503 daily flights on average) and 18 international o Updates: ▪ International: introduction of the Río de Janeiro/Galeão-Lima route (3 flights/week) |
| Chile | ● 59% projected operation (versus April 2019). March 2021 projection reference: 55% o 73% domestic and 52% international ● Total April destinations: 15 domestic (equivalent to 115 daily flights on average) and 22 international |
| Colombia | ● 107% projected operation (versus April 2019). March 2021 projection reference: 109% o 164% domestic and 58% international ● Total April destinations: 17 domestic (equivalent to 177 daily flights on average) and 5 international o Updates: ▪ International: introduction of Bogotá-Quito (5 flights/week) and Cartagena-Lima (3 flights/week) routes |
| Ecuador | ● 41% projected operation (versus April 2019). March 2021 projection reference: 34% ● 120% domestic and 19% international ● Total April destinations: 8 domestic (equivalent to 39 daily flights on average) and 3 international o Updates: ▪ International: introduction Quito-Bogotá route (5 flights/week) |
| Peru | ● 67% projected operation (versus April 2019). March 2021 projection reference: 63% ● 88% domestic and 60% international ● Total April destinations: 19 domestic (equivalent to 146 daily flights on average) and 22 international o Update: ▪ International: introduction of the Lima-Río de Janeiro/Galeão (3 flights/week) and Lima-Cartagena (5 flights/week) routes |
| Cargo | ● 94% projected operation (versus April 2019). March 2021 projection reference: 100% o 77% domestic belly and 61% international belly o 146% dedicated freighter |
| Domestic Spanish-speaking countries | 84% |
| Domestic Brazil | 97% |
| International | 52% |
| Consolidated Total | 70% |
The three things Juan Pedro loves most about aviation are aircraft, airports, and traveling thousands of miles in just a few hours. What he enjoys the most about aviation is that it is easier and cheaper to travel around the world and this gives you the opportunity to visit places you thought were too far away. He has traveled to different destinations in North, Central, South America and Asia. Born, raised and still living in Perú, Juan is a lawyer, soccer lover, foodie, passionate traveler, dog lover, millennial and curious by nature.
