LAN Airlines of Chile will lease three 767-300F aircraft and purchase two 777F aircraft for its cargo fleet to keep up with growing regional demand, the company said yesterday. The first of the 767-300F aircraft arrived at the beginning of November, and another will be delivered in December and the last in January, while the 777F aircraft LAN are scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2012. By the end of 2012, LAN’s cargo unit and its Mexican Mas Air and Brazilian Absa subsidiaries will have ten 767-300F, four 777F and two rented Boeing 767s. LAN operates domestically in Chile, Argentina, Ecuador and Peru, and is in a merger process with Brazilian carrier TAM SA a transaction that it expects to complete between April and June 2011. The merger would place the newly formed regional giant, Latam Airlines Group, among the top 15 airlines in the world and make it the largest airline in the region.
The Chilean carrier expects its cargo business to grow 20% this year and by 13%-15% in 2011.