LATAM Airlines Group will acquire 28 new Airbus narrowbody aircraft as it continues to work through its bankruptcy proceedings.
The Santiago, Chile-headquartered airline says on 6 August that the new A320neos are in addition to a previously announced order for 42 Airbus aircraft, and will assist in the airline’s goal to modernize its fleet and reduce its carbon footprint.
“The purchase of these highly efficient aircraft is a sign of the commitment we have made with the transformation towards a carbon neutral LATAM in 2050,” says Roberto Alvo, the airline’s chief executive. “At the same time, these 70 aircrafts reinforce the connectivity scale of the region. We will continue working responsibly to exit Chapter 11 with a fleet that accompanies the group’s new challenges.”
LATAM filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the USA in May 2020 after the coronavirus pandemic wiped out demand for air travel, and aims to exit the process by the end of 2021. In July, a US bankruptcy court gave the airline more time to file its restructuring plan.
According to Cirium fleets data, the airline currently has 36 Airbus A320-family aircraft and another 22 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in passenger service.
In May, the airline added two additional aircraft to its previously announced plan of converting eight Boeing 767-300 jets to freighters over the next three years, increasing its freighter fleet size from to 21 by 2023. The first converted aircraft under the freighter fleet growth plan is expected to come into operations in December.
Delta holds a 20% stake in the Chile-based airline group.
