LATAM Cargo expands capacity and solidifies lead as top Europe-South America air freight operator

by Payload Asia

LATAM Cargo Group announced the strengthening of its network between Europe and South America with increased frequencies on its B767-300F cargo aircraft. Starting October 1st, the company will add two weekly flights, enhancing connectivity between both markets and increasing the total frequencies from 10 to 12, thus leading to the capacity offered between the continents.

This expansion totals a weekly offer of over 600 tons on cargo planes between Europe and South America. It will complement the 1,100 tons available on LATAM group’s passenger planes from Europe. LATAM will offer more than 1,700 tons distributed among 8 points in South America and 10 in Europe.

“As the leading cargo operator in South America, our focus is on providing our customers with increased and improved connectivity. With this new growth, we will offer 140% more capacity to and from Europe and double the cargo destinations in South America compared to 2019. This significant increase in capacity also applies to our offerings for Ecuadorian flowers,” said Matías Cortina, VP Commercial for Europe at LATAM Cargo Group.

The operation originating from Europe is planned tentatively from Brussels with two new weekly frequencies, enabling the company to reinforce capacity to destinations such as Viracopos, Brazil, and Santiago, Chile, mainly connecting general cargo and pharmaceutical products. Additionally, from South America, these two additional frequencies will provide more capacity to perishable cargo customers from countries such as Peru, Chile, Equator and Colombia, among others, connecting them with Europe.

“The strengthening of our cargo network, complemented by an extensive belly network, has allowed LATAM to significantly expand capacity to Europe. Currently, we operate 10 weekly cargo frequencies to Europe, and from October, we will increase to 12 frequencies. This capacity increase will not only expand our points of origin in South America but also offer our perishable cargo customers more options and greater flexibility in transporting their products,” commented Claudio Torres, Commercial SVP for South America at LATAM Cargo Group.

Sustained growth

Since 2019, LATAM has steadily strengthened its cargo operations between Europe and South America. During 2020, it increased its weekly frequencies from 5 to 7, and in 2023, from 7 to 10. That same year, three new destinations were added: Curitiba and Florianópolis in Brazil, and Montevideo in Uruguay, in addition to the three previous destinations: São Paulo, Buenos Aires, and Santiago de Chile.

In 2023, the LATAM group experienced remarkable growth in its cargo operations to Europe, highlighting the expansion from Santiago, Chile, and Quito, Ecuador. This progress has established LATAM as the leading operator in flower transportation between South America and Europe, particularly emphasizing the export of Ecuadorian flowers to the European continent.