LATAM Airlines Colombia has requested the civil aviation authority (Aerocivil) permission to operate a new route to the United States. This route would have up to seven weekly frequencies and be operated onboard the airline’s Airbus A320 and A319 fleets.
LATAM Airlines is looking to fly to Orlando
The South American company operates around 99 weekly flights to the United States from several airports across the region. From Colombia, LATAM only operates one route, connecting Bogota El Dorado International Airport (BOG) to Miami International Airport (MIA).
This week, the Colombian branch of LATAM Airlines requested Aerocivil permission to launch a new route to the United States, connecting Bogota El Dorado with Orlando International Airport (MCO).
The airline asked to operate up to one daily flight on this route. Now Aerocivil must review the route requested and could soon approve it for LATAM to announce it and start selling tickets. Currently, three carriers fly between Colombia and Orlando, two of which fly from Bogota. These airlines are Avianca and Spirit. Plus, Spirit and Viva Colombia fly the route Medellín-Orlando. Overall, there are about 24 weekly flights from the South American country to Orlando International.
LATAM Colombia has a fleet of 24 aircraft, including nine Airbus A319s, and 15 A320ceos.
Should LATAM increase its connectivity between Colombia and the United States?
According to data by Cirium, there are 353 weekly flights between Colombia and the United States each week in December. LATAM Airlines only operates ten flights, 2.8% of the flight market share and 3.2% of the seats offered to this country. Taking into account that LATAM is the largest airline in South America, it seems like the carrier could do more.
A quick look at the other LATAM branches in South America: LATAM Peru offers 31 weekly flights to the United States from this country; from Brazil, it offers 28; from Chile, it offers 22; and from Ecuador, it offers seven.
In comparison, Avianca operates 117 weekly flights to the United States from Colombia, followed by American Airlines, with 93 weekly services between both countries, and Spirit, with 68.
So what could LATAM do? Launching this route between Bogota and Orlando is the first step. The airline could also employ its Joint Venture Agreement with Delta Air Lines. Both carriers have said this partnership “will improve air connectivity and provide passengers and cargo customers a seamless travel experience between North and South America.”
LATAM and Delta’s Joint Venture Agreement was approved this year. Both carriers have already announced the first Joint Venture’s new market. Beginning on July 1, 2023, LATAM Airlines Brazil will begin a nonstop flight between São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Both carriers could do the same in the Colombian market. The airlines could explore the route from Bogota to Los Angeles or perhaps look at secondary Colombian airports, such as Medellín, and launch routes to Miami, New York, or Atlanta, but only if the range of its current fleet allows these services.
Source : SimpleFlying
