LATAM expects 85% of operations to resume by the end of the year

(Credit: LATAM)

The LATAM Group is forecasting a passenger operations rate of 85% for December (measured in available seat kilometres – ASK) compared to the same period in 2019, confirming its year-end estimate and approaching pre-pandemic operational levels. The group expects to operate around 1,370 domestic and international flights per day during the month, connecting 144 destinations in 22 countries. The cargo business has over 1,540 flights scheduled.

Among the novelties of the period are the reactivation of the seasonal Santiago – Florianópolis route and the resumption of emblematic routes in mid-2023, such as Sao Paulo (GRU)-Johannesburg, Brasília-Lima and Porto Alegre-Santiago. The Cargo business, on the other hand, has accumulated five consecutive months with a capacity projection above the pre-pandemic figures, with an estimate for this month of 116% compared to 2019 data.

In November 2022, passenger traffic (measured in revenue passenger kilometres – RPK) was 82.4% compared to the same period in 2019, based on an operation measured in ASK (available seat kilometres) of 82.4% compared to November 2019. This means that the load factor remained at 82.6%.

In cargo, the load factor was 54.1%, which is a decrease of 3.2 percentage points compared to November 2019.

Estimated LATAM Group operations – December 2022 (passenger operations measured in ASK / cargo operations measured in ATK) :

Brazil

• 92% projected operations (compared to December 2019). November 2022 baseline projection: 89%.
• 98% for domestic and 84% for international.
• Total destinations in December: 54 domestic and 21 international.
• International news: Restart of the seasonal Florianópolis-Santiago route (5 frequencies/week).

Chile

• Projected operation at 80% (compared to December 2019). November 2022 baseline projection: 78%.
• 77% domestic and 81% international.
• Total destinations in December: 17 domestic and 27 international.
• News International: Restart of the seasonal Florianópolis-Santiago route (5 frequencies/week).

Colombia

• 113% of projected operations (compared to December 2019). Reference projection November 2022: 110%.
• 115% domestic and 110% international.
• Total destinations in December: 17 national and 5 international.

Ecuador

• 73% planned operation (compared to December 2019). November 2022 baseline projection: 67%.
• 131% domestic and 55% international.
• Total destinations in December: 8 national and 4 international.

Peru

• 83% planned operation (compared to December 2019). November 2022 baseline projection: 79% domestic
• 99% domestic and 78% international
• Total destinations in December: 19 national and 27 international.

Cargo

• 116% projected operation (compared to December 2019). November 2022 baseline projection: 105%.
• 90% domestic and 92% international.
• 180% dedicated cargo.

Operational estimate by segment vs 2019 – December 2022 (measured in ASK)

• Domestic Spanish speaking countries: 80.
• Domestic Brazil: 98.
• International: 79.
• Total consolidated: 85.

Note: Domestic operations in Argentina are included in the 2019 operational statistics above, however, on 17 June 2020, LATAM announced the indefinite cessation of its domestic passenger and cargo operations in Argentina.

Source: LATAM