LAN AIRLINES

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'LAN Airlines S.A.' (formerly Lan Chile) is an airline based in Santiago, Chile. It is the principal Chilean airline and one of the largest in South America, with flights to Latin America, North America, Mexico, the Caribbean, Oceania, and Europe. It is a member of the Oneworld airline alliance. Recipient of numerous awards within the aviation industry, LAN's operations have been continuously expanding over the past several years.
Its main hub is Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport, Santiago, with hubs/focus cities at Ministro Pistarini International Airport in Buenos Aires, Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima, Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito and at Miami International Airport in Miami. LAN Airlines is one of only two Latin American airlines (the other being Aerolineas Argentinas) that fly to Oceania. [1]

Contents

History

Subsidiaries

Destinations

Fleet

Previously operated

LANPASS

South American AirPass

Codeshare agreements

Incidents and accidents

References

External links

History

The airline was founded by Chilean Army Air Services Commander Arturo Merino Benitez (who had the Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport named after him years later), and began operations on March 5, 1929 as 'Línea Aeropostal Santiago-Arica'. It took the name Línea Aérea Nacional de Chile (LAN Chile) in 1932. In September 1989, the Chilean government privatized the carrier, selling a majority stake in the company to Icarosan and Scandinavian Airlines System.
The approval from the Chilean Anti-monopolies Board resulted in the acquisition of control of the country's second airline Ladeco on 11 August 1995. In October 1998 LAN Chile merged Fast Air with Ladeco. In March 2004 LAN Chile and its subsidiaries LAN Peru, LAN Ecuador, LAN Dominicana and LANExpress became unified under the single 'LAN' brand, instead of prior 'L'inea 'A'erea 'N'acional. On 17 June 2004 LAN Chile changed its formal name to 'LAN Airlines' (an abbreviation for Latin American Network Airlines) as part of this re-branding process. Midth of 2005 LAN opened its subsidiary LAN Argentina in Argentina and operates national and international flights from Buenos Aires, being the third largest local operator behind Aerolineas Argentinas and Austral. This subsidiary is also under the single LAN brand.
LAN Airlines has the following subsidiaries and shareholdings: LAN Cargo (99.4%), LANExpress (99.4%), ABSA - Aerolinhas Brasileiras (73.3%), LAN Peru (70%), LAN Dominicana (49%), LAN Ecuador (45%), LAN Argentina (49%), MasAir (39.5%) and Florida West International Airways (25%). It also has 11,173 employees.
LAN codeshares with American Airlines to U.S. destinations, British Airways and Iberia to European destinations, to Asian destinations with Korean Air, and some destinations in Australia and New Zealand with Qantas.
As of August 1 2006, LAN Airlines stopped offering a First Class service in a remodeling process in which First and Business classes are merged into just one named 'Premium Business'. This 'Premium Business' class offers a full-flat 180-degree recline, which is available from only five companies in the world, offering greater comfort for sleeping in a completely full-flat horizontal position. Down comforters and soft pillows will create a true bed experience, and dividing panels between seats will offer maximum privacy during the flight. Also the in-flight entertainment will also reach a superior level with larger 15.4-inch individual video monitors that offer better resolution and an updated audio-visual content with an audio and video on demand system that allows passengers to choose from eight films and 20 short programs with the ability to fast-forward, rewind or pause selected films. At this time, LAN has 4 Aircraft offering this new feature. It will be available in all 767s and Airbus A340 in early 2007.
During May 2006, for the sixth time, LAN Airlines has been chosen as the Best Airline Based in Central/South America & Caribbean by OAG (Official Airline Guide), the foremost world guide on information regarding airline schedules and itineraries.
According to a 2006 study conducted by the prestigious European magazine Euromoney, LAN Airlines was selected among the best-managed companies in Latin America in the transportation category.

Subsidiaries

★ LAN Argentina

★ LAN Cargo

★ LAN Dominicana

★ LAN Ecuador

★ LAN Express

★ LAN Peru

Destinations

Main articles: LAN Airlines destinations

Fleet

The LAN Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft as of March 2007:^[1]

'LAN Airlines Fleet'

Aircraft	Total	Passengers (Premium Business/Tourist)	Routes	Notes
Airbus A318-100	1 (19 orders)		Domestic routes	Entry into service: 2007-2009
Airbus A319-100	15 (6 orders)	144 (144)	Medium haul routes South and Latin America	Entry into service: 2007
Airbus A320-200	15 (16 orders)	156 (16/120)	Medium haul routes South and Latin America	Entry into service: 2007-2009
Airbus A340-300	5	271	Medium and long haul routes Australia, Europe and New Zealand
Boeing 737-200ADV	17	124	Short-medium haul routes Domestic and South America	Replacement aircraft: Airbus A320 Family
Boeing 767-300ER	23 (10 orders)	212 214	Medium-long haul routes Europe and North America	Entry into service: 2007-2009
Boeing 777-200F	(4 orders)		For LanCargo (3) and ABSA (1)	Entry into service: 2009-2010
Boeing 787	(32 orders) (10 options)			Entry into service: 2011-2016

Also on order are 19 Airbus A318s, on which LAN became the launch customer for the Pratt & Whitney PW6000 engine ^[2]. Its A319 & A320s are equipped with International Aero Engines V2500s. Lan Airlines has recently renovated its Boeing's 767s, adding amenities like seats that recline 180 degrees, and seatback TV's.
The average LAN fleet age is 8.2 years old in November 2006.

Previously operated

★ McDonnell Douglas DC-10

★ Boeing 767-200ER

★ Boeing 707

★ Boeing 727

★ BAe 146

LANPASS

LANPASS is LAN's Frequent Flyer Program, created to reward customer loyalty. There are currently over a million members in Chile, Argentina, Peru, Ecuador and the United States who enjoy LANPASS benefits. Every year, over 50,000 LANPASS members fly for free.
LAN's frequent flyer categories are: Normal, Premium, Premium Business and Comodoro.

South American AirPass

This pass allows you to visit multiple South American destinations - by way of LAN's extensive South American network - at discounted rates. A passenger can choose from the more than 49 South American destinations that make up LAN's network. South American Airpass works via the purchase of individual one-way coupons for flights within South America. The value of these coupons is determined by two factors:
1. Whether you reach South America with LAN or with a Oneworld alliance member.
2. The distance between the point of departure and the destination.

Codeshare agreements

Lan Airlines has codeshare agreements with the following airlines as of July 2006:

★ Aeroméxico

★ Alaska Airlines

★ American Airlines

★ British Airways

★ Iberia

★ Japan Airlines

★ Mexicana de Aviación

★ Qantas

★ Korean Air

★ Avianca

Incidents and accidents

★ On March 28, 2007, LAN Airlines Flight 801 traveling between Santiago and Auckland was involved in a near miss incident with a meteor while over the Pacific Ocean. It is estimated that the flaming object passed within five nautical miles of the aircraft, while the crew could hear the objects breaking the sound barrier. While it was initially thought the object was an old Russian satellite re-entering the atmosphere, that explanation was subsequently ruled out by NASA.

References

1. Quarterly Financial Filings (FECU) (September/2006) [2]
2. Airbus Press Release

External links

★ LAN Airlines