LAN Airlines Expands South America Network

LAN has expanded its flight network within South America, introducing new routes and increasing services in several existing markets.

The airline group has just commenced double daily flights from Buenos Aires to the “garden city” of Tucuman, in Argentina’s north.

It has also inaugurated daily flights between the colonial city of Cordoba, in Argentina’s geographical centre, to Lima, Peru.

And it has added a third daily flight from the wine growing region of Mendoza in Northern Argentina to the Chilean capital of Santiago, for a new weekly total of 21 services.

These increases follow LAN’s recent introduction of two weekly flights between Lima and the Colombian coastal city of Cartagena de Indias, and the start of domestic services within Ecuador, with flights initially linking Guayaquil, Quito and Cuenca and plans for more routes by early 2010.

All of the new flights are operated by Airbus A320-family aircraft, which LAN uses exclusively on services within and between South American countries.

As well, the airline has increased nonstop services from Lima to Madrid, Spain, moving from four weekly Boeing 767-300ER flights to daily services.

The additional services expand LAN’s South American network to more than 50 destinations, providing even greater travel options for both tourists and business travellers.

They will be included in LAN’s popular South America Airpass, which provides convenient and affordable flights within and between the nations of South America.

“Leisure travel to South America is still increasing, despite the global economic downturn,” said Rodrigo Contreras, General Manager Australia, New Zealand and Asia for LAN Airlines. “We are continuing to respond to or anticipate demand for leisure travel by increasing flights within and between the countries of South America.”

LAN, a member of the oneworld global airline alliance, offers daily one stop flights from Sydney to Santiago, the capital of Chile and most popular Australian entry point to South America.

The dual class Airbus A340-300 flights operate via Auckland, New Zealand, and connect in Santiago with onward LAN services throughout Chile and to other South American destinations.

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