First Airbus A321neo for LATAM Airlines

LATAM Airlines has taken delivery of its first A321neo and placed an order for 13 additional aircraft to further expand its route network and drive its regional growth. This first A321neo is leased from AerCap. In total, LATAM has 111 A320 Family aircraft to be delivered.

The newly delivered A321neo for LATAM can seat up to 224 passengers and feature Airbus’ Airspace XL bins in the cabin. The larger bins provide a 40% increase in storage space and facilitate 60% more carry-on bags, allowing a more relaxed boarding experience for passengers and cabin crews.

In an Airbus press release, Ramiro Alfonsín, chief financial officer of LATAM Airlines Group, said the addition of the A321neo planes will help the airline cut down on harmful emissions into the environment.

“Our fleet renewal and modernization strategy is fully aligned with our sustainability commitment and brings us closer to the goal of becoming a carbon-neutral group by 2050,” Alfonsín said. “We will continue to work on enhancing the current fleet with next-generation aircraft to further improve our connectivity while caring for the environment.”

“This strategic move also accelerates LATAM decarbonization trajectory as the A321neos are at least 20% more fuel-efficient, emitting 20% less CO2 and 50% less noise compared to previous generation aircraft,” said Christian Scherer, chief commercial officer and head of Airbus International.

The A321neo is the largest member of Airbus’ best-selling single-aisle A320 Family. The aircraft allows operators to cover the entire market while offering the lowest seat-mile cost of any single-aisle available. To date, more than 5,200 A321neos have been ordered by customers worldwide.

LATAM Airlines Group and its affiliates are the leading group of airlines in Latin America, with a presence in five domestic markets in the region: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, in addition to international operations throughout Europe, Oceania, the United States and the Caribbean.

Today, LATAM operates 240 Airbus aircraft, the largest Airbus operator in Latin America. In July, LATAM took delivery of a new Airbus A320neo.

Airbus has sold over 1,150 aircraft in Latin America and the Caribbean. More than 750 are operating throughout the region, with more than 520 in the order backlog.

February 2015 - Boeing delivers LATAM's first 787-9 Dreamliner