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South American Mega-Carrier LATAM Files Bankruptcy

by Gary Leff on May 26, 2020

May 26 2020

South American mega-carrier LATAM, which recently left oneworld and entered a joint venture with Delta, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the Southern District of New York. This follows a similar move by Avianca.

The bankruptcy filing includes LATAM Chile, Peru, Ecauador and Columbia but does not include Brazil, Argentina or Paraguay. Debtor-in-possession financing totaling $900 million is provided by existing owners the Amaro and Cueto families and by 10% owner Qatar Airways.

Delta Just Ordered 10 Airbus A350s, As It Prepares To Take Government Bailout Cash

by Gary Leff on April 14, 2020

Apr 14 2020

Delta Air Lines is losing $60 million a day and not paying over a third of its employees who took leaves. It has parked the majority of its fleet. And i’s preparing to accept billions of dollars in government bail out cash.

Yet last week it appears to have placed an order for 10 Airbus A350s. Airbus announced the order, but refused to confirm the airline involved.

Delta Will Start Offer Mileage Earning And Redemption On LATAM Starting April 1

by Gary Leff on February 27, 2020

Feb 27 2020

LATAM is the largest airline in South America. With Delta’s move to acquire 20% of the airline, LATAM is leaving oneworld and its planned joint venture with American Airlines to align itself with the Atlanta-based carrier.

News of Delta’s plan only came out in the fall, and they’re already launching reciprocal mileage-earning and redemption starting April 1.

Qatar Airways Looking To Buy Into 3 More Regional Airlines

by Gary Leff on February 7, 2020

Feb 07 2020

CEO Akbar al Baker said they’re considering several new acquisitions, speaking at the Qatar Airways/CAPA Aeropolitical and Regulatory Summit in Doha.

Under consideration are stakes in Rwandair, IndiGo, and Royal Air Maroc – in addition to increasing their ownership position in LATAM.

American Launching Gol Partnership, Expanding in Miami and South America

by Gary Leff on February 4, 2020

Feb 04 2020

American has announced a new codeshare relationship with Gol as well as frequent flyer partnership and an expansion at their Miami hub including to Latin America.

Gol wasn’t a great partner for Delta, which doesn’t have a huge presence in Brazil and so the opportunities to feed Delta flights were limited. Gol is a much better partner for American, which serves four cities from Brazil and flies to the country from four of its hubs.

American Airlines And LATAM Kill All Codeshares Effective February 1

by Gary Leff on January 20, 2020

Jan 20 2020

Changes need to be made for customer reservations where travel was booked on codeshares that will no longer exist. Where a customer was booked on an American Airlines-coded LATAM flight, they’re being rebooked onto the same flight with a LATAM flight number (and vice versa). Apparently the automated process at American to do this didn’t work properly for some reservations.

7+ Business Class Award Seats Per Flight Between Two Of The Most Interesting Places You’ll Visit

by Gary Leff on December 18, 2019

Dec 18 2019

>Here’s an interesting opportunity. South American mega-carrier LATAM flies to Easter Island. Easter Island is a Chilean territory, so LATAM Chile operates from Santiago.

Once a week on Mondays, though that Boeing 787 continues on from Easter Isand to Tahiti and returns to Easter Island on Tuesday. And award availability on that flight is really good.

LATAM Leaving oneworld October 1, 2020

by Gary Leff on November 21, 2019

Nov 21 2019

One of the most frequent questions I’ve gotten over the past couple of months is from American AAdvantage members with tickets for travel on LATAM, wondering whether they’ll be able to credit the flights to their AAdvantage accounts and earn miles. It looks like the ability to do so will continue through September 2020, based on new information about when LATAM will leave the oneworld alliance.

American Airlines Really Wanted a Joint Venture With LATAM – Even Without Chile

by Gary Leff on November 20, 2019

Nov 20 2019

American viewed the Chilean portion of a LATAM joint venture as ‘not a huge piece’ and they wanted to get the agreement done with the carrier across the rest of South America – not matter what story they’re telling now, with Delta poaching the LATAM partnership.

Qatar Airways CEO Expected Doug Parker to Be Ousted, Congratulates Rival Delta

by Gary Leff on October 17, 2019

Oct 17 2019

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar al-Baker, the biggest troll in aviation, gave an interviewing suggesting American Airlines got outmaneuvered by Delta, that he thought their CEO would get replaced, and that he’s still considering leaving oneworld over bad relations with American.