LAN Belgium Brussels Tel: 32 02 771 9816.
Fax: 32 02 771 4406.
Rué Abbé Heymansstraat, 2. 1200
Brussels, Belgium
sales@lan-airlines.be
www.lan.com
Contact Florence Teirlinck
History
LAN Airlines S.A. NYSE: LFL (formerly LanChile) is an airline holding based in Santiago, Chile. It is
the principal Chilean airline and the largest one in South America after TAM Linhas Aéreas, 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 airport is Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL), in Santiago, with
hubs/focus cities at Ministro Pistarini International Airport (EZE) in Buenos Aires, Jorge Chávez
International Airport (LIM) in Lima, Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO) in Quito and at Miami
International Airport (MIA) in Miami. LAN Airlines is one of only two Latin American airlines (the other
being Aerolineas Argentinas) that fly to Oceania.
AMBASSADE DU CHILI – Prochile
Tel. 02 788 53 90 – Fax. 02 788 16 20, Rue des Aduatiques 106 – 1040 Brussels
sven.dubois@embachile.be / juan.angulo@embachile.be
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 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 Antimonopolies 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. As of March 2004 LAN Chile and its subsidiaries LAN Peru, LAN Ecuador, LAN Dominicana
and LANExpress became unified under the single LAN Airlines brand. On 17 June 2004 LAN Chile
changed its formal name to LAN Airlines as part of this rebranding process. Midth of 2005 LAN
opened its subsidiary LAN Argentina in Argentina and operates national and international flights from
Buenos Aires, being the third biggest local operator behind Aerolineas Argentinas and Austral. This
subsidiary is also under the single LAN brand.
LAN Airlines' A320-200 (CC-COT) and its flight attendants at the Arequipa Airport.
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%), MAS Air (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 Aug 01 2006, LAN Airlines stopped offering a First Class service on a remodelating 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 inflight 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.
On the other hand, tourism and travel magazines, as well as websites, say that LAN is considering
entering the Brazilian market as early as 2008, as it did with Peru, Ecuador and Argentina. The airline
has not made an official statement.
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.
AMBASSADE DU CHILI – Prochile
Tel. 02 788 53 90 – Fax. 02 788 16 20, Rue des Aduatiques 106 – 1040 Brussels
sven.dubois@embachile.be / juan.angulo@embachile.be