LATAM Airlines CEO Roberto Alvo: "Argentina is Fundamental to Our Network"
He stated this in remarks to Aviacionline during the IATA Annual General Meeting in New Delhi.
LATAM Airlines CEO Roberto Alvo highlighted the strategic importance of Argentina during an exclusive interview with Aviacionline at the IATA AGM. "Argentina is a very important market for LATAM. If you look at the geography, we have our hubs in Lima, São Paulo, and Santiago—and Argentina is the largest market south of those hubs. So, connecting our network through Argentina is essential," he explained.
"Today we operate about 35 international flights daily to Argentina. We serve many cities, not just Buenos Aires. We fly to Mendoza, Tucumán, and just announced a new route from São Paulo to Córdoba," Alvo said.
He credited Argentina’s open skies policy and expanded traffic rights for the airline’s continued international growth in the country. "These changes allowed us to relaunch Buenos Aires–Miami, flying from Santiago to Buenos Aires and then on to Miami and back. It reinforces both our presence and commitment to Argentina, which is a core market for us," he added.
On the airline’s fleet situation, Alvo acknowledged global supply chain challenges. "Like all airlines, we're facing issues with engine availability and aircraft delivery delays. We want to grow more, and we’re expanding at the fastest rate possible with the fleet we have."
He noted that LATAM has not only recovered its pre-pandemic size but surpassed it. "We’ve told the market we expect to close this year with a fleet around 20% larger than in 2019."
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Alvo also revealed several upgrades and future milestones:
The arrival of the A321XLR in 2027, which will enable new long-range routes currently out of reach.
Cabin reconfigurations across the fleet, with short-haul aircraft already updated and 95% equipped with Wi-Fi—LATAM being the only airline in South America offering in-flight Wi-Fi on most short-haul routes.
Long-haul aircraft will also be fitted with Wi-Fi and new business class seats that include closing doors, a first in South America. "Two aircraft are already flying with this new configuration, setting a world-class standard for our product," he stated.
Reflecting on the decision to host the next IATA AGM in Rio de Janeiro, Alvo called it a major acknowledgment of South America’s aviation progress over the past 25 years—and LATAM's own growth.
"We’ve tripled the size of our company. Today, we connect South America with all five continents. It was time to bring the industry's most important event back to the region—AGM hasn’t been held in South America since 1999, also in Rio," he noted.
Alvo emphasized LATAM's pride in hosting the event: "We’re honored to bring the AGM to one of the most beautiful cities in our region. It’s a chance to talk about connectivity, aviation in South America, and the regulation we need to keep progressing."
He concluded by framing the AGM as a recognition of LATAM’s role in regional integration: "We now operate in five countries. We connect South America to itself—40% of all international travelers within South America fly with LATAM. It’s a perfect opportunity to showcase what we can do as a region."
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