Summary
- LATAM is investing $15 million per aircraft to renovate economy cabins on Boeing 787 Dreamliners, offering a competitive product.
- Passengers can enjoy Bluetooth connectivity, more in-flight entertainment options, and sustainable seat materials in renovated economy cabins.
- LATAM’s business growth includes expanding network offerings and increasing passenger numbers, driven by strong demand.
Usually, an airline’s premium cabin hogs the limelight for its offerings and upgrades, as a significant chunk of revenue comes from these fares. But economy is still what most passengers fly, and LATAM is ensuring that its Boeing 787 Dreamliners offer a comfortable ride to these passengers as well.
Renovated economy cabin
LATAM has announced that it will begin operating a second Boeing 787-9 widebody aircraft, with its Economy cabin completely renovated. The airline is spending $15 million per aircraft on these refurbishments and hopes that economy passengers on these Dreamliners get a competitive product. Jaime Cornejo, Cabin, Onboard Entertainment, and Connectivity Manager at LATAM Airlines Group, commented,
“These enhancements position LATAM group at the forefront of the region in terms of onboard entertainment platform, alongside this renewed cabin, which reflects the unique spirit and pride of the incredible region. It’s about experiencing the warmth and hospitality of South America.”
Photo: LATAM
What’s on offer?
One of the major upgrades to the 787 economy is its in-flight entertainment options. Passengers will be able to connect via Bluetooth to enjoy the region’s largest library of content, including over 170 movies, 550 TV show episodes, 100 music albums, and exclusive content from HBO Max, Paramount+, and Disney+, on 12-inch high-definition touchscreens.
A new interactive 3D map Panasonic’s Arc™ is also part of the upgrade. It will provide detailed information about landmarks and streets from the air, allowing passengers to discover places in different cities.
Furthermore, the seat upholstery is made with 57% recycled leather. It has been produced sustainably so that carbon emissions during its production were reduced by up to 60%. It also saved water and land use by up to 55%. While these are new additions to the carrier’s 787s, all narrowbody aircraft in the LATAM group fleet already include this material in their seats.
For those wanting more comfort in economy, LATAM also offers LATAM+ seats, that come with more legroom, greater recline, exclusive luggage space, and priority boarding and disembarkation.
Photo: LATAM
Business growth
LATAM’s announcement of its Dreamliners’ cabin upgrade comes at a time when it is ready to expand its network offering amid strong traveling demand. It recently announced nonstop flights from Sydney to the capital of Chile, Santiago, from October 2024 and will compete with Qantas directly on this route.
Related
LATAM Takes On Qantas With Nonstop Sydney – Santiago Service
More international competition is welcome news for Australians planning to travel between Sydney and the Chilean capital of Santiago.
The airline carried 20.2 million passengers in the first quarter of 2024, a 19.4% increase from the first quarter of 2023. Its international passenger numbers saw an increase of 32.5%, while the domestic markets of affiliates in Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru increased by 26%.
Photo: Karol Ciesluk | Shutterstock
Last year, the LATAM Airlines Group recorded a profit of $582 million, driven by a strong passenger demand for domestic as well as overseas flights. International traffic more than doubled in 2023, and the group registered a 50.1% increase.
The group saw the addition of several new routes last year, and its collective fleet grew by 30 aircraft, of which five were widebody airplanes, and the remaining were narrowbodies.
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