LAN Peru puts Cusco strike behind it

Last week was a difficult one for Spanish executive Jorge Vilches, made general director of LAN Peru less than six months ago. The Chilean airline's local filial stopped flying to Cusco for a few days, coinciding with the strike called there. Normally, LAN boasts 12 frequencies involving Cusco per day. The strike has since been called off but the effect would have been massive had it dragged on. Vilches has had to speak to many US and European travel groups wanting reassurance over the destination for inclusion in future packages.

The general director of LAN Peru says that the filial's fleet is the most modern in all Latin America right now - it boasts ten Airbus 319s that average out at 1.5 years old each and will another four in this year - and that its approximation over the last 18 months to low-cost strategies has been working better than expected (especially the cheap night-flights). In 2007, passenger numbers for LAN Peru rose 32% to 2.2 million (out of a total market of 3.2 million). The Peruvian operation now represents 15% of total LAN Airlines revenues. It flies 77 times per day.

Publication: SABI - Business News
Provider: South American Business Information
Date: March 4, 2008