LATAM Airlines eyes Colombia expansion as restructuring continues

LATAM Airlines Group sees opportunities to refocus its attention and resources towards the Colombian market, following the collapse of its Argentinian unit last year. Describing the closure of LATAM Airlines Argentina in June 2020 as a “very hard decision”, LATAM Airlines Group CE Roberto Alvo said Wednesday that “a problem always brings an opportunity, and now we can refocus our resources where we believe we have a better chance of succeeding”. That means the group – most of which is restructuring under US Chapter 11 protection – is “looking into the Colombian market, which is the second-largest market in the region”. Having already positioned itself ”as clearly the second operator in Colombia”, LATAM Airlines still has a “great opportunity” in the country, Alvo states. Helpfully, the operator has “come to a very, very solid cost position” at its Bogota base, he says. And expansion in Colombia – where flag carrier Avianca is also reorganising under Chapter 11 protection – would complement the group’s Lima hub in neighbouring Peru, Alvo notes.<br/>