LATAM Airlines Group has announced a new international route between Colombia and the United States. Starting on July 1st, the South American carrier will begin flying daily between Bogota El Dorado International (BOG) and Orlando International Airport (MCO). This is the second US route announced since LATAM and Delta Air Lines received the approval of their Joint Venture agreement last September.
LATAM’s newest route
On Wednesday, LATAM Airlines Colombia said it will launch a new non-stop service between Orlando and Bogota on July 1st, 2023. The operation is part of the first announcements made since the approval of the Joint Venture with Delta. Last year, LATAM also announced the launch of the São Paulo-Los Angeles route, which will begin on July 23rd.
Paola Penarete, Vice President of North America, Mexico, Caribbean, and Asia at LATAM Airlines Group, said in a statement,
“The launch of this new route between Orlando and Bogotá is crucial to the expansion of our network from the United States. We are excited to provide a gateway for the American market to not only explore Colombia but also to take advantage of our connectivity to travel within South America.”
LATAM Colombia will employ its Airbus A320 fleet, with the capacity to carry 174 passengers, to operate this four-hour and 15 minutes journey. The flight will depart from Bogota at 10:15, and the return leg will depart at 16:47.
LATAM and Delta’s new Joint Venture agreement
Last year, LATAM and Delta Air Lines received approval for their new Joint Venture Agreement. Through this partnership, both carriers seek to improve travel experiences for passengers and cargo customers. The agreement applies to markets between North America (the United States and Canada) and South America (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay).
“Delta’s partnership with LATAM group is meant to expand access and elevate the experience for customers traveling between North and South America. This exciting new route between Orlando and Bogota will provide customers with more access to the places they want to go,” said Alex Antilla, Delta Vice President for Latin America. “Through this new route, Delta and LATAM customers will enjoy better and more convenient travel thanks to our powerful route networks and award-winning service.”
Both companies expect this Joint Venture will provide new or expanded services on at least 18 nonstop routes. This will provide approximately US$460 million in annual benefits.
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The competition on the route
Unlike the Sao Paulo-Los Angeles route, which is uncontested at the moment, the segment between Bogota and Orlando already has two airlines. Avianca and Spirit fly this route, and both have daily services, with 171.4 and 182 seats available on average.
Orlando has been recently gaining connectivity with Latin America. For instance, Azul Linhas Aéreas has announced a Belo Horizonte-Orlando route and is deploying its flagship Airbus A350 between Sao Paulo and this US city.
From Orlando, Delta Air Lines operates around 404 weekly flights to 13 destinations, mainly in the United States (although it also operates services to Amsterdam). Delta flies to US cities such as Atlanta, Boston, Cincinnati, and New York.
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