LATAM Brazil has partnered with Real Aviation and the Belo Horizonte International Airport (CNF) to invest more than 30 million reais (around US$5.7 million) and become the first airline in the country to use electric power in ground operations.

The plan

On Tuesday, LATAM Brazil announced it will stop emitting around 114 tons of CO2 annually at Belo Horizonte airport by using 100% electric power in its ground operations. The airline developed a pilot project in partnership with Real Aviation and the airport authorities.

As of Tuesday, the Ground Handling operation of at least 50% of LATAM’s flights in Belo Horizonte/Confins (around ten daily flights) will be performed entirely by employing electric-powered equipment rather than diesel-powered.

Jerome Cadier, CEO of LATAM Brazil, said,

"This is a clear step by LATAM towards more sustainable aviation. We are already taking concrete steps at this time and in this direction to prioritize partners with solutions contributing to reducing our carbon footprint. Our commitment is to move forward so that we can expand this and other initiatives to all airports in which we fly.”

Last week LATAM announced it will eliminate all single-use plastics by 2023.

A LATAM Airbus aircraft parked at Belo Horizonte.
LATAM has become the first airline in Brazil to use electric power in ground operations. Photo: LATAM Brazil.

The electric ground vehicles

The three partners have begun using a towbar-less remote-controlled tractor, a JET-16 electric baggage tractor, and a regional belt loader.

Adriano Bruno, CEO of Real Aviation, explained,

"To serve ten daily LATAM flights, we purchased five pieces of 100% electric equipment: one tugboat, two baggage tractors, and two baggage loading conveyors. This equipment was manufactured in France and took four months to arrive in Brazil. However, we do not doubt that we made the right choice because we bet on the longevity of our partnership with LATAM, and we know that this technology is here to stay.”

Meanwhile, the Belo Horizonte airport authorities invested in infrastructure to provide energy points for loading ground handling equipment, with the construction of a substation and the installation of its own equipment to support the operation.

The airport has made this investment because it aims to be considered a green airport.

LATAM Brazil aims to operate 100% of its flights in Belo Horizonte, around 25 daily services, with electric ground operations by the end of 2023. The volume of CO2 that will no longer be emitted corresponds to the equivalent of the consumption of diesel-powered equipment.

A LATAM Airbus A320-family aircraft at Belo Horizonte.
LATAM partnered with Real Aviation and Belo Horizonte International Airport. Photo: LATAM Brazil.

LATAM in Belo Horizonte and Brazil

Belo Horizonte is Brazil’s seventh most-used airport. So far, in 2022, it has received 3.48 million passengers, accounting for 5.03% of the Brazilian market share. Compared to 2019, Belo Horizonte has recovered around 82% of its pre-pandemic traffic levels.

According to data by Cirium, LATAM operates between 20 and 24 daily flights from Belo Horizonte. The airline offers 152 weekly flights and 25,690 seats, employing its Airbus A320-family fleet. It flies to Brasília, São Paulo (both Guarulhos and Congonhas), Curitiba, Fortaleza, Rio de Janeiro, and Vitoria.

Four additional airlines operate flights to and from Belo Horizonte. Azul Linhas Aéreas has the largest market share in the airport, operating 485 weekly flights, peaking on Wednesdays with 95 services (versus 40 on Fridays). LATAM is in second place with 152 weekly flights, followed by GOL with 95 flights per week, TAP (six), and Copa Airlines (five).