Air TransportLATAM sees the Boeing 777X and the A350-1000 as natural replacements for its 777-300ER
LATAM Airlines is considering replacing its fleet of Boeing 777-300ERs with Boeing 777X and Airbus A350-1000 jets, but it will only happen in the next decade.
Asked by Flight Global about potential candidates to replace its largest widebodies, the CEO of the Chilean group, Roberto Alvo, stated that the natural choice are the two largest aircraft currently in production – the statement was made during the ALTA meeting in Lima last month.
Alvo stated that the decision on fleet renewal is still far off, as the company maintains a long-term commitment to the 777-300ERs, which will continue to operate at least until the end of the decade.
The chief executive highlighted that, although the 787-9 is a well-rated aircraft by LATAM, its size is considered insufficient to replace the current 777-300ER: “Probably, the 787 is too small to replace the -300ER,” he said.
LATAM’s fleet of 777-300ERs, all in the Brazilian division, consists of ten aircraft aged between 12 and 17 years – it is dedicated to high-demand international routes.
The lack of urgency coincides with the delay in receiving these new generation widebodies. The first deliveries of the Boeing 777-9 are expected in 2027, after successive delays in the program’s schedule.
The A350-1000, Airbus’s alternative, has been in production for a long time, but does not have such high demand. It is worth remembering that LATAM dismissed its A350-900s, acquired by TAM, in 2021 after failing to make them profitable.
LATAM preferred to focus on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, of which it has 37 aircraft in service, including 787-8 and 787-9 versions, in addition to additional units already ordered, while global production of the model continues at a rate of seven aircraft per month, with an increase expected by the end of the year.
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Creator of the website that started in 1996 as a magazine. He also writes on Brazilian websites AUTOO, MOTOO and MetrôCPTM.
