By Ricardo J. Delpiano
Keeping the expansion program of the company for the continent American Airlines LAN ended the first quarter of this year with the addition of 10 aircraft which the company's fleet grew to 116 teams, including the fleets of passenger and cargo.
For narrow-body fleet, LAN Airlines has taken delivery of three Airbus A319-100 registered as CC-BCA, CC-CC-BCB and BCB, followed by six Airbus A320 (CC-BAH, BAI CC, CC-BAJ , CC-BAK), including two teams in this model leasing scheme-registered as CC-and CC-BJB BJC-which were used together with the CC-CQM certification in AerOasis, Colombian company which participates LAN through a consultancy with a view to obtaining his certificate as an operator air.
CC-BCB, one of three Airbus A319 LAN built in recent months, with the remaining six A320. Photo: S. Blaise
The addition of these aircraft has enabled LAN to enhance the programming of its operations and increase the flexibility of its fleet in the Chilean domestic market and South American routes. With the arrival of these new aircraft, the company has been able to initiate the transfer of new equipment to its subsidiaries A320 LAN Ecuador and LAN Argentina. In the case of the Ecuadorian branch, the new A320 (HC-CLA CC ex-BAA) is the first of a total of five teams will be sent to replace the three Airbus A318 and increase the regional fleet. These five aircraft will join the other four Boeing 767-300ER LAN currently operating in Ecuador. In LAN Argentina, last week completed the transfer of one of the first A320s (CC-COL), which received the registration LV-CKV, whereby the trans-Andean subsidiary has expanded its operations with an increase frequency to some cities and the launch of a new destination in the country-Bahia Blanca, which began operations last Monday.
In Colombia, the fleet kept temporarily Aires the Boeing 737-700 and Dash-8s currently in service. However, the plan envisages the renewal fleet of these aircraft, which will be replaced by Airbus A32S teams from late this year or during 2012. The removal of existing equipment Colombian subsidiary would be done in a gradual manner, to the extent that the new Airbus delivered the holding and completion of leases of its aircraft. Aires currently has 9 Boeing 737-700 and 14 Dash 8s (-Q200 and Q-400), all leased. For the period 2013-2014, the airline would keep only two B737-700 and 11 Dash-8. Nevertheless, the maintenance of a considerable number of regional jets that date could be left open the option to keep a possible future regional fleet, especially considering the expansion that the company will live in the coming years throughout the region either in the form itself or in the context of LATAM Airlines.
For this year, the fleet of short-range LAN contemplates the inclusion of 11 additional Airbus A319, A320, including the first teams CFM56B-B engines.
During the first quarter, dropped two Airbus A318 LAN (CC-CVA and CC-CVF) for its fleet, according to the program for the sale of these aircraft. In the coming months will fleet three other teams. All of them will be operated by Avianca Brazil.
The long-haul fleet in the first quarter remained unchanged, except for the transfer of a Boeing 767-300ER (LV-CKU) LAN Argentina to replace other similar aircraft. During the second half of this year will add three new B767-300ER, with which the company will increase its fleet to 31 units of this model, allowing to strengthen the international operation.
under load LAN Cargo has added its 12th B767-300F (N526LA) which was bound for MAS Air in Mexico. This aircraft is the third batch copy ex JAL Cargo planes that the company introduced between November 2010 and January 2011, to meet increasing load demand within the Americas.
regard to the incorporation of the B787-8, LAN expects to add its first two units from April 2012 to end of next year with at least five copies in service. However, the dates and number of units to be incorporated will depend on the delivery schedule set by the manufacturer for each company. The Boeing 787 program has suffered further delays as the manufacturer to make delivery of the Dreamliner from late July. As evidence of the progress of the program, Boeing has already qualified several training centers around the world to train crews on the Dreamliner.
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