LATAM Becomes Largest Boeing 787 Operator in South America

DALLAS — LATAM (LA) has announced an order for a further five Boeing 787 Dreamliners, making the airline the largest operator of the type in South America. LATAM will also become the first airline in South America to use GE Aerospace's GEnx engines, which will be equipped on the new aircraft.

LATAM's number of Boeing 787s is now expected to rise to 46, leaving the Airbus A320 family as the most abundant type in the fleet. Currently, the LATAM group has a total of 332 aircraft in operation, including 20 aircraft in its cargo division.

The Boeing 787 rivals the Airbus A350, with the group having sold the latter arguably due to its need for a simpler fleet containing Boeing long-haul aircraft and Airbus short-haul aircraft. This has led to the Boeing 787-9 becoming LA's new flagship aircraft, although it trails the airline's A320 fleet by a long shot; according to Cirium Diio, the latter has flown over 5,000 flights globally in December 2023 alone in comparison to the 800 flights flown by the former during the same period.

LATAM originally used the Airbus A350 on long-haul flights but decided to stick to an all-Boeing long-haul fleet. Photo: Julian Schöpfer/Airways

Dreamliner Sustainability and Efficiency

The order of the new aircraft reflects LA's strive to become a more sustainable carrier, with the Boeing 787 being able to operate on 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). In an interview with Aviation for Aviators, LA's chief commercial officer, Marty St. George, stated that LA has "been working to 5% sustainable fuel by 2030, favoring South American producers."

LATAM has also decided to equip its aircraft with GEnx engines, a move that makes LA the only airline on the continent to do so. According to GE Aerospace, the engines result in a much smaller nitrogen oxide output and are "the most efficient widebody engine in its class."

LATAM's latest aircraft will install the GEnx engines, meaning that it becomes the first South American carrier to do so. Photo: Brandon Farris/Airways

Phrasing out the Boeing 767

The arrival of further Boeing 787s should give LA a significant upper hand and allow LA to start phasing out some of the older aircraft within its fleet. This includes the Boeing 767, which remains the backbone of LA's operations, although LA's Boeing 767s have an average age of 16.4 years.

It can be certain that LATAM will continue to take advantage of the 787 for the foreseeable future, cementing its place in the airline as the primary long-haul aircraft.

Featured Image: LATAM Boeing 787. Photo: Brandon Farris/Airways