LATAM Cargo strengthens its air freight network in Europe

April 10, 2018. LATAM Cargo recently launched its direct cargo service from Brussels and Madrid to South America.

The new service is part of the LATAM’s long-term objective to provide its customers with a network that meets their cargo requirements, between Europe and South America, on passenger and freight aircraft.

Accordingly, LATAM doubled its freighter service from two to four cities to become the only airline to offer direct cargo transport on the new routes.

The decision came in response to the region’s growing demand, as well as the need to provide alternatives to avoid the rising congestion levels at European airports.

Brussels was selected to absorb the high traffic of pharmaceutical products through ‘Pharma’, a service distinguished by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), with the CEIV Pharma certification, which positioned LATAM as the first airline in the Americas to obtain it.

The dedicated service provided by ‘Pharma’, coupled with the direct freight routes to South America will ensure shorter transportation time for these sensitive items, and offer an enormous competitive advantage for the pharma labs that have entrusted LATAM Cargo with their products.

It also plans to carry other kinds of merchandise on its two weekly flights towards the region.

The Madrid market has seen an increase in the transportation of traditional industrial products, as well as other services like parcel delivery, e-commerce and textiles, all of which require expanded capacity and just-in-time logistics.

Though LATAM already has an extensive belly network across Europe, its commitment to meet its customers’ needs led to commence a freight-only weekly frequency from Madrid to Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Santiago, Chile.

The new service will further consolidate LATAM’s excellent schedule with greater capacity.

“Our strategy in Europe seeks to strengthen our network, and position us as the leader in air freight service to South America. We are optimistic about our new direct freight routes from Brussels and Madrid. And our customers' enthusiastic response has led us to consider the possibility of increasing our current schedule,” said Guido Henke, senior commercial director- Europe, LATAM Cargo.

Claudio Torres, international commercial director- South America, LATAM Cargo said: “By expanding our network, we are in a position to offer better alternatives to our customers. This is particularly important for the South American market, where we export fresh, temperature-sensitive products that require shorter transportation periods.”

Currently, LATAM Cargo offers six daily cargo departures onboard its passenger fleet from different European cities, and direct freight-only service to South America from four cities in the continent. It includes Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Brussels and Madrid.