LATAM

LATAM is a South American based airline and is one of the largest airlines in the world. In 2010, two airlines, LAN and TAM announced their plan to merge their holdings into a single entity, called "LATAM Airlines Group". Together, TAM (Brazilian ailrines) and LAN (Chilean airline) have more than 40 thousand employees, 280 aircraft, and 115 destinations in 23 countries, while also offering cargo services worldwide.

THE ESSENTIALS
Name: LATAM
Founded: Merged in 2015 (LAN Airlines was founded in 1925, TAM was founded in 1976)
Hubs: Santiago, Lima, São Paulo (GRU) and Bogota.
Rewards Program: LATAM Pass
NZ Routes: Auckland to Santiago and Sydney
Partners: A Oneworld member
Classes of Travel: Business and Economy
Meals: All meals and drinks (including alcohol) are included. Special meals available.
Entertainment: Movies, TV shows, music and games included with personal seatback screens.
Luggage Allowance: Two pieces of checked luggage up to 23 kilograms each allowed for flights to Santiago. Two pieces weighing a total of 23 kilograms allowed for flights to Sydney. One piece of carry on up to 8 kilograms on all flights. Increased allowances apply for higher classes.
Connectivity: USB port and a power point in each seat.
*Please note all the above info is for flights to and from New Zealand.

THE DIFFERENCE
- LATAM fly the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, one of the world’s most advanced aircraft, on their New Zealand flights.

THE DESTINATIONS
New Zealand: Auckland to Santiago and Sydney.
Santiago: To most major cities in South America, as well as some destinations in Central/North America and Europe.

THE CLASSES
Business Class: In Business Class you’ll receive larger seats, guaranteed aisle access, lie flat beds, bedding such as a light duvet, pillows and linen, larger screen for your entertainment system and an amenities kit. Checked luggage allowance is three pieces at 23 kilograms each.

THE HUB
Comodoro Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport, Santiago: Santiago International Airport is the by far the largest and busiest in Chile. The airport was renovated recently, and will be expanded over the coming years. The airport is reasonably good, but can get busy on weekday mornings so you might want to allow an extra 30 minutes if checking in for a flight then. Kiwis do not need to pay an arrival tax, but Australian, US, Mexican and Canadian passport holders do need to pay a one off fee. This needs to be done before you go through immigration. Many people mistakenly queue for immigration, only to be sent back to the tax payment queue, so ensure you’re in the right queue to save wasting time.