Lan Airlines

Airline Code: LA

About Lan Airlines:
The airline was founded by Chilean Army Air Services Commander Arturo Merino Benitez (who had the Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport named after him years later), and began operations on March 5, 1929 as Línea Aeropostal Santiago-Arica. It took the name Línea Aérea Nacional de Chile (LAN Chile) in 1932. In September 1989, the Chilean government privatized the carrier, selling a majority stake in the company to Icarosan and Scandinavian Airlines System.

The approval from the Chilean Anti-monopolies Board resulted in the acquisition of control of the country's second airline Ladeco on 11 August 1995. In October 1998 LanChile merged Fast Air with Ladeco. In March 2004 Lan Chile and its subsidiaries LAN Peru, LAN Ecuador, LAN Dominicana and LANExpress became unified under the single LAN brand, instead of prior Linea Aerea Nacional. On 17 June 2004 LAN Chile changed its formal name to LAN Airlines (which was said to mean Latin American Network Airlines, even though the airline says LAN is no longer an abbreviation now) as part of this re-branding process. In mid-2005 LAN opened its subsidiary LAN Argentina in Argentina and operates national and international flights from Buenos Aires, being the third largest local operator behind Aerolíneas Argentinas and Austral. This subsidiary is also under the single LAN brand.

Lan Airlines Major Hubs:
Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport

Member lounge: VIP Lounge Neruda / VIP Lounge Mistral

Alliance: Oneworld

Codeshare Agreements:
Aeroméxico
Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
British Airways
Iberia
Japan Airlines
Mexicana de Aviación
Qantas
Korean Air

Fleet Size: 80 (+61 orders, 12 options)

No. of Destinations: 86

Airline was founded in: 1929