Five years ago, LATAM Cargo operated five weekly cargo flights between South America and Europe. The airline then increased its rotations to 12/7 and at the same time grew the number of destinations served between these two continents. Now it has added three more weekly flights with its B767P2F across the South Atlantic, totaling 15/7 per week.
This is a considerable increase in main deck capacity, as each flight ups the loading capacity by around 50 tons, meaning that LATAM Cargo is offering customers every week an additional 150 to 200 tons in total. The capacity push is based on strong demand, states Jorge Carretero (JC), Sales Director Central Europe.
CFG: What is the current ratio between air freight imports and exports on routes between Latin America and Europe? And in addition: Which role does belly cargo play in LATAM Cargo’s sales considerations?
JC: Trade flows between Latin America and Europe are well balanced, supported by a wide range of industries such as perishables, pharmaceuticals, automotive, and general cargo. This diversity not only stabilizes volumes in both directions but also underlines the relevance of this corridor for global supply chains. Europe is a key destination for many South American exports, while at the same time it is an important source of high-value imports into the region.
One of our main strengths in serving these markets is the flexibility of our business model. LATAM Cargo operates with a mixed fleet, combining dedicated freighters with access to the extensive capacity of LATAM Airlines’ passenger aircraft. This allows us to adjust capacity according to market needs, offer more routing alternatives, and ensure consistent service even in dynamic environments.
CFG: Although Viracopos remains being your main hub in South America as is Santiago de Chile, LATAM Cargo seems to decentralize its services successively. Following Florianopolis in Brazil, which LATAM Cargo started servicing last year, São José dos Campos in Brazil has now been added to your itinerary. What prompted the marketing specialists to put this city on the route map?
JC: São José dos Campos is a highly strategic industrial hub, located in the heart of the Vale do Paraíba and close to São Paulo’s main production centers. Until recently, cargo destined for this region had to arrive via Guarulhos or Viracopos and then be transported by road. By launching a direct route, we are reducing transit times, increasing efficiency, and providing a more competitive and reliable solution for our customers.
This decision is also part of a broader push to expand connections between Europe and South America. From October, LATAM Cargo will operate 15 weekly rotations between Europe and South America, using the B767 freighter fleet. This increase, which represents a 25% growth in capacity, will offer multiple European origins direct access to South American destinations, and vice versa, giving customers more frequent and convenient options while responding to the growing demand for trade between the continents.
CFG: Latam Cargo is also increasing its flights from Europe to Buenos Aires from 2 to 3 or even 4 per week. Has air transport demand on routes to/from Argentina doubled lately?
JC: As of October, we will be enhancing our Brussels–Buenos Aires route by increasing our service from two to three and starting in the winter schedule with even four weekly frequencies. This expansion reflects the growing importance of Argentina within our transatlantic network. Demand for direct connections to Ezeiza continues to rise, particularly from strategic industries such as pharmaceuticals and automotive.
With three weekly operations distributed across the week, we are not only adding capacity but also giving our customers greater flexibility and confidence in their planning. This step reinforces Buenos Aires as a key gateway in South America and strengthens our position as the cargo operator with the most robust and flexible network between Europe and the region.
CFG: Jorge, thank you for your insights.
