Photo: Virgin Atlantic.
Virgin Atlantic and LATAM Airlines Group have asked the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for authorization to launch a codeshare agreement allowing to carry passengers between the United Kingdom, Chile, Peru, and Colombia via the United States. Virgin already has a codeshare agreement with LATAM Brazil.
A new codeshare agreement?
Virgin Atlantic and LATAM Airlines revealed their plans to operate a codeshare agreement this week. Delta Air Lines invest in both carriers.
Virgin Atlantic requested a blanket statement authorization to display the LA code on flights operated by Virgin Atlantic in conjunction with foreign air transportation between points the United Kingdom via the UK and intermediate points to a point or points in the US and beyond, said the company.
Similarly, LATAM Airlines requested authorization to display the VS code on flights operated by the company between points behind Chile, Peru and Colombia and intermediate points in the US and beyond.
The codeshare services will not be available to any of the joint applicants’ passengers originating in or destined for points in the US. The US will only serve as transit points for traffic between the UK and Chile, Peru, and Colombia.
These are the routes added to the authorization request:
| Operating carrier | Marketing carrier | Route |
| LATAM Peru | Virgin Atlantic | JFK-LIM
LIM-JFK LAX-LIM LIM-LAX MIA-LIM LIM-MIA |
| LATAM Colombia | Virgin Atlantic | MIA-BOG
BOG-MIA |
| Virgin Atlantic | LATAM Colombia | MIA-LHR
LHR-MIA |
| LATAM Airlines (these flights either originate or terminate in Chile). | Virgin Atlantic | MIA-BOG
BOG-MIA JFK-LIM LIM-JFK LAX-LIM LIM-LAX MIA-LIM LIM-MIA |
| Virgin Atlantic | LATAM Airlines | MIA-LHR
LHR-MIA |
LATAM and Virgin codeshares
LATAM Airlines currently has codeshares with 13 airlines, according to its website. The airline has codeshares with Aeromexico, Alaska Airlines, Azul, Delta Air Lines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern Airlines, Qantas, Iberia, Korean Airlines, Japan Airlines, Jetstar Airways, and Vueling. The airline also has a joint venture agreement with Delta Air Lines, recently approved.
Meanwhile, Virgin has joint venture agreements with Air France, Delta Air Lines, and KLM. It also has codeshare agreements with Aeromexico, Air New Zealand, IndiGo, LATAM Brazil, Middle East Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and WestJet. Its codeshare with LATAM Brazil allows the airline to offer flights to 12 domestic destinations from São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport (GRU): Porto Alegre, Florianópolis, Curitiba, Londrina, Goiânia, Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, Vitória, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Recife, and Fortaleza.
LATAM and Virgin’s codeshare in Brazil
Earlier this year, Virgin and LATAM announced the new codeshare agreement in Brazil. Customers booking through Virgin Atlantic are now able to travel from Heathrow direct to São Paulo as well as connect onwards to 12 domestic airports in Brazil, including Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and Florianopolis. Customers traveling from São Paulo to London Heathrow will also have the option to smoothly connect to Virgin Atlantic’s rest of the world destinations through Terminal 3 including Tel Aviv, Delhi, and Hong Kong.
Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic, commented:
“We’re incredibly excited to launch this new codeshare partnership with LATAM Airlines. As we recover from the pandemic, partnerships are more important than ever, and we look forward to building on the incredibly successful interline relationship we have had in place for a number of years. We also see opportunities beyond Brazil and look forward to expanding our relationship even further to serve destinations throughout South America including Peru and Colombia.”
Daniel Martínez Garbuno is a Mexican journalist. He has specialized in the air industry working mainly for A21, a Mexican media outlet focused entirely on the aviation world. He has also published on other sites like Simple Flying, Roads & Kingdoms, Proceso, El Economista, Buzos de la Noticia, Contenido, and Notimex.
