SAO PAULO (Reuters) – LATAM Airlines is weighing the possibility of adding smaller aircraft to its fleet such as Embraer’s E2 and Airbus’ A220, the firm’s Brazil head said on Wednesday.
“We have mapped out what growth could look like with a smaller (capacity) fleet,” executive Jerome Cadier told journalists. “And this smaller fleet could come from Embraer, it could come from Airbus, and we’re constantly looking for alternatives to increase growth.”
Embraer’s next-generation E2 jets and the Airbus A220 directly compete in the regional segment for up-to-150-seat aircraft.
Cadier said that the airline had been looking for other options in order to add to its fleet since last year, with Airbus and Boeing facing difficulties in delivering new aircraft and with some planes grounded due to mandatory motor inspections.
Last month, the head of Brazil state development bank BNDES said that both LATAM and carrier Gol were in advanced talks to add Embraer aircraft to their fleets.
In a separate call with journalists on Wednesday, LATAM’s Chief Financial Officer Ramiro Alfonsin said that “nothing concrete” had been decided.
(Reporting by Gabriel Araujo; Additional reporting by Kylie Madry; Editing by Sarah Morland)
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