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LATAM Airlines mulls possible purchase of as much as 30 Embraer jets, Brazil minister states

LATAM Airlines might possibly purchase as lots of as 30 airplane from Brazilian planemaker Embraer as the carrier wants to broaden operations in Latin America's biggest economy, Brazil's ports and airports minister said on Tuesday.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

The local unit of Chile-based LATAM, Brazil's No. 1 airline by market share, wants to expand its fleet but deals with extended narrowbody delivery times from producers.

Brazil's federal government has actually long urged local carriers to purchase Embraer airplane to enhance local aviation and strengthen the maker, and has signaled that could be a requirement for it to support them financially.

ADDITIONAL CONTEXT

LATAM Brazil's head Jerome Cadier recently said the company was weighing the possibility of including smaller aircraft to its fleet, such as Embraer's E2 or Jet' A220, which complete in the regional sector for up-to-150-seat airplane.

Cadier did not define the number of planes the provider might include. LATAM currently flies Jet narrowbodies and Boeing widebodies.

SECRET PRICES ESTIMATE

Brazil's Ports and Airports Minister Silvio Costa Filho told reporters that he consulted with LATAM CEO Roberto Alvo and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio da Silva in Chile recently to talk about the airline company's growth plans.

They anticipate to grow more than 10% in the next three years and are considering a purchase of some 30 aircraft that could be from Embraer.

LATAM has indeed opened talks with Embraer and we have been working so they can evaluate a purchase of Embraer planes. However we can not impose an offer, that would be incomprehensible and an extremely bad indication for free markets.

(source: Reuters)