LAN Airlines Reports Publishes Preliminary Statistics For September 2009

October 22, 2009

LAN Airlines reports preliminary traffic statistics and punctuality indicators for September 2009

MADRID, SPAIN, October 22, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- LAN Airlines S.A. and its subsidiaries, ("LAN" or "the Company") (NYSE: LFL / IPSA: LAN), one of the leading airlines in Latin America, has reported its preliminary monthly traffic statistics and punctuality indicators for September 2009.

System passenger traffic for September increased 11.9% as capacity rose 9.3%. As a result, the Company's load factor increased 1.8 points to 78.8%. International passenger traffic accounted for approximately 71% of total passenger traffic.

Domestic passenger traffic in Chile, Argentina, Peru and Ecuador rose 17.5% as capacity increased 15.0%. As a consequence, the domestic load factor for the month increased 1.6 points to 77.0%. International passenger traffic for September rose 9.8% as capacity increased 7.1%. Accordingly, the international passenger load factor for the month increased 1.9 points to 79.6%. International capacity was mainly driven by an increase in operations on routes to Europe and the South Pacific, partially offset by a decrease on certain regional routes.

In line with the global decrease in the import and export markets, during the month of September cargo traffic decreased 8.0%. This decrease was mainly due to the slowdown in import and export markets in Latin America, as well as the reduction of salmon exports from Chile. In line with the decrease in demand, capacity fell 7.0%, mainly through the reduction of ACMI leases. The cargo load factor reached its highest level this year at 69.8%.

During September, 90.8% of the Company's total flights left on time based on a fifteen-minute standard (all departures leaving within fifteen minutes of the scheduled departure time are considered as "on-time"). This represented an increase of 2.1 points compared to September 2008.

About LAN
LAN Airlines is one of the leading passenger and cargo airlines in Latin America. The company and its affiliates serve over 65 destinations around the world including flights to South America, flights to Lima and flights to Chile through an extensive network across Latin America, while also linking North America, Europe, the South Pacific and 63 additional international destinations through its various alliances. LAN Airlines and its affiliates have a leading position in their respective domestic markets of Chile and Peru as well as an important presence in the Argentinean domestic market and has begun operations in the domestic market of Ecuador.

LAN Airlines and its affiliates operate 84 passenger aircraft, and its cargo subsidiary, LAN CARGO and its respective cargo affiliates, have a fleet of 11 dedicated freighters. The company recently completed its short haul fleet renovation process by acquiring new aircraft from the Airbus A320 family, enabling LAN to improve its efficiency and reduce its CO2 emissions. The fleet renovation is part of the company's commitment to the protection of the environment.

Website: http://www.lan.com/

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