LAN Argentina celebrates first anniversary as a oneworld affiliate member by decorating an aircraft in special alliance livery

LAN Argentina is the second airline in oneworld^® to decorate one of its aircraft with a special livery to mark its membership of the world's leading quality alliance. The design now adorns one of its Airbus A320s. It debuts today as Mexicana is unveiled as oneworld's latest member elect, to join during 2009.

It makes its debut as LAN Argentina celebrates the first anniversary of its addition to the grouping - at the same time as its sister carrier LAN Ecuador - strengthening oneworld's position as the only alliance with any airlines from South America. Other members of the LAN alliance - Chile's LAN Airlines and LAN Express, plus LAN Peru – have been part of oneworld since the year 2000.

The twinjet's fuselage will feature the words "miembro de oneworld" ("member of oneworld") in letters of up to around two metres high along with the tailfin designs of all ten members of the alliance. The aircraft - with the registration LV-BFO - will fly in this design on the airline's Argentine domestic network and to the destinations it serves internationally in Latin America.

LAN Airlines Chief Executive Enrique Cueto said: "This shows just how proud LAN is to be South America's representative in oneworld, the world's leading quality airline grouping - and to be the only airline from across this region to fly as a member of any of the global airline alliances. Without any doubt, the recruitment of LAN Argentina and LAN Ecuador to oneworld constitutes a clear recognition of our on-going commitment to our customers and our determination to deliver an excellent quality product that meets the highest standards of international safety."

Japan Airlines was the first member of the grouping to decorate its aircraft in a special oneworld design - with two Boeing 777s flying in the design since April 2007, when it too joined the alliance.

As affiliate members, LAN Argentina and LAN Ecuador offer the full range of oneworld services and benefits.

With five LAN alliance airlines in South America and oneworld partners American Airlines and Iberia the leading international carriers serving the region, as well as British Airways flying there, it makes oneworld the obvious alliance of choice for traveling to, from or within this continent. The latest two South American additions also build further on oneworld's position as the leading Spanish-speaking alliance.

LAN Argentina and LAN Ecuador have considerably broadened the alliance's network within Latin America, through the addition of a domestic schedule within Argentina and regional international services to and from Argentina and Ecuador, besides expanding its links between the region and North America and Europe.

About oneworld

oneworld brings together some of the best and biggest names in the airline business. Besides the LAN alliance, these include American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Malév Hungarian Airlines, Qantas and Royal Jordanian, and around 20 affiliates including American Eagle and Dragonair. Mexicana will join them during 2009. Between them, these airlines:

• Serve almost 700 airports in nearly 150 countries, with more than 9​000 daily departures.
• Offer almost 550 airport lounges for premium customers.
• Carry more than 333 million passengers a year.
• Operate almost 2​500 aircraft, and employ 250.000 people.
• Generate some US$100 billion annual revenues.

The alliance enables its members to offer their customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its own. These include a broader route network, opportunities to earn and redeem frequent flyer miles and points across the combined oneworld network and more airport lounges. oneworld was voted the World's Leading Airline Alliance for the fifth year running in the latest (2007) World Travel Awards.

About LAN Argentina and LAN Ecuador

LAN Argentina launched passenger and cargo services in June 2005. Today it operates from Buenos Aires to Córdoba, Mendoza, Iguazú, Bariloche, El Calafate, Ushuaia, Comodoro Rivadavia, Río Gallegos. It also operates daily from Buenos Aires non-stop to Miami, six times a week to San Pablo and once a week non-stop to Punta Cana. It operates six Airbus A320s, and two Boeing 767-300s.

LAN Ecuador launched passenger and cargo services in April 2003. Today it operates from hubs at Quito and Guayaquil to Buenos Aires, Madrid, Miami, New York and Santiago, with Airbus A320s and Boeing 767-300s.

The LAN alliance - including LAN Airlines, LAN Express, LAN Peru, LAN Argentina and LAN Ecuador - offers "a united spirit of reliability and charm that provides passengers with the highest level of service and safety with the complete travel experience throughout the skies of the Americas". It serves 15 destinations in Chile, 12 in Peru, 10 in Argentina, two in Ecuador, 15 in other Latin American countries and the Caribbean, three in the United States, two in Europe and four in the South Pacific, as well as 60 additional international cities through its various code-share agreements. Within Latin America, the LAN alliance serves 12 countries - Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Currently, the LAN Alliance operates 72 passenger aircraft and 10 dedicated freighters, carrying more than 11million passengers in 2007. LAN recorded profits of US$308 million net in 2007 on total revenues of US$3.5 billion. It is regularly named best airline in Latin America in the various industry award schemes.

Note : A print quality picture of the aircraft in its new livery can be downloaded from oneworld's image gallery