Latam, South America’s largest airline group, has filed for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization.
The filing, made Monday in a federal bankruptcy court in New
York, applies to Latam’s subsidiaries in Chile, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and the
U.S. Its largest affiliate in Brazil is not included in the filing, nor are
affiliates in Argentina and Paraguay. The carrier said that it is in
discussions with the Brazilian federal government about potential financial
support.
Latam said that operations will continue throughout the
reorganization process at a level supported by demand. The company plans to use
the reorganization to reduce debt, access new sources of financing and transform
its business to the new industry reality caused by Covid-19.
“We are looking ahead to a post-Covid-19 future and are
focused on transforming our group to adapt to a new and evolving way of flying,
with the health and safety of our passengers and employees being paramount,”
CEO Roberto Alvo said.
During the reorganization, travel agencies will experience
no disruptions in their interactions with the Latam group, the airline said. All
tickets, travel vouchers, frequent flyer miles and frequent flyer benefits will
be honored.
Latam’s bankruptcy filing follows the Chapter 11 filing of
Colombia-based Avianca, the second largest South American airline group.
Latam said three shareholders -- Qatar Airways, Chile’s
Cueto family and Brazil’s Amaro family -- are supporting the reorganization and
have agreed to provide up to $900 million in debtor-in-possession financing,
which is financing secured during a bankruptcy process. Delta Air Lines, Latam’s
largest shareholder, wasn’t mentioned in a news release about the bankruptcy.
The carriers recently agreed to form a joint venture that is pending regulatory
approval.
At the end of 2019, ahead of the Covid-19 crisis, Latam had
$21.1 billion in assets and $18 billion in debt, according to the bankruptcy filing.