Summary
- LATAM Airlines Peru will launch a direct route between London and Lima, becoming the only carrier connecting the UK and Peru.
- The route will be operated with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, offering 300 seats in a two-class configuration.
- The new connection will provide travel opportunities across South America, allowing passengers to combine Peru with other LATAM destinations.
The United Kingdom and Peru will be directly connected for the first time in four years as LATAM Airlines Peru swoops into London next month. The announcement had been in the works for several years and is expected to feed traffic across the carrier’s broader South American network.
London To Lima
The new route will link London Heathrow Airport to Lima’s Jorge Chávez International Airport (LIM), Peru’s main international and domestic gateway. LATAM will begin the service on December 2nd, with flights happening five times a week on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
This will be the first time the two cities are linked since British Airways suspended its London Gatwick Airport (LGW) to Lima route in October 2019 after three years. LATAM has been trying to acquire slots at London Heathrow Airport (LHR) for several years and expects around 30,000 passengers to take advantage of the service over the first three months. Just under 20,000 UK tourists visited Peru in the first six months of this year via indirect flights.
The airline will use its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on the route, which seats 300 passengers in a two-class configuration, with 30 seats in premium business and 270 in economy class. The carrier aims to have 37 Dreamliners, including the Boeing 787-8, by the end of the year. LATAM’s Regional Commercial Director for the United Kingdom and other territories, Davide Loppolo, spoke exclusively to Simple Flying about how significant this flight is for the carrier:
This is a very big milestone for LATAM And it’s an historical milestone as this is the first time that we are able to connect directly the UK with Peru.
“The idea is to start with five frequencies per week. Even though our plan normally is to operate a daily flight on a long-haul basis. So hopefully, we will get a daily flight over the next few months.”
Photo: Thiago B Trevisan | Shutterstock
In addition to the upcoming Lima link, LATAM also offers a direct connection from London to São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport (GRU).
London To Lima
The Peruvian city is one of the LATAM Group’s biggest hubs in South America. The airline has been investing significantly in its Lima operations alongside its other two hubs, São Paulo and Santiago. LATAM envisions Lima as a gateway to South America for travelers from both North America and Europe, one from which the airline already offers more than 30 international connections.
One highlight feature of this new route is its ability to be combined with other LATAM destinations on the same booking. The carrier connects to significant destinations inside Peru but also to other countries from Peru, including Chile, Argentina, and Brazil. Loppolo explained how this new connection opens up a wide range of travel opportunities across the region, including the use of open-jaw bookings to enhance travel:
If we consider the five frequencies to Lima, plus the daily flight to Sao Paulo, finally, we have 12 frequencies to South America.
“You can go to South Paulo, then take a flight to Santiago, then from Santiago to Lima, then make a tour in Lima and coming back from Lima to London directly. All with one carrier, one luggage policy, one point of contact.”
Photo: Matheus Obst | Shutterstock
Facilitating these connections is a growing fleet of aircraft. The LATAM group aims to finish the year with 332 aircraft, of which 78 will be widebodies and 254 narrowbodies. Up next, the carrier has asked for permission to fly from Bogata to Madrid next year.