LAN CARGO, an affiliate of LATAM Airlines Group, S.A., celebrated two important milestones for operations at Miami International Airport (MIA) including the inauguration of the Groups’ first maintenance hangar facility in the United States and receipt of ISO 14001:2004 certification from Bureau Veritas for cargo ground operations and facilities at the airport. Both milestones were celebrated at the new 98,242-square-foot state-of-the-art maintenance hangar facility, which represents an investment of more than $15 million.
“LATAM Airlines Group is committed to investing in a sustainable presence in the economies and communities where our workforce and customers live, and we are honored to inaugurate our first maintenance hangar in the United States in Miami,” said Cristian Ureta, CEO LAN CARGO, an affiliate of LATAM Airlines Group. “Meeting the qualifications for ISO 14001:2004 certification for our cargo ground operation and facilities is something we are very proud of. Compliance with these standards will allow us to grow and develop our ground operation more efficiently, improve resource management and allocation, and reduce our operation’s environmental impact and carbon footprint.”
A representative from Bureau Veritas presented Ureta and LAN CARGO with the ISO 14001:2004 certification for Corporate and Administrative Activities, Storage, Warehousing and Ground Support for Air Cargo Transportation and the Repair Station for Maintenance of its Aircraft in Miami. The certification is three years in the making and validates the impact of the development and implementation of policies by LAN CARGO to meet and comply with ISO 14001:2004 standards. The standards that govern LAN CARGO’s Environmental Management System (EMS), based on a series of tools and initiatives that monitor key indicators to control and reduce environmental impact, also promote the continuous improvement of operations.
“Congratulations to LATAM Airlines Group and to MIA on the completion of yet another significant improvement project at our largest economic engine,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez. “LATAM’s consistent investment of capital and jobs at MIA, in addition to its steady passenger and cargo operations, are key drivers of MIA’s growth. Its investment of $15 million for this maintenance hangar alone speaks volumes regarding its role as a key business partner in Miami-Dade County.”
“LATAM is already MIA’s busiest airline group for cargo and our third-busiest for passengers, carrying more than 300,000 tons of cargo and more than two million passengers between Miami and South America annually,” said Miami-Dade Aviation Director Emilio T. González. “In addition to its global cargo headquarters firmly established at MIA, we deeply appreciate LATAM for choosing us as the location for its first maintenance hangar outside of South America. We also congratulate them for taking the initiative to be the first airline with an ISO-certified facility at MIA. Their commitment to the Miami market is sure to continue reaping huge dividends for our airport and our community.”
LAN CARGO Environmental Management System
LAN CARGO’s Environmental Management System is designed to uphold a unified standard for all of the Company’s ground operations. The objective of the EMS is to lessen environmental impact,
comply with existing regulations and with the Company’s policy of security, quality and environmental sustainability. Benefits include savings on costs and materials thanks to recycling, clear indicators to measure the development and progress of the different environmental protocols and programs, and the protection of natural resources.
New Maintenance Hangar in Miami
The new maintenance hangar is located in the cargo zone at Miami International Airport, on the lot where building 715 previously stood, prior to its demolition by Miami-Dade County. The facility has a surface area of 66,500-square-feet, with 17,000-square-feet of warehouse and workshop space, as well as 14,500-square-feet of designated space for administrative offices, mechanical rooms, and other related use. The innovative roof design with the tail cupola can accommodate Boeing 777-300 and Airbus A350 size aircraft, and still meets the applicable structure height requirements.
The facility significantly increases the maintenance capabilities to serve the cargo and passenger aircraft maintenance needs of LAN, TAM and its affiliates. Maintenance services such as daily checks, A-checks, engine changes, major repairs, and component changes shall be conducted on site and it will also serve as storage for aircraft spare parts, components and engines to support such maintenance services.
LATAM Airlines Group in South Florida
LATAM Airlines Group affiliate LAN CARGO’s global headquarters is based in Miami, Florida, home to the leading airport in the United States and ninth in the world for international freight, making it a strategic location for the Company’s cargo operations to and from Latin America. LAN CARGO and its affiliates are projected to transport over 2,800 tons of cargo imports and 4,006 tons of cargo exports through Miami International Airport (MIA) per week, totaling an approximate projection of over 361,000 tons of cargo for 2015 alone.
LAN CARGO and its cargo related companies – Mas Air in Mexico, LAN CARGO Colombia, and TAM Cargo in Brazil–use freighter aircraft and passenger belly space to transport cargo, making them the largest group of air cargo operators in Latin America. With the leading cargo network in the region, the companies offer services to 144 destinations in 26 countries around the world.
An average of over 145 passenger and cargo flights from LATAM Airlines Group and its affiliates take off from MIA each week. LATAM Airlines Group transports over one million passengers per year from Miami to over 115 destinations in South America.