LATAM Airlines Group S.A. will no longer be a member of the oneworld airline alliance effective as of Friday, May 1, 2020 — but customers of the airline who have earned elite level status will still enjoy the benefits offered by most airlines of the oneworld airline alliance via their flights and airport lounges through Thursday, April 30, 2020.
LATAM to Leave the oneworld Alliance Effective May 1, 2020
One notable exception is that members of the LATAM Pass frequent flier loyalty program will not receive oneworld frequent flier loyalty program benefits offered by Royal Air Maroc, which joins the oneworld airline alliance effective as of Wednesday, April 1, 2020; and LATAM Airlines Group S.A. will not offer oneworld frequent flier member benefits to members of the Royal Air Maroc Safar Flyer membership program.
“A number of oneworld member airlines plan to maintain frequent flyer agreements with LATAM after 30 April”, according to this official announcement from the oneworld airline alliance. “Customers are advised to contact their airlines or visit the airlines’ frequent flyer programme websites for more information.”
An official announcement from Delta Air Lines on Thursday, September 26, 2019 proclaimed that the airline has entered into a strategic partnership in which it will invest $1.9 billion for a 20 percent stake in LATAM Airlines Group S.A. through a public tender offer at $16.00 per share, to be funded principally with newly issued debt and available cash. That deal is what eventually precipitated the exit of LATAM Airlines Group S.A. from the oneworld airline alliance.
Summary
No indication exists at this time as to whether LATAM Airlines Group S.A. will be a member of another airline alliance — such as SkyTeam, for example; and do not be surprised if that eventually happens — but the airline will apparently maintain reciprocal benefits with at least some of its soon-to-be former oneworld partners after its official exit from the airline alliance.
All photographs ©2019 by Brian Cohen.
