Brazil’s TAM airline is leaving Star Alliance as entire LATAM group plumps for oneworld. LATAM Airlines Group – the company formed by the June 2012 takeover of the LAN group by TAM – has announced that all its members will operate under the oneworld alliance. Along with a Paraguayan subsidiary, TAM is now due to complete its switch from Star Alliance to oneworld by the second quarter of 2014. LAN Columbia, the most recent part of LAN, will join oneworld as an affiliate member in the fourth quarter of 2013. Chile’s LAN Airlines has been a full oneworld member since 2000, while LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador and LAN Peru are affiliate members. TAM’s imminent switch was announced this morning at a oneworld meeting in Hong Kong. An exact date for TAM’s departure from the Star Alliance will be announced later, said LATAM. TAM is due to join oneworld immediately after it exits Star.oneworld’s CEO Bruce Ashby welcomed the decision for all LATAM to join his alliance. “We are delighted that, after its comprehensive review of alliance options, LATAM Airlines Group not only decided to have LAN remain on board oneworld, but also to include TAM and all the other passenger airline subsidiaries in the LATAM Airlines Group as well,” he said. Source: routenews, Piers Evans
Gravity always wins!