During the last months of 2010 and early 2011, recorded strong growth in international passenger traffic measured in passengers reached 12.9% in relation to same period of 2009, which passenger load factor reached 82.4%. LAN Airlines S.A. and its subsidiaries (LAN or the company) (Bolsa de Comercio de Santiago: LAN / NYSE: LFL) one of the leading airlines in Latin America in the transportation of passengers and cargo, were announced monthly and accumulated preliminary figures of its operation for late 2010 and early 2011. In that month, passenger traffic, measured in passengers, rose 11.2 per cent, while capacity was increased by 8.5% in the company both in general and in its main subsidiary, Lan Argentina. As a result, the load factor grew 2.0 percentage points to 81.5%.
International passenger traffic represented approximately 70% of the total passenger traffic. It increases international airfares international traffic, measured in passengers, passenger traffic increased 12.9% in comparison with the month of November 2009, while the capacity increased by 9.2%. As a result, the load factor grew 2.7 percentage points to 82.4%. Capacity on international routes grew mainly driven by increases in the operations to Europe and the United States, as well as certain regional routes. Growth in domestic traffic in Argentina, Chile, Peru and Ecuador domestic passenger traffic in Argentina, Chile, Peru and Ecuador, measured in passengers continues, it increased 7.4 percent, while capacity grew by 7.1%. As a result, the load factor grew 0.2 percentage points to 79.6%. Continuing significant increase in cargo traffic during the month of November, cargo traffic continued to grow, with an increase of 9.6%. This increase is mainly due to the recovery and import of Latin American markets growth driven by Brazil, to the increase in operations to Europe in the B777F fleet, and also at the beginning, during June 2010, cargo operations domestic to Recife and Fortaleza through the subsidiary of LAN CARGO in Brazil, ABSA. In line with the growth in demand, capacity increased 11.9% generating a decrease of 1.6 points in passenger load factor of load, which reached 72.5%.