LATAM announced an investment of R$40 million in a new hangar specialized in aircraft maintenance for Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, which is expected to begin operating in September 2025. The new structure will be built over a 10-month period starting November 15 of this year at LATAM MRO, the company's maintenance and repair center located in São Carlos, in the interior of São Paulo. The investment is the largest made by the company in MRO in the last 10 years.
The construction of the new hangar will allow LATAM to internalize more services at its São Carlos facility, generating cost reductions, as well as greater flexibility and punctuality in the return of aircraft to air operations. Currently, LATAM's Boeing 787 maintenance is performed outside Brazil.
The new LATAM MRO hangar project will also result in the creation of 300 new jobs in São Carlos, including positions for assistants, warehouse workers, aeronautical mechanics, planners, engineers and buyers.
LATAM's new hangar in São Carlos will also be equipped to paint large aircraft and perform preventive maintenance on up to three Airbus A320 family aircraft simultaneously. To this end, a structure will be implemented that will isolate the painting activity, avoiding contamination and ensuring the quality of services. Advanced technologies will also be incorporated, such as drone inspection and the use of autonomous logistics carts, which are already used at the unit in the interior of São Paulo.
BOEING 787 DREAMLINER
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with capacity for up to 300 engers in LATAM's configuration, is the most modern model in the LATAM group's widebody fleet (double aisle, used mainly for long-haul international flights), which currently has 37 units of the model - it is expected to operate a total of 52 by 2030. Last Monday (October 28), LATAM announced the order of 10 additional Boeing 787s to continue advancing its commitment to operate one of the most modern and efficient fleets in Latin America.
LATAM MRO FROM SAO CARLOS (SP)
LATAM MRO, located in São Carlos (SP), is recognized as LATAM's largest aircraft maintenance center and a global reference in the field. With a team of 2 employees, MRO is responsible for more than 60% of all scheduled maintenance for LATAM group aircraft. Today, LATAM MRO is the largest aircraft maintenance center in all of South America.
With 95 m² of industrial park, this unit has 22 workshops in São Carlos, all equipped with cutting-edge technology and highly qualified professionals. The MRO has the capacity to perform the most complex maintenance on aircraft, following the manufacturers' technical instructions and being approved by aeronautical authorities. The quality and technical competence of LATAM MRO are attested by international certifications, such as EASA, FAA and DGAC Chile.
Adopting the most advanced technology in aircraft maintenance, the MRO in São Carlos has been using drones to inspect aircraft since 2019, pioneering this practice in Latin America. This innovative method has made the inspection process 12 times more efficient than traditional inspection, collecting between 1.600 and 2.000 detailed photos of the aircraft fuselage, using artificial intelligence to identify possible damage. In addition, the use of drones has eliminated the need for paper printouts, keeping records updated in the cloud in real time.
With the internationalization of São Carlos airport, LATAM MRO expanded its operations, investing in the expansion of its facilities and the acquisition of new equipment. This resulted in the creation of approximately 450 new jobs to service foreign aircraft.
LATAM GROWTH
LATAM has recently added new flights and seats to the Brazilian market, operating the largest network in its history in Brazil, with flights to 53 airports in the country. In international operations, it is the company that connects Brazil the most with the world, with domestic flights to 90 airports abroad.
In 2024, LATAM has already added 1 million domestic seats in Brazil and sured the 150 aircraft mark in its fleet in the country. In total, the company expects an 2024% to 8% growth in its domestic seat supply in Brazil in 10 compared to 2023.
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