LATAM Express LATAM Express LATAM Express (Transporte Aéreo S.A.), previously known as LAN Express is a subsidiary of LATAM Chile. It operates some domestic and a few international routes for its parent. Its main base is Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport, Santiago, Chile. The airline was formerly known as Ladeco and established in September 1958. Ladeco was acquired by LAN Chile in August 1995 following the approval of the Chilean Anti-monopolies Board. In October 1998 LAN Chile merged Ladeco with Fast Air. The brand was merged into LAN Airlines in 2004. The airline was renamed LATAM Express as a result of
Sun Country Airlines DC-10 in early 2001. In June 1999, the management of Sun Country launched a transformation from a charter carrier into a scheduled airline. New service from Minneapolis and Milwaukee began to destinations including Los Angeles, Seattle, Detroit, Washington, D.C. and Phoenix. The airline also started a frequent flyer program, Smile Awards. In 2001, Sun Country began to replace its entire fleet with Boeing 737 aircraft. As Sun Country reinvented itself, heavy competition from local incumbent carrier Northwest Airlines and the September 11 attacks caused a sharp decrease of traffic and revenue. The airline was losing large amounts of money by