Massport, LATAM Airlines Hold Flag Raising to Celebrate Inaugural Flight
BOSTON –Massport and local officials will join LATAM Airlines for a flag raising ceremony to commemorate the airline’s first flight from São Paolo, Brazil to Boston Logan International Airport. The inaugural flight occurred on July 2, 2018. LATAM now operates four non-stop flights per week from Boston to São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport.
“Connecting the U.S. and Brazil is one of our top priorities, and we are proud to play such a significant role in the South American region, and will remain focused on investing in sustainable operations that truly facilitate and expand travel options to customers,” said Pablo Chiozza, Senior VP of the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Asia of LATAM Airlines Group.
São Paulo is the 55th international destination served by Logan through its newly upgraded International Terminal E and Boston is LATAM’s sixth destination in the U.S., joining Miami, Orlando, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and New York.
LATAM Airlines’ new flight departs from São Paulo Guarulhos Airport at 11:55 p.m. (local time) on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, and lands at Boston Logan at 9:10 a.m. (local time) the following day. The return flight departs from Boston Logan at 6:05 p.m. (local time) on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and lands at São Paulo Guarulhos Airport at 5:25 a.m. (local time) the following day.
The new São Paulo-Boston route is operated by a Boeing 767 aircraft, which accommodates 191 Economy class customers and 30 Premium Business customers.
“Providing nonstop service to Brazil, one of the world’s largest economies, from Logan has been a goal of ours for some time and we are happy that this plan has fully come to fruition,” said Massport CEO Thomas P. Glynn. “This route will not only bring new opportunities for both countries in commerce and economic growth, but will also provide a direct travel option for families and students.”
Massachusetts is home to the second largest foreign-born Brazilian population in the U.S. with over 60,000 residents; Brazilians also make up two percent of the population of Boston. Four of the top ten cities with the most residents born in Brazil are in Massachusetts; Everett, Framingham, Marlborough and Malden. Additionally, according to The New York Times, Massachusetts residents are more likely to visit Brazil than anyone else in the nation.
During the past decade, the number of international nonstop destinations from Logan has more than doubled from 27 to 55 and international passengers now account for almost 19 percent of its travelers. International passengers are predicted to be the fastest growing component of airport business. In 2017, over 7 million international passengers traveled through Logan’s Terminal E.