Stuart Forster puts questions to Davide Ioppolo, Regional Commercial Director Central and Southeast Europe, United Kingdom, Nordic Countries and South Africa at LATAM Airlines, the airline that was recently voted South America’s Leading Airline 2023 for travel experience at the World Travel Awards.
Stuart Forster (SF): Of all the achievements you’ve made in your role, what are you most proud of and why?
Davide Ioppolo (DI): Overall, I would say that I am happy with the results we have achieved with LATAM Airlines during my time with the company since I started as Sales Manager. If I had to highlight one of my recent achievements, it would have to be the recovery of demand post-pandemic with a reduced team.
This situation resulted in an opportunity to strengthen relationships with key travel agencies in the UK, and across the EMEA market, and it is these same agencies that we continue to work with on a daily basis to offer their customers the best in-flight experience with the airline that connects South America to the world.
SF: What notable commitments and achievements has LATAM made to enhancing the quality of its onboard experience over the past year or so?
DI: At LATAM, we are convinced that flying is not just about connecting one point on the globe to another, it is about connecting people and that the destination experience has to start on the plane itself.
Recently, we have revamped the gastronomic offering onboard in the Premium Business cabin, giving greater prominence to South American ingredients and local gastronomic products, which also emphasises the commitment LATAM has to sustainability.
In addition, quality, as well as safety and comfort, are part of our standards, because the goal is for the traveller to arrive at their destination rested, enjoying the flight in ergonomic seats, with individual screens with the best entertainment, and greater privacy.
Therefore, LATAM has worked hard to offer a consistent end-to-end experience from selecting and purchasing flights to in-flight, to baggage collection on arrival. The airline has already invested more than $500 million in updating its aircraft cabins to make the in-flight experience more comfortable for customers.
SF: To what extent do you embrace sustainability and how might passengers be aware of your commitment when travelling with LATAM through touchpoints during their journey?
DI: At LATAM Airlines sustainability is a major priority and the airline has taken significant steps to embrace it throughout its operations.
LATAM’s commitment to sustainability is reflected in various initiatives aimed at minimising its environmental impact and promoting responsible practices. The airline recently achieved a significant milestone by carrying out its first ferry flight with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF); to deliver a new A320neo from Toulouse, France. The flight utilised a fuel blend containing 30% SAF produced from used cooking oil.
The use of SAF aligns with LATAM’s sustainability strategy, which includes ambitious goals such as achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and eliminating single-use plastics by 2023. By incorporating SAF into its operations, LATAM demonstrates its commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and contributing to climate action in the aviation industry.
Passengers may be aware of LATAM’s credentials through recent award wins such as Best for Sustainability Onboard at the 2023 Onboard Hospitality Awards. The award recognised LATAM for its implementation of three innovative circular economy projects. These projects include the adoption of organic materials to replace single-use plastics, the segregation of waste for recycling, and the transformation of uniforms and seats into new products.
SF: What steps have you taken to address waste reduction and what additional measures do you plan on taking?
DI: We all have to pull in the same direction to take care of the environment, both with initiatives aimed at preserving the environment and with measures that help to ensure that the exercise of our activity leaves the least possible impact.
LATAM Airlines has made significant strides in waste reduction through its commitment to the circular economy. The airline has eliminated 88% of single-use plastics on board its aircraft, marking substantial progress towards its goal of eliminating them entirely by the end of 2023. These achievements have been driven by the implementation of circular economy projects that prioritise the adoption of organic and reusable materials as alternatives to single-use plastics.
Through these initiatives, LATAM has successfully reduced 1,600 tonnes of single-use plastic, which is equivalent to approximately 266 million plastic bags. This impressive reduction showcases the airline’s dedication to sustainable practices and responsible waste management.
The sustainability strategy we are implementing at LATAM is one of the pillars of our company, covering different aspects, with circular economy initiatives linked to the communities where we operate. On the other hand, in terms of compensation actions, LATAM Airlines promotes programmes focused on the conservation of strategic ecosystems, such as the CO2Bio project we are carrying out in Colombia which aims to capture 11.3 million tonnes of CO2 in an area of 575,000 hectares by 2030, managed by 700 families in the area.
SF: What food and beverages are passengers enjoying aboard LATAM flights and where did the ideas for them come from?
DI: LATAM’s food and beverage offering is highly regarded and the airline takes pride in providing a delightful culinary experience to its passengers. The offerings are carefully curated to showcase the flavours and versatility of Latin American cuisine, allowing travellers to savour a taste of the region during their flight.
The menus include iconic recipes from Latin American chefs, showcase their work, and the impact they have made in their places of origin.
Fortunately, our passengers have responded really well to our offering and we were delighted to be awarded the Best Food and Beverage as well as Best Seat Comfort in South America for the second consecutive year in the 2023 APEX Passenger Choice Awards. These awards reaffirm LATAM’s commitment to delivering exceptional product and service quality, and they highlight the airline’s continuous efforts to improve the overall travel experience for its passengers.
SF: To what extent do your seating choices enhance the passenger experience and which seating have you introduced over the past year or so?
DI: LATAM Airlines has made significant efforts to enhance the passenger experience through its seating choices. The airline has recognised that comfortable and innovative seating is crucial in ensuring a pleasant journey for its passengers. By investing in modern seating options, LATAM aims to provide a range of comfortable choices that cater to the diverse needs and preferences of its travellers.
As I mentioned before, LATAM has developed the Premium Business cabins, offering new seats with capabilities of reclining to 180-degree beds, autonomy to go out into the aisle, more space to store personal items and greater privacy, ensuring the best experience during the flight.
SF: In what ways has your inflight entertainment and connectivity evolved recently and what can passengers expect in the near future?
DI: We are already providing the best inflight entertainment experience in the region and we are working to enhance that even more.
We are consistently updating our systems, and we have brought a rich catalogue that brings more than 170+ movies each month with acclaimed new releases, more than 400 TV episodes and music. We have made agreements with partners like HBO+, Calm and TikTok, among others, providing different options for our customer needs and highlighting South American culture.
Passengers can enjoy this catalogue on the screens of our wide-body aircraft and in narrow-body aircraft through our wireless inflight entertainment (IFE) system where you connect from your own device.
We already have more than 90% of narrow-body aircraft connected in Brazil with onboard Wi-Fi and we are planning to bring connectivity to Spanish-speaking countries soon.
Passengers flying on Brazilian aircraft can enjoy free Wi-Fi that enables them to have free messaging during the whole flight, and they can also buy browsing and streaming packages if they need.
For news, future passengers could expect updated IFE systems, connectivity in more aircraft and an even bigger catalogue of content with new important partners.
LATAM Airlines has made significant efforts to enhance the passenger experience through its seating choices. The airline has recognised that comfortable and innovative seating is crucial in ensuring a pleasant journey for its passengers.
Davide Ioppolo
SF: Are there any other aspects of your onboard experience that you’d like to discuss?
DI: It is worth highlighting the efforts LATAM makes to offer a genuine South American experience throughout the whole journey when flying with the airline, reflecting our identity from beginning to end.
As I have already mentioned, our in-flight service has been distinguished on several occasions by receiving awards from the airline industry, but the recognition we seek is from the travellers who choose to fly with us every day. And that’s what we’re about on every flight, to be distinguished for the service we offer.
