LATAM Airlines Group: encouraging signs emerge in Latin America - but caution prevails

LATAM Airlines Group is forecasting higher system capacity growth in 2017, but also slightly higher margins as a slow economic recovery in Latin America sets in. The company has significantly cut its domestic capacity in Brazil during the past couple of years, but decreases for 2017 are less intense as LATAM balances rightsizing capacity with maintaining a certain level of market share.

Despite the tough conditions in Latin America that persisted throughout much of 2016 LATAM continued building its network utility for the long term, launching several new flights from its hub in Lima and new long haul service to Johannesburg. The company's international expansion continues into 2017 with new long haul flights to Melbourne, as well as additional intra Latin America service.

One big strategy shift LATAM is beginning to undertake in 2017 is the launch of a new pricing structure to compete more effectively with low cost airlines operating in the region. Key to successfully executing that strategy is keeping its cost in line, in order to adapt its pricing models to new competitive realities within the Latin American market.