Latam boarding in CGH will be made with Audi trams – 11/09/2023 – Tourism

From December 4th, Latam’s Black Signature customers – the highest category of the company’s loyalty program – who board remotely in Congonhas, in São Paulo, will be taken from the boarding gate to the aircraft aboard an Audi and -Tron, one of the most modern electric vehicles from the German brand. Currently, this service is provided by traditional executive vans.

In total, five copies of the model will operate at Congonhas airport every day of the week, from 6am to 11pm. When presenting at one of the remote airport boarding gates (from 13 to 22), Latam’s Black Signature customers will be directed to the special transfer by a company employee.

“For now, this service is exclusive in Congonhas, where 40% of our operations are remote – that is, outside the fingers”, explains Paulo Miranda, vice-president of Customers at Latam Airlines Group. “The transfer will be available to Black Signature customers both upon boarding and disembarking, elevating their flight experience with our company.”

“We are debuting this service here in Congonhas as a pilot project, with no plans for expansion to other airports yet”, explains Daniel Rojas, CEO and president of Audi do Brasil. “But our partnership with Latam is long-term, so it is possible that we will have more news like this in the future.”

To be a Black Signature customer and have access to the new service, passengers must sign up for the Latam Pass, the company’s loyalty program, and accumulate 160,000 qualifying points or fly 120 segments operated by Latam within a period of 12 months. Flights in premium economy and executive cabins count as 2 legs, and airline tickets issued with points do not count.

In addition to the Audi transfer in Congonhas, customers in the Black Signature category are entitled to special service via Whatsapp, selection of special seats, check-in, preferential boarding and baggage refund, selection of special seats, anticipation or postponement of flights on the same day at no additional cost, access to Latam VIP lounges and complimentary cabin upgrades.

Taking a bus between the boarding gate and the aircraft is an inevitable inconvenience for anyone traveling by plane – especially at more crowded airports, such as Congonhas. For this reason, airlines around the world are trying to improve this stage of their passengers’ experience, offering a more premium alternative for their most frequent passengers.

At Frankfurt airport, for example, customers flying first class have a dedicated terminal separate from the rest of the airport. The journey between this terminal and the aircraft is done in Mercedes, Porshe Panamera or Porshe Cayenne vehicles. Latam’s new service in partnership with Audi, however, is the first of its kind in South America.