The merger¹ of two major Latin American airlines has been approved, creating the largest carrier in the region.

拉美地区两家航空公司的合并协议已经通过，此次合并将产生该地区最大的一家航空公司。

TAM and LAN together will fly to 115 destinations in 23 countries
Brazil's anti-trust authorities said they approved the merger of the Brazilian airline TAM with Chile's LAN, first proposed in 2010.

The new airline, LATAM, is valued at about $14.5bn (£9.4bn) and will represent 6% of global air transport.

Last year, TAM and LAN flew more than 45 million passengers and 754,777 tonnes of cargo².

The combined airline would fly to 115 destinations in 23 countries, with a 40,000-strong workforce³.

Chile's anti-trust authorities had already approved the merger but had set 11 conditions, including fewer flights to the Peruvian capital, Lima.

Brazil's body also set some conditions, including a reduction in the number of flights between Sao Paulo and Santiago and that the two airlines join a single international body.

TAM is a member of the Star Alliance group of airlines, which includes BMI, Lufthansa, SAS and Air China.

Meanwhile LAN is a member of the Oneworld airline alliance, which includes Iberia, British Airways⁴, Qantas and JAL.

The airlines have not yet said which one they will join.