Lufthansa launches codeshare flights with TACA to Peru and El Salvador

TACA flights on Caracas–Lima and Miami–San Salvador routes now bookable as Lufthansa connecting flights

Thanks to a partnership with TACA, one of the leading Latin American airlines, Lufthansa will be able to offer flights to two new destinations in Central and South America, starting 1 April 2009. Travellers to the Latin American capitals Lima (Peru) and San Salvador (El Salvador) can take long-haul Lufthansa flights from Frankfurt to Caracas or Miami and then transfer seamlessly to a connecting flight operated by TACA under a Lufthansa flight number. The new codeshare flights can be booked with immediate effect and will provide to the customer daily connections to Lima (via Caracas) and San Salvador (via Miami). TACA will operate both these routes with an Airbus A320 or A321. In addition, members of Lufthansa’s Miles & More and TACA’s Distancia frequent flyer programme will be able to earn and redeem award miles on all partner routes. Out of Lima and San Salvador TACA operates some 17 further connections each to destinations in Central- and South America.

“The codeshare agreement with TACA enables us to connect new destinations in Central and South America for our customers,” said Götz Ahmelmann, Vice President Alliances, Strategies & Subsidiaries Lufthansa Passenger Airlines. “TACA is a quality carrier and it offers Lufthansa passengers one of the most modern aircraft fleet and a very good on board product. We are looking forward to this cooperation, which will strengthen our presence in other parts of Latin America.”

“It is our priority to always develop innovations that satisfy our customers’ needs. We are very pleased to have an agreement with an airline as prestigious as Lufthansa and we are looking forward to develop further this very productive alliance,” said Alex Benitez, TACA’s Corporate Development Vice-President. “Through this codeshare agreement our clients will be able to broaden their frequent flyer benefits by using it also on Lufthansa flights, and therefore strengthening our Distancia program.”

TACA (Transportes Aéreos del Continente Americano; www.taca.com) has an international route network encompassing 38 destinations in 22 countries throughout the Americas which it serves from its three hubs in San Salvador, San José (Costa Rica) and Lima. The airline op-erates the latest-generation Airbus A319, A320 and A321 aircraft as well as the Embraer 190, which is recognised worldwide for its technical innovation, efficiency and safety. All the aircraft in the fleet are fitted with a Business Class cabin. TACA has earned a reputation for its reliable and punctual flight operations and also possesses an IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) certificate for its high safety and quality standards. In addition, TACA operates its own regional fleet of 30 propeller aircraft, which mainly serve smaller destinations in Central America.

The cooperation between Lufthansa and TACA has been prepared jointly since May 2007 which is now being launched with the two Codeshare flights based on a corresponding agreement.

The new codeshare flights with TACA at a glance

Frankfurt (Germany) – Miami (USA) – San Salvador (El Salvador)
Frankfurt (Germany) – Caracas (Venezuela) – Lima (Peru)
New codeshare flights
with TACA NEW from 1 April 2009; operated daily

LH 462 Frankfurt 09:55 hrs– Miami 13:40 hrs
LH 5472 (TA 311) Miami 17:35 hrs– San Salvador 18:15 hrs
LH 5473 (TA 310) San Salvador 08:55 hrs– Miami 13:25 hrs
LH 463 Miami 15:40 hrs– Frankfurt 06:35 hrs (following day)

LH 534 Frankfurt 11:30 hrs– Caracas 15:20 hrs
LH 5470 (TA 035) Caracas 17:25 hrs– Lima 20:55 hrs
LH 5471 (TA 034) Lima 10:25 hrs– Caracas 14:55 hrs
LH 535 Caracas 17:10 hrs– Frankfurt 09:35 hrs (following day)


Distances Frankfurt – San Salvador 9,396 km / 5,839 miles
Frankfurt – Lima 10,818 km / 6,722 miles

Fares
starting € 999 (San Salvador); starting € 1,019 (Lima)
lowest fare for a return flight from Frankfurt