Press Release: LATAM Extends AeroSHARK Use Across 777-300ER Fleet

Summary

LATAM Airlines Group is expanding its use of AeroSHARK, a sharkskin-inspired drag‑reduction film developed by Lufthansa Technik and BASF Coatings, to the entire ten‑aircraft Boeing 777‑300ER fleet. The rollout adds five more shipsets, bringing the total to ten, and aims for full fleet coverage by 2027 after confirming a 1% fuel‑burn and emissions reduction on the first test aircraft. LATAM’s Head of Fleet and Projects, Nicolas Seitz, highlights the move as a concrete step toward operational efficiency and sustainability, while Lufthansa Technik’s Petra Lahme emphasizes the partnership’s innovative, cost‑saving potential. The technology could save up to 4,000 metric tons of fuel and 12,000 metric tons of CO₂ annually, and further developments aim to certify more aircraft types, including the Airbus A330.