Sao Paulo, Aug 6 (EFE).– LATAM Airlines Group, which was born from the 2012 merger of Chile’s LAN and Brazil’s TAM, said here Thursday that it will unify all of the conglomerate’s brands under the name LATAM.

Despite current political and economic challenges in Brazil, the region’s biggest market, the group is looking to embark on “new paths and therefore uniting the brands is crucial and inevitable,” Chairman Mauricio Amaro said in a press conference.

CEO Enrique Cueto said for his part that the group will remain focused on Latin America, where it is the aviation market leader.

Marketing Vice President Jerome Cadier said the new brand’s logo, which evokes the map of region, represents the company’s Latin identity.

“We’re affirming what we are, that we’re Latin Americans and we’re the company that transports the most Latin Americans worldwide and brings the most (passengers) to Latin America,” Cadier said.

TAM Airlines CEO Claudia Sender said the regional aviation market – and Colombia in particular – is growing despite the carrier’s recent announcement about upcoming service and staff reductions in recession-hit Brazil.

In a separate letter to shareholders, Cueto said LATAM Airlines Group is “currently working on the definition of our new corporate brand image.”

“The changes will occur over the next three years, gradually becoming visible starting in 2016 with branding at airports, aircraft, uniforms, commercial offices, loyalty programs, Web pages, among others,” he wrote. EFE