gategroup Renews, Expands Service Agreements with LAN

ZURICH, Nov. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- gategroup, the leading independent global provider of onboard products and services to the world's airlines, has extended and expanded business for its Gate Gourmet and Pourshins brands with LAN Airlines of Chile and its affiliates in Latin America. The four-year agreements are valued at nearly CHF 200 million.

"We are extremely pleased to continue and to expand our long-standing partnership with LAN," said Guy Dubois, CEO of gategroup. "These agreements reflect the airline's confidence in our brands' reliability as suppliers and the appeal of gategroup's industry-leading portfolio of products and services for companies that serve people on the move."

LAN, one of the leading passenger and cargo airlines in Latin America, signed a long-term contract extension with Gate Gourmet for catering and provisioning in Santiago, Chile; Lima, Peru; Guayaquil and Quito, Ecuador; Rio De Janeiro and Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Ezeiza and Jorge Newberry airports in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The companies also reached an agreement covering catering services in Madrid, Spain, and for Los Angeles, Miami and New York-JFK in the United States.

At these locations, Gate Gourmet provides meal preparation, cart packing, aircraft loading and unloading, equipment sanitization and warehousing services.

In addition to the catering contracts, LAN has agreed to a long-term agreement for asset management and galley planning services. These are provided by gategroup's supply chain specialist Pourshins along with software from sister brand eGate Solutions. Asset management involves the timely and efficient warehousing and distribution of in-flight equipment, disposables and bonded items throughout the airline's network. Galley planning manages the aircraft galley design and loading process for maximum efficiency.

Edwin Garcia, gategroup vice president and President of the Latin America region, said, "Our partnership with LAN has strong roots in our commitment to quality and excellence. We are delighted to take our existing relationship into the next decade and to provide new added-value services through Pourshins and eGate Solutions."

Terms of the agreements remain confidential.

About gategroup:

gategroup is the leading independent global provider of onboard products and services to companies serving people on the move. The company's world-class capabilities are focused in catering and hospitality; provisioning; and onboard solutions. gategroup shares are traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the symbol GATE. Please visit www.gategroup.com.

About LAN:

LAN Airlines is one of the leading passenger and cargo airlines in Latin America. The company and its affiliates serve over 65 world destinations through an extensive network that offers full connectivity within Latin America, while also linking the region with North America, Europe and the South Pacific, as well as 63 additional international destinations through alliances. LAN Airlines and its affiliates have a leading position in their respective domestic markets of Chile and Peru, an important presence in the Argentinean domestic market and recently began domestic operations in Ecuador.

Currently, LAN Airlines and its affiliates operate one of the world's most modern fleets, with 83 passenger aircraft. Its cargo subsidiary, LAN CARGO and its respective cargo affiliates, have a fleet of 11 freighters. The company recently completed its short haul fleet renovation by acquiring new aircraft from the Airbus A320 family, enabling LAN to improve efficiency and to reduce significantly its CO2 emissions. The fleet renovation is part of the company's commitment to the protection of the environment.

LAN is one of the few Investment Grade airlines in the world (BBB). The company's world class quality standards enabled its membership in oneworld™, the global alliance that encompasses the best airlines in the world. For more information please visit www.lan.com or www.oneworldalliance.com