Global Traveler: This year marks the 50th anniversary of LAN’s service to the United States. What plans does LAN have to celebrate this exciting achievement?

Pablo Yunis: The 50-year mark for LAN comes with several important developments. Among the most important ones being the expansion and renewal of our fleet. We have 32 [Boeing 787] Dreamliners rolling out in 2011 through 2016. This is the biggest investment for LAN to date. The incorporation of the 787 Dreamliners will revolutionize the travel experience, as they not only incorporate the latest technology but are also environment-friendly by being fuel efficient, with 20 percent less emissions. Boeing’s attention to detail will also improve the overall experience. Seats in economy are thinner but more comfortable, and business-class seats will be incredible. The new aircraft will replace and grow the company’s long-haul fleet. In addition to the fleet, we will continue enhancing our expansive network and increasing the frequency of our service to our destinations.

As for celebrations for the anniversary, there will be many incorporated into our activities throughout the year, with a heavy focus during August, the month of our anniversary. LAN began flying to the United States on Aug. 16, 1958, with a flight to Miami. On April 15, 1967, it began service to New York City and in July 1969 to Los Angeles.

GT: LAN is one of the few carriers to offer a true 180-degree lie-flat business- class seat. Please tell our readers how you enhance the travel experience for the premium passenger.

PY: At LAN we do not sell tickets, we offer an experience. We want to ensure a positive experience from the buying process to the passenger disembarking. I believe it is our attention to detail that keeps the customer loyal, and that is why we are continually improving our service.

We pay close attention to ensure our passengers can rest on our flights, and we create an atmosphere of relaxation on board. This, together with the 180-degree sleeperstyle beds in business class, provides the perfect environment for a restful night. We know many of our passengers step right off the plane and into a meeting, so this is a top priority for us. We find passengers place rest as their No. 1 priority.

In our premium business-class cabin, you can choose to eat quickly and go to sleep. Of course, you can also enjoy our full-service dining menu. We are always testing our food and wine on board and working with a phenomenal team of chefs and master sommeliers to have the highest-quality service. For passengers who don’t choose to sleep, we have a choice of more than 350 CDs, 30 films, 52 TV shows and 14 games.

GT: Our readers may be interested in LAN’s new routes to Central and South America. What can you tell us about that service?

PY: We expect to increase our capacity this year while looking to increase flights and frequencies within our network. Our largest expansion will involve our Peru flights from New York City, Miami and Los Angeles, with the largest increase in the Miami flight growing from a daily flight to 10 times a week. Last year we added our nonstop flight to Santiago from New York and Los Angelest. This is a nonstop flight on a B767 with 30 business-class seats, which then continues on to Buenos Aires.

Overall, the increase shows the demand and popularity of LAN from the United States to Latin America. We have seen a 15-percent increase in revenue from the United States to Latin America and a 20-percent overall increase in LAN international sales. With an exciting year still ahead of us, we will continue to see new and exciting news.