Latin America's biggest carrier banks on new identity to save sales

Sao Paulo

WHAT'S in a name? Latam Airlines Group SA is gambling that a new one will help reverse its fortunes.

Latin America's biggest carrier is poised to rechristen itself two years after uniting Tam of Brazil with Chile's Lan and watching sales slide and its market value drop by half. Latam, a holding company, will announce a new name in the first quarter to replace the two brands under which it flies.

The decision means that Santiago-based Latam will do away with almost a century of history for the…