South American carrier LATAM Airlines is to launch a new route between Lisbon and Fortaleza in northern Brazil this summer.

LATAM will operate the route once per week from 7 April to 20 October ¨C it will be the carrier¡¯s first direct flight between northeast Brazil and Europe since 2009.

The airline plans to operate Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft on the route, which will be fitted with three cabins: economy (213 seats), premium economy (57 seats) and business class (30 seats).

LATAM will compete with TAP Air Portugal on the Lisbon-Fortaleza route, with the Portuguese carrier already offering a daily service.

¡°We are always on the lookout for opportunities to expand the supply of seats and flights in a sustainable way, to boost tourism and the economy of the northeast," said Eduardo Macedo, head of public affairs at LATAM Brazil.

LATAM¡¯s flights between Lisbon and Fortaleza will operate on Mondays and take around seven and a half hours in each direction.