CORRECTED-OFFICIAL-N.America airlines to lose $1.8 bln 2010

(Corrects after Bisignani clarified that he meant North America, not United States)

SANTIAGO, March 24 (Re1uters) - Airlines in North America will post a combined loss of about $1.8 billion in 2010, while Latin American airlines will post a combined profit of around $800 million, the head of airline industry body IATA said on Wednesday.

IATA Director-General Giovanni Bisignani told a news conference at the FIDAE air industry show at Chile's international airport just outside Santiago that he expected air traffic demand in Latin America to rise 12.2 percent in 2010 from 2009 levels. (Reporting by Simon Gardner, editing by Maureen Bavdek)

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