SAO PAULO, May 24 (Reuters) - Brazilian airline Azul SA said late on Monday it has hired advisers to look at consolidation opportunities within the region and that it was in a strong position to drive that consolidation.

Azul also said Chile's LATAM Airlines Group had ended a codeshare agreement for domestic flights in Brazil that was launched last year after the pandemic upended air travel - a move that Azul believes was a reaction to its exploration of consolidation opportunities.

"Azul is emerging from this crisis in a leadership position in terms of liquidity, network recovery and competitive advantages. Our plans are unchanged and I am confident that we are in the best position to pursue strategic alternatives at this point in time," CEO John Rodgerson said in a statement.

LATAM filed for bankruptcy protection in May of last year and is going through a court-supervised restructuring. (Reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)