After a brief flirtation with Aerolineas Argentinas (see my previous report) we flew almost exclusively with LAN within South America. This is a brief report of PUQ-PMC-SCL-GIG-SCL-LIM. I almost didn't bother to write this because I didn't find much of interest on the flights, but hopefully you get something out of it.

The start of this trip:

• Australia to South America in Luxury (PER-AKL-PPT-BOB-PPT-SCL-EZE)
  
• Argentina from Top to Bottom (AEP-IGR-AEP-FTE)
  

LAN LA288
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Punta Arenas (Carlos Ibañez Del Campo) (PUQ/SCCI) - Puerto Montt (El Tepual) (PMC/SCTE)
Duration: 2h10m, 806mi
Departure: 14:30 (scheduled) 14:55 (actual)
Arrival: 16:40 (scheduled) 16:50 (actual)
Seats: 3K/L
Aircraft: Airbus A318-121 CC-CVF

We had some spare time in Punta Arenas, so we went to an Internet place and used LAN's online check-in while we were there. The process went smoothly and we were pleased. But on arrival at the airport we realised that checking in online gives you no advantage at all. There are machines at the airport (with no queue) that accomplish the same purpose as online check-in, but then everyone has to stand in the same queue to drop bags off. There is a priority queue for oneworld Sapphire and Emerald frequent flyers, but this is not available for oneworld Ruby members (even though we theoretically get business class check-in). Initially there was only one person processing the queue so it went very slowly.

The airport terminal was modern but uninteresting. A large queue formed early for boarding (which I don't understand given that the seats are assigned). We ended up leaving about 25 minutes late. On board we had a snack consisting of peanuts, chocolate sultanas, and a strawberry biscuit. Drop-down screens showed the in-flight entertainment, with an uninspiring selection of programs (Gilmore Girls and Just for Laughs) which had been "specially selected for this flight".


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Photo © Andres Contador


Looking out the window was a much better form of entertainment - there were great views of mountains, lakes and even a glaciar. I'd left my camera inaccessible, but seeing this helped me to get over my aversion to taking photos on planes.

At Puerto Montt, the bags came out quickly and then we took a taxi to our hotel in nearby Puerto Varas and enjoyed five days in the Lakes District of Chile (probably one day too many).

Lakes District Photos



LAN LA296
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Puerto Montt (El Tepual) (PMC/SCTE) - Santiago (Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez) (SCL/SCEL)
Duration: 1h35m, 569mi
Departure: 07:00 (scheduled) 06:52 (actual)
Arrival: 08:35 (scheduled) 08:33 (actual)
Seats: 5K/L
Aircraft: Airbus A319-132 CC-COY

We arrived at the airport around 05:50 to find it completely deserted. The security guard turned the lights on for us while we waited. We tried using the machine to check-in, but it rejected us repeatedly - in hindsight I think it was because we were travelling to Rio. The next group to turn up also had trouble with the machine, so I didn't think much of it at the time.

Check-in opened at about 07:15. We were at the front of the queue but it took a long time for our boarding passes to be issued (probably because we hadn't been able to check ourselves in).


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Photo © Alejandro Ruiz


This was an unremarkable flight. We were served a drink and a snack box which was adequate for the short journey but not enough to keep us going until our next flight... we needed to snack during our long transit in Santiago.


LAN LA772
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Santiago (Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez) (SCL/SCEL) - Rio de Janeiro (Galeão -
Antônio Carlos Jobim) (GIG/SBGL)
Duration: 4h10m, 1,825mi
Departure: 13:35 (scheduled) 13:29 (actual)
Arrival: 18:45 (scheduled) 18:18 (actual)
Seats: 8K/L
Aircraft: Airbus A320-233 CC-COC

We hadn't intended to have such a long time between flights, but schedule changes gave us a little option. So after a long wait we boarded on time and pushed back slightly early.


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Photo © Fernando Olivares


Just another normal LAN flight with great views of the Andes not long after our departure from Santiago. We were served a basic lunch consisting of cold meat, cheese, olives, a break roll, tiramisu and chocolate. Drinks were only offered a couple of times, not really enough for a long flight.

After arrival, there was a long queue at immigration due to another flight arriving just before us - it was the twice-weekly TAAG flight from Luanda, Angola. Now there's an aircraft I would have liked to see! There were only two immigration officers but they worked quickly and efficiently.

At customs it seems that if you declare anything, they don't really seem to care. You press a button and the red or green channel is arbitrarily chosen for you. Seems like a very strange system to me.

Outside there are desks for about five taxi companies. We picked one at random and paid R$83 to the Intercontinental at São Conrado.

Photos from Rio



LAN LA751
Monday, November 19, 2007
Rio de Janeiro (Galeão - Antônio Carlos Jobim) (GIG/SBGL) - Santiago (Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez) (SCL/SCEL) via São Paulo (Guarulhos - Governor André Franco Montoro) (GRU/SBGR)
Duration: 6h06m, 1,836mi
Departure: 14:35 (scheduled) 14:45 (actual)
Arrival: 19:46 (scheduled) 19:47 (actual)
Seats: 32J/L
Aircraft: Boeing 767-383/ER CC-CGN


Terminal one is very drab, it's straight out of the seventies. After check-in we went upstairs to find a crappy cafe and a couple of shops. One shop had a very small range of English language books, but there were a couple that interested me and I bought Cryptonomicon, by Neil Stephenson. And it was just as well that I did.

Terminal 1 at Galeão


Our aircraft waiting outside



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Photo © Alejandro Ruiz


We were about 20 minutes late leaving Rio due to delays with air traffic control. On the first part of the flight to São Paulo, the only service was giving everyone a lolly to suck on. Probably not worth the effort of giving it out. There wasn't any in-flight entertainment, but this sector was only scheduled for an hour so that's forgiveable.

Rio de Janeiro



At São Paulo we stayed on the aircraft, and parked next to the aircraft below which I couldn't identify at the time. I now know it's an Aerosur 757 from Bolivia. We were getting pretty hungry at this stage because we hadn't had lunch.

"Mystery" aircraft at GRU


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Photo © Ben Wang


After we left São Paulo for the much longer stretch to Santiago, there still wasn't any in-flight entertainment. The screens were there, but they just showed the map interspersed with ads for LAN and Movistar (a mobile phone network). And there wasn't any food until about 17:30, when they served a meal that might have been fish or might have been chicken. Obviously it wasn't very good if we couldn't agree on what it was! It was served with rice, carrot, a bread roll, and dessert.

This was by far the worst flight of our whole trip - it seems I'm dependent on having some form of entertainment to enjoy a flight.

Flying over the Andes



LAN LA530
Monday, November 19, 2007
Santiago (Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez) (SCL/SCEL) - Lima (Jorge Chávez) (LIM/SPIM)
Duration: 3h45m, 1,524mi
Departure: 21:05 (scheduled) 21:22 (actual)
Arrival: 22:50 (scheduled) 23:00 (actual)
Seats: 14A/C
Aircraft: Boeing 767-316/ER CC-CBJ


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Photo © Alejandro Ruiz


Once again we were back at Santiago, but thankfully for a far shorter period than last time. We boarded on time and were thankful to find ourselves on a refurbished 767 with AVOD. We pushed back slightly early at 21:00, but as we were being pushed back all the lights went off, the aircraft lost all power, and within 30 seconds we were being towed back to our gate. Bugger! I expected a long delay but it was only about 20 minutes until we tried again, this time successfully.

This flight provided a huge contrast to the previous one, despite both being LAN 767s.

• I was able to watch Master & Commander and The Simpsons on the AVOD system, so the flight went far quicker.
  
• Again there was only one food and drink service, but this time there was a choice of meals between pasta and chicken. I had the pasta. It was served with salad, dessert, and chocolate.
  
• There is less leg room on the refurbished aircraft, and reclining reduces your own legroom rather than the person behind you.

Once we arrived in Lima we were greeted by lots of people on immigration. It was quick and well organised. Once again we had to press a button to determine whether we would go through the red or green channel. There was a check on the way out to make sure we had taken our own baggage, and outside our driver was waiting for us to take us to the Crowne Plaza.


Conclusions

LAN is an efficient but not very interesting way to get around South America. Their aircraft seem well maintained, and we didn't experience any substantial delays with any of our flights. On board, there's room to improve with the service and consistency. I would particularly like to see more drinks offered on longer flights.

Coming up next - three flights in Peru (LIM-CUZ-LIM plus the Nazca lines). It's far more interesting than this report, and the photos are heaps better!

Thanks for the very interesting trip report on LAN. I can ensure you that your experience with LAN B767s flights will actually depend whether you will fly with renewed aircraft or old aircraft. Thankfully, LAN is almost finishing the upadtes in its strong B767 fleet.

Quoting StevePER (Thread starter): After arrival, there was a long queue at immigration due to another flight arriving just before us - it was the twice-weekly TAAG flight from Luanda, Angola. Now there's an aircraft I would have liked to see! There were only two immigration officers but they worked quickly and efficiently.

Indeed, immigration in GIG and GRU is dreadfull and you have to be patient. It would not harm to place more officer to speed up immigration.

Quoting StevePER (Thread starter): At customs it seems that if you declare anything, they don't really seem to care. You press a button and the red or green channel is arbitrarily chosen for you. Seems like a very strange system to me.

It is a random system. It works quite well.

Quoting StevePER (Thread starter): Terminal one is very drab, it's straight out of the seventies. After check-in we went upstairs to find a crappy cafe and a couple of shops. One shop had a very small range of English language books, but there were a couple that interested me and I bought Cryptonomicon, by Neil Stephenson. And it was just as well that I did.

I agree, GIG T1 is indeed horrible and needs urgent renovation. This already started to be done as finally Government authorities woke up for this fact and will make substantive investment to finish GIG T2 and then renovate GIG T1. However, GIG T2 is very nice, and Rio's downtown airport SDU is great, very modern, shiny and glassy, and has fantastic landing views.

Quoting StevePER (Thread starter): We were about 20 minutes late leaving Rio due to delays with air traffic control.

Again, this is common both in GIG and GRU. In the past this was restricted to GRU, but nowadays delays in GIG are frequent as the airport saw a major increase in pax numbers.

Quoting StevePER (Thread starter): At São Paulo we stayed on the aircraft, and parked next to the aircraft below which I couldn't identify at the time.

It is the B757 from Aerosur which operates GRU-VVI nonstop daily.

Rgs,

great report!!!!

Quoting Hardiwv (Reply 1): It is the B757 from Aerosur which operates GRU-VVI nonstop daily.

isnt it also served by 737???
'

Quoting Avianca (Reply 2): isnt it also served by 737???

Aerosur operates VVI-GRU nonstop daily with the B727, but increasingly the B757 has been used in the route because of high loads and yields. PZ operates VVI to GRU via ASU. GRU still lacks a nonstop servie to LPB, which has most of the traffic captured by Aerosur via VVI and TA via LIM both of which offer the best connections from LPB to GRU. As a side note, before the folding of LAB we could the the airline operating from Bolivia in GRU, GIG, CNF and MAO!

Rgs,

Nice report, good to catch up with your journey so far.

I does appear LAN on-board service is patchy and can vary by a large degree, though once all the 767's have the refurb done, at least that's another box ticked.

Nice to see you got on a 318, still pretty rare those birds!

Regards

Mark

Nice TR

The pics are great.

Pity that you didnt enjoy all your flights with LAN. I really hate when the IFE doesnt work.

Would love to fly on a A318, my only chance to do that is with AF. Hopefully one day.

Looking forward for more TRs from you.


Thank you for sharing

B747forever

Thanks for your kind comments.

The A318 flight was originally scheduled to be a 732, and to be honest I was kind of disappointed when they switched it. I'd never flown the 318 before but I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunity in the future - on the other hand I've only flown the 732 once and future opportunities are likely to be rare. Also the 732 would be a big contrast to the 319 and 320 that we were flying all over South America.