LAN LANPASS - SA vs NA comparison - flight report

I just finished my South America trip, and I've been on 3 NA flights, 4 international LAN flights, and 7 domestic LAN flights. The LAN segments were super while the NA segments pretty much sucked.

None of my 11 LAN flights were cancelled, all were on time or early, except for TRU where the pilot aborted the landing due to fog, circled for 15 minutes, then found an opening to put down. My bags always arrived me, being treated with some respect (you can watch the baggage handlers place, not throw, luggage on the carts and belts). In NA, one flight was cancelled making for last minute scrambling, one was late, and my bag was lost on the final segment. I note that I saw ground crew at LIM being frisked after loading the bags while also noting reports of increased thefts at JFK.

My short (+/- 1 hour) LAN domestic flights were on A319s and A320s, all were spotlessly clean, modern and comfortable. Room for my bags and room for my legs. In Y, but always served with a snack by eager tripulación with drinks, even free beer. In Y, NA flights (+/- 2 hours) were on cramped old dirty Regional Jets (CR7) and UA Embraer RJ145, the latter being particularly dirty, with almost no luggage space. No snacks, no beer, just a small beverage.

LAN international in J was exceptional, both food and service. Boeing 767-300ER. They addressed me by name, proactively looked after me, and even had the courtesy to laugh (well, at least smile) at my jokes. In NA the crews seemed mostly tired and bored, the exception being a particularly friendly and personable FA on the IAD-YOW leg.

Airports at LIM, TRU, CIX, PIU, GYE, were all clean modern and efficient. UIO a bit more chaotic. Invariably, check in and security had almost no wait time and workers were friendly to me. Time from hotel to regional airports less than $2 and 10 minutes. Since I had my boarding pass 48 hours before, went to airport less than 1 hour before, hardly had time for a cappuccino. Boarding was good (remember I had Preferente) but, even for non-elites the multiple GAs scan the boarding passes while the orderly cola forms, making even that pretty efficient. In NA segments, single GA, mostly overworked and often busy with DYKWIA types, gate lice at boarding. MIA and IAD are tired airports, nothing special. What was interesting was the cola for the MIA-HAV flights where they luggage was piled high, I counted one family with 12 oversized plastic-wrapped hockey bag sized excess. Easily exceeded the JFK-GYE excess luggage by a mile and then some.

In SA never a word about my overage in carry-ons. At MIA for my NA flights, had to debate my carry on until she gave in (I started taking out and putting on my winter clothes). Security at MIA, IAD and JFK were all backed up and made me feel like I was some kind criminal, barking out orders as if I worked for them. At JFK she ignored the Preferente line so much so that I moved over to the (backed up) normal line and got through faster. Never a word about my checked luggage in Peru, in NA had to collate two into one bag to avoid bag charges.

I liked the LIM Sumaq lounge, really liked the new GYE lounge, and noticed they are building domestic VIP lounges in Peru, such as at CIX. Looked at the LIM VIP domestic lounge, seemed small, but quiet. JFK Oasis was nice, more abundant food than LIM Sumaq (had both breakfast and late snack there) and GYE VIP lounge, though they made me happy there by supplying Bailey's to my morning coffee.

Overall, I give my LAN experience high grades and my NA flights a failing grade. Someone asked me recently about flying in the third world SA, as if it were some kind of danger or punishment, suggesting planes were old and dangerous, airports dirty and dangerous, and service sub-standard as compared to NA. Lets keep it a secret that it is quite the opposite, in my recent experience.

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Overall, I give my LAN experience high grades and my NA flights a failing grade. Someone asked me recently about flying in the third world SA, as if it were some kind of danger or punishment, suggesting planes were old and dangerous, airports dirty and dangerous, and service sub-standard as compared to NA. Lets keep it a secret that it is quite the opposite, in my recent experience.

If you write this here, it won't be a secret anymore :D

But thanks for the comprehensive update - pretty much mirrors my recent travels in North and South America this year. - with one exception: EZE. The security and immigration queues were horrific and even worse than MIA, taking about 1:30.

I wanted to go to CIX or PIU (and on to Mancora) when we were in Peru this year, but the gringo tax made it just not cost effective.

Were all your NA flights with UA?
Glad to hear about your good SA/LAN experiences - now, if I just could find some J award availability with LAN LAX to SCL :)

now, if I just could find some J award availability with LAN LAX to SCL :)
Did that on the non-stop (LAX-SCL) via an AA all partner award. Two thumbs up!

Totally agree with all this. For MIA-LIM, LAN completely blows AA out of the water in both J and Y. The J experience on the LAN 767 is much better than on the AA 767, and the less said about the AA 757 the better. And LIM airport has improved beyond recognition since the new terminal opened. The only negatives for me are the often slow immigration and the heavy handed customs where I always seem to get the red light.

The last time I departed from LIM, I was redirected from the Sumaq lounge to the adjacent "VIP" lounge as the former was too crowded. I can report that the Sumaq lounge is the better of the two.

Were all your NA flights with UA?


Both UA and AC (Jazz).

I had a majorly sucky arrival at LIM two nights ago, I mistakenly planned a flight landing in the witching hour.

90 mins to get through immigration and only half of the desks were manned.

In the "sucky immigration league" that puts LIM right up there with IAH

It also meant that bags had been pullled off the belts, the belts only have space for two flights on their screens so nobody could find which pile of bags was from our BOG flight.

LIM is hot on the heels of MIA Concourse D for the "Dude where is my bag?" award

And would it really be too much trouble to throw a bit of gravel in the potholes on the taxiways? I think LIM is the bumpiest airport I have ever been to.

As for SA vs NA, although LAN didn't lose your bags, when they do lose your bags they absolutely don't give a damn. Unless you have a few spare weeks to waste hounding them, you probably won't see them every again

LIM is hot on the heels of MIA Concourse D for the "Dude where is my bag?" award

And would it really be too much trouble to throw a bit of gravel in the potholes on the taxiways? I think LIM is the bumpiest airport I have ever been to.

As for SA vs NA, although LAN didn't lose your bags, when they do lose your bags they absolutely don't give a damn. Unless you have a few spare weeks to waste hounding them, you probably won't see them every again

This is bad news for me.
I will be looking for an LAX-SCL award with AA miles soon to catch a couple of cruises in SA.
1 If connencting in LIM, I hope I don't have to go through customs in transit
2 More importantly, if they "lose" our bags in transfer we would be up sh*t creek for 2 cruises.
I am thinking of flying through DFW or MIA (not much better, I know) and avoiding LIM altogether.
Am I being unreasonable?

This is bad news for me.
I will be looking for an LAX-SCL award with AA miles soon to catch a couple of cruises in SA.
1 If connencting in LIM, I hope I don't have to go through customs in transit
2 More importantly, if they "lose" our bags in transfer we would be up sh*t creek for 2 cruises.
I am thinking of flying through DFW or MIA (not much better, I know) and avoiding LIM altogether.
Am I being unreasonable?

I am saying the bags weren't lost, they were removed from a belt and there was no indication of where they were. Same as has happened to me a few times in Miami.

Yes though as a general rule if LAN loses your bag you are screwed. Much better to have AA lose your bags.

Saying that I doubt LAN would lose your bags on a straightforward connection via LIM

I am saying the bags weren't lost, they were removed from a belt and there was no indication of where they were. Same as has happened to me a few times in Miami.

Yes though as a general rule if LAN loses your bag you are screwed. Much better to have AA lose your bags.

Saying that I doubt LAN would lose your bags on a straightforward connection via LIM

Is the LAX-SCL non stop (LAN 603) seasonal or is it being discontinued? I do not see it on ITA or LAN for next year November?

Is the LAX-SCL non stop (LAN 603) seasonal or is it being discontinued? I do not see it on ITA or LAN for next year November?

11 months ahead is a long way out to be looking for it. Unless someone chimes in with news of its demise, I would suspect the inventory has not been loaded yet

11 months ahead is a long way out to be looking for it. Unless someone chimes in with news of its demise, I would suspect the inventory has not been loaded yet

Well, it's loaded for all the other flights - via LIM, MIA, etc
Why wouldn't just the LAN 603 not be loaded?
Besided, to even have a chance at 2 J awards, I have to look for it 11 months out. I actually need it for Dec 26th, 2012 - it's not bookable yet for that date, but I am just looking to see what I am up against.
As it is, I see J awards only on Nov 9th MIA-SCL with BA Avios but not with sAAver miles (online or with agent). I don't understand that one :confused:

602/603 come and go, without a lot of predicted regularity. It probably has to do with aircraft availability as anything, and this far out, who knows.

LAN has never lost one of my bags. I know that when it happens, it will happen in a big way. But to date, nothing yet.

The LIM taxiways - well, the runway is undergoing a major renovation - hopefully the taxiways will also be repaired. Probably any heavy construction equipment is making things temporarily worse. As far as the airport itself, it was woefully under-built when remodeled, although its success probably exceeded anyone's predictions.

This is bad news for me.
I will be looking for an LAX-SCL award with AA miles soon to catch a couple of cruises in SA.
1 If connencting in LIM, I hope I don't have to go through customs in transit
2 More importantly, if they "lose" our bags in transfer we would be up sh*t creek for 2 cruises.
I am thinking of flying through DFW or MIA (not much better, I know) and avoiding LIM altogether.
Am I being unreasonable?

woaah Nelly... for one, the current problems reported are for peak times because of the airport construction causing bottlenecks. Construction is over at end of January so if not flying now to then, all will be back to normal.
As well, IMHO lost luggage in LIM is not something I worry about, let alone change travel plans because of. Besides it happens to me more on NA flights!
No, you do not need to go thru Customs anyway. Someone might even correct me if you even leave the plane on some LAX-SCL flights?

woaah Nelly... for one, the current problems reported are for peak times because of the airport construction causing bottlenecks. Construction is over at end of January so if not flying now to then, all will be back to normal.
As well, IMHO lost luggage in LIM is not something I worry about, let alone change travel plans because of. Besides it happens to me more on NA flights!
No, you do not need to go thru Customs anyway. Someone might even correct me if you even leave the plane on some LAX-SCL flights?

Bingo you crazed LIM apologist. runway repairs I dont think have much to do with it. Flying into LIM at 11pm before the runway repairs was still like touching down in Tashkent.

Plus explain to us how come the runway repairs mean that only half the immigration desks can be manned.

Go and have a lie down and a Trujillana

As far as the airport itself, it was woefully under-built when remodeled, although its success probably exceeded anyone's predictions.

Spacious enough inside, but it sure could use some additional gates, done the bus thing more than I like.

Isn't there a plan afoot to add a second terminal? Or am I dreaming?

Bingo you crazed LIM apologist. runway repairs I dont think have much to do with it. Flying into LIM at 11pm before the runway repairs was still like touching down in Tashkent.

Plus explain to us how come the runway repairs mean that only half the immigration desks can be manned.

Go and have a lie down and a Trujillana

:p Yes, that comment about 1/2 the desks being manned surprised me, not my experience. Been thru LIM about 20 times international and 30 times domestics this year. It can get busy at peak times, but when the crowds form more agents seem to appear magically, now and BC (before construction jeje). But for sure, the congestion of flights before the runways close and after they open is quite evident and is clearly a current problem. Explain to me how this constriction of flights would not cause problems?

In my experience (or good luck) wait time at inmigraciones averages 10 minutes or less. I am generally at the luggage belt before it cranks on and that after a washroom stop to put on the hidden money belts etc. Hope I haven't jinxed myself by saying that, I have a bad arrival time in Jan. :(

FT tip: get over to the right hand side desks, there 2 agents look after one line. ;)

ps Trujillana? Quiz: which Peruvian city has produced the most Miss Peru and Miss World contestants? Hint: starts with Ferreñafe :p

I landed twice this week at 10:30pm (Monday and Saturday) and while on Monday everything was chaos and it was almost 00:30 when I finally passed aduanas, last night we went through rather quickly and were outside at 11pm!

Both times almost all of the immigration desks were open and got a green light.

Maybe LIM is the totally bipolar airport these days? Maybe I just got lucky and beat the crowds to immigration last night (was seated closer to the front of the plane).

PS. I'm now lowly-Premium, yay!

PS. I'm now lowly-Premium, yay!

Well done andreadbc, please start your spoon collection whilst you await your premium pack

:p Yes, that comment about 1/2 the desks being manned surprised me, not my experience.

I noticed on 1st Jan that only half of the desks actually have computers so a) I would be surprised if you were to find them manned and b) I have forgotten what b was going to be.

This was immigration at 11pm on 1 Jan 2012

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/377408_2462224631127_1117530681_31984070_718904540 _n.jpg

Also last night the runway at LIM was like a badly ploughed field. I am sure you and I are flying into different LIMs, or you slip through a flaw in the fabric of space time.

This was immigration at 11pm on 1 Jan 2012

Excellent photo. But it is the pre-immigration disorganized crowd waiting to get to the long immigration line which can be seen far away in the distance.

Excellent photo. But it is the pre-immigration disorganized crowd waiting to get to the long immigration line which can be seen far away in the distance.

Scary photo, really

Note to self: Do not go to Lima for the time being.

Note to self: Do not go to Lima for the time being.

Just try to avoid flights which arrive after 10:00 p.m.

This was immigration at 11pm on 1 Jan 2012

This looks like much smaller crowd than the one I ended up in on 12 Dec. No empty spaces and moving very slowly (it was like getting stuck in the middle of a Señor de los Milagros procession).