LAX to EZE on LAN - BIZ Class- your thoughts?
#16
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LA N/S America thru flights via LIM are almost always the same plane and crew, and the flight, including the service, is treated like one long haul int'l flight for thru pax (i.e, dinner, snack, breakfast). Occasionally there's a change of aircraft, but you'll see the same crew. (Flights originating EZE via SCL have a different crew on the EZE/SCL tramos.)
#17
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A plane change is almost always entirely up to LAN. I've flown the LAX-LIM-SCL a bunch of times and it varies almost until a day before (even in flight once) with what seems to be a totally random fashion. AA is probably assuming that LAN will change planes if you go through LIM. When LA600/601 have a 787 LAN has been running the LAX-SCL run non-stop. When LP flew to SFO the flight continued to GRU with the same number but about 75% of the time there was a plane change at LIM.
If LA does sometimes fly the LAX-SCL nonstop but never flies the LAX-EZE nonstop, that difference may be what AA is seeing and determines award pricing on?
#18
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The former is not true. When there's a nonstop, it is 602/603. The one stop, no matter the aircraft type, is 600/601, which I've been flying semi-regularly since 2001. In fact, in late December, I was on a 787 LAX(LIM)SCL as 601, and a few weeks ago, I was on a 787 LIM LAX as 600, which originated SCL.
#19
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I've been on this flight and while the schedule is outstanding, I find that LAX-GRU does not connect well (it seems to miss the big morning bank), requiring a several hour connection depending on the destination. The return GRU-LAX has a number of great options to connect.
If you're intrigued this flight does appear bookable as a JJ codeshare, and many of the great low LAN fares are mirrored by JJ, so you might be able to do LAX-GRU-EZE/AEP-GRU-LAX on a JJ ticket for the same fare as LAN. That is, if you wish to avoid LIM altogether which was the purpose of your recommendation.