Tiki

I am gearing up for next year's trip and it looks like awards in J (using AA miles) are scarce as hen's teeth so we will have to go Y. The saving grace could be getting one of the two-seat rows in the back of either LAN's 787 or QF's 747. Has anyone flown this route and can advise on the best option? IIRC, QF doesn't allow you to book seats on partner awards? We would be going either BNE-SYD-SCL on QF or BNE-AKL-SCL on QF/LA, then connect onwards to GYE.

One consideration is that the QF option has several choices for the BNE-SYD flight that connect to the SCL flight so if one is delayed, there is room to switch us to another flight and we would probably get the 6am dpearture to have plenty of leeway. Going via AKL breaks the journey up a bit but there is only one QF flight between BNE-AKL and if it is late or canceled we would miss the LAN flight.

madrooster

If LA is late ex-SCL to AKL, they often will cancel the AKL-SYD-AKL sectors to make up time. Something else to consider...

BensAdventures

I'd chose to transit in AKL rather the SYD any day! I've not flown LAN in Y though...

og

I have just received an email from LAN advising of 20% off (all ?) fares to and within South America from June 2015 to April 2016. This special is good until 18 May (ie hurry hurry hurry).

number_6

LAN is pretty dreadful in Y on long-haul (only flew them once in Y, dozen times in J and their J is highly variable). They seem to struggle on this route and also have a very high load factor (slightly more chance of empty seats on QF). But BNE-AKL-SCL is considerably shorter than BNE-SYD-SCL and you don't show F lounge access in SYD which maybe tilts the balance to going via AKL on LAN.

poopbunny

NZ will begin flights to EZE towards the end of this year with South American connections via partner AR, this might lighten the LA load and possibly put some pressure on pricing.

Tiki

There ended up not being a choice. QF doesn't fly to SCL the day I wanted so we had to either fly LAN or sacrifice one day of destination time. I couldn't get Y on BNE-AKL and couldn't get J on AKL/SYD-SCL. I didn't want to pay for 2 awards so had to go with Y via SYD. BNE-SYD-SCL-GYE.

Since there are no change fees, I will keep an eye on availability and switch to the AKL transit if space opens up.

AustralianPoochie

Took LA twice AKL to SYD, never again in Y! Maybe I would go J with LA next time, or go EK's 380.
Would take the 380 Au to NZ I say if I were you. Do a break for day and a bit in AKL.
Then get the LA(N) 787 if it flies from AKL to SCL.
Have flown EK's 777 several times, even in Y down the back, its better than the LA
's 340.
Will be personally trying the EK 380 sometime end of this year.

og

LAN have replaced the 340 with the 787 on the SCL-AKL-SYD route. I understand that they are considering a direct SYD-SCL flight in addition to the ones via AKL. This may spell the end of LA SYD-AKL flights ??

perthflyer

I flew LAN AKL-SCL-AKL about 6 years ago (as well as multiple flights intra-South America) and found no fault with them. Friendly crews, passable food (albeit not as good as QF Y), comfortable seats and decent wine for Y (once again not as good as QF but still above average).

Blackcloud

I doubt LA will drop the AKL stop for all its flights.
LA make quite a bit of money hauling cargo from SA to Australia and beyond. Going non-stop to SYD will mean a significant hit on the cargo they can carry. Also there are people who get off at AKL to take the CX flight to HKG and beyond.
I also wonder if pax going to BNE and MEL also transfer at AKL on the QF flights.

millionmiler

That's one unique thing about AKL. There are a material number of direct OW onward routes from there so its not an O&D dead end.

vorellanaj

Qantas product are very superior to LAN product , personal opinion. Economy class seats in the 787 are VERY uncomfortable.

Today standards in economy : 3-3-3 787 (2-4-2 is a rare exception on some JAL and ANA long haul 787) , 3-4-3 777 (3-3-3 or 2-5-2 were old standards, fitted on some 777) ... 3-4-3 in a 747 or A380 is better due a wider cabin.

og

Regarding passenger comfort, this means very little unless you also discuss seat width and aircraft cabin width. Seat pitch and aisle width also comes into the "comfort equation".