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Easter Island -- my experience

Easter Island -- my experience

Old Jul 28, 2011, 3:15 pm
  #61  
 
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Originally Posted by dvdapex
For those going to Easter Island from the US using BA miles, I have 2 questions:
1. Do I have to fly from a major hub (say ORD) in order to just use the 40,000 for round trip coach or can I fly from MSN to ORD and then on (since it would involve 2 partner carriers)?

2. Can anyone state what the fuel surcharges and taxes were for their flight?

My kids have never flown before and I'd love to take them on a unique trip for their first time (and I've only been to London, Paris and Mexico as far as being out of the US, so this would be really nice for me).

I would like to do US - Lima - Easter Island - Buenos Aires (but probably not enough time) - US if possible. I'd like to see Machu Pichu. We're looking at 10 - 15 days total travel with 3 - 4 of it actually on Easter Island. Perhaps given the travel time we won't have enough time to do even that.
1. The generous BA redemption is for single carrier. Meaning, you need to get yourself to a LAN gateway (JFK, MIAMI, LAX or SFO). If you mix carriers with BA, the redemption cost goes up a lot.

2. My redemption in Business Class from JFK to SCL to IPC on LAN was $95.50. I got them to waive the $20 by let them know that I couldnt book a stopover on the BA site. So no fuel surcharges were added.

3. In terms of routing, the Lima - Easter Island flight has been suspended. Supposedly comes back in Jan/2012. So you will have to go via Santiago de Chile. In terms of time, I did Machu Picchu last year in 6 days. Let say you do that in 4, then another 3-4 days in Easter Island (factoring that the flight from Easter Island to SCL lands at 8:30PM, you need a travel day to be factor in).. That's 8-9 days there. So if you do 10 days, not much time for other cities. 15 days, you probably can do: MIA-SCL-IPC (4 Days)-SCL-EZE (3 Days)-LIMA-CUZCO(Travel day)to Macchu Picchu (4 Days)-CUZ-LIMA-MIA.

jr
jakeryan1 is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2011, 10:04 pm
  #62  
 
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LIM-IPC returns 2/2012

Looks like LAN is restarting LIM-IPC in 2/2012, 12:55 AM-5:30 AM on Wednesdays and Sundays. The LAX-LIM flight gets in at 11:59 PM, is that 56 minute connection going to be too tight?
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Old Jul 30, 2011, 1:52 am
  #63  
 
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Originally Posted by iceman77_7
Looks like LAN is restarting LIM-IPC in 2/2012, 12:55 AM-5:30 AM on Wednesdays and Sundays. The LAX-LIM flight gets in at 11:59 PM, is that 56 minute connection going to be too tight?
I wouldn't risk it even if it's a legal connection. Too many things can go wrong and not enough flights for you to get onto to get there to recover. If you are set going via Lima to save the $140 reciprocity fee, fly in to Lima a day earlier to make sure you make the flight.
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Old Jul 31, 2011, 1:37 am
  #64  
 
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I would very much second jakeryan in saying that you want a day's cushion, not 56 minutes for a south american flight. Of the dozen flights I took while there over 6 weeks this spring I think 2 of them weren't delayed or changed.

Not to freak people out, but there is also a much stronger 'buyer beware' culture with plane ticket changes in south america ... I wasn't notified of the LIM-IPC route change (it was thanks to posters here that I called and got an updated itinerary emailed to me, and thank heavens I did because they couldn't find my reservation when I got to the airport!) and I met other people who had their flights cancelled outright and changed to a completely different day with little notice.

So if your travel plans aren't flexible or you aren't good at coming up with creative alternatives to getting home, you might want to think twice about Easter Island as a destination. Personally I loved it and would go back in a heart beat if I could make it reasonably fit into future travel plans - not the most realistic of plans, I admit!
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Old Jul 31, 2011, 2:18 am
  #65  
 
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Originally Posted by jakeryan1
I wouldn't risk it even if it's a legal connection. Too many things can go wrong and not enough flights for you to get onto to get there to recover. If you are set going via Lima to save the $140 reciprocity fee, fly in to Lima a day earlier to make sure you make the flight.
Agreed re "legal connection" not being the benchmark to shoot for.

Though, saving $140 only to waste money on a hotel room in Lima and round-trip taxi to the airport doesn't seem like a great deal.

By the way, LAX-SCL gets in at 6.35am and the SCL-IPC flight leaves at 7.35AM. Applying the same principles, it's probably going to require an overnight in any event.

Isn't the benefit of flying LIM-IPC getting the IPC stamp?

Last edited by LAX_Esq; Jul 31, 2011 at 2:24 am
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Old Jul 31, 2011, 9:08 am
  #66  
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IF you're headed to Easter Island, you might want to read this new book which challenges the eco-parable as the reason for the collapse of their civilization. It might have been rats instead!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...googlenews_wsj
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Old Aug 3, 2011, 11:21 am
  #67  
 
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Originally Posted by $1500forGLD

Isn't the benefit of flying LIM-IPC getting the IPC stamp?
We did JFK-SCL-IPC-SCL-LIM-JFK this year. Since we were coming from Santiago, no passport stamp was given at IPC. If you go to the post office downtown, they can stamp your passport with a Moai stamp for free. There were other stamps but they charge for them.

I was originally on the LIM-IPC flight and when they canceled the routing they automatically rebooked me on flights that were impossible and LAN/BA did not notify me at all.

One other tip, when landing at IPC buy your national park ticket before exiting baggage claim. It is cheaper to buy it there than at the ranger stations.
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Old Aug 4, 2011, 8:07 pm
  #68  
 
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Originally Posted by dvdapex
For those going to Easter Island from the US using BA miles, I have 2 questions:
1. Do I have to fly from a major hub (say ORD) in order to just use the 40,000 for round trip coach or can I fly from MSN to ORD and then on (since it would involve 2 partner carriers)?

2. Can anyone state what the fuel surcharges and taxes were for their flight?

.
You have to fly from a LAN hub to get the low one-partner BA award (40K RT coach). LAN hubs are New York, Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles.

http://thepointsguy.com/2011/04/how-...award-jfk-lim/
MJLouise is offline  
Old Aug 4, 2011, 10:35 pm
  #69  
 
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Question??? If I don't leave the SCL airport, do I still have to pay the $130 fee? Can I stay overnight in the airport? I'm only in SCL for 12 hours.
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Old Aug 5, 2011, 6:14 am
  #70  
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Originally Posted by jcb193
Question??? If I don't leave the SCL airport, do I still have to pay the $130 fee? Can I stay overnight in the airport? I'm only in SCL for 12 hours.
Are you switching from an int'l flight to SCL-Easter Island?

If so, yes, you will be paying the fee. You will need to clear immigration, and you can't do that without paying. Sorry.
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Old Aug 31, 2011, 10:40 pm
  #71  
 
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The LAN crew may be the next best thing to spot after the Moai

I would love to be stuck on an island with a hot (i.e. unlike most of AA/UA) crew. Anyone knows a remote place where SQ/VS flies to and not many people visit?

Originally Posted by jbcarioca
Of course there were only six rooms on the island then, three of which were occupied by LAN crew and I was single...I had a wonderful time.
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Old Aug 31, 2011, 10:48 pm
  #72  
 
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Originally Posted by iahphx
IF you're headed to Easter Island, you might want to read this new book which challenges the eco-parable as the reason for the collapse of their civilization. It might have been rats instead!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...googlenews_wsj
Yep, I have that book with me at home now,
courtesy of Austin Public Library!

Will be there Dec 2-6, before returning to SCL
and joining MomDadSis for a 12-day cruise Valparaiso-Buenos Aires.
Entire trip in Premium using BA miles on LAN/AA.

Only task left to do is book a mid-price hotel in town
and a few day tours of the backpackers-in-a-van variety !@:-)



Last edited by MrHalliday; Aug 31, 2011 at 10:51 pm Reason: added photo
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Old Aug 31, 2011, 10:53 pm
  #73  
 
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Originally Posted by zilliontw
The LAN crew may be the next best thing to spot after the Moai
OK, I expect the crew doesn't overnight...
but if they did, where would they stay ??
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Old Sep 1, 2011, 10:00 am
  #74  
 
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Originally Posted by MrHalliday
OK, I expect the crew doesn't overnight...
They might... My IPC-SCL flight was inbound from PPT, and it appeared that it was a fresh crew who took over at IPC. I suspect it's cheaper to position a crew in to operate IPC-PPT-IPC and stay the night in IPC if necessary, than have them operate SCL-IPC-PPT and potentially stay 3(?) nights on Tahiti!
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Old Sep 1, 2011, 10:06 am
  #75  
 
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Originally Posted by raikje
They might... My IPC-SCL flight was inbound from PPT, and it appeared that it was a fresh crew who took over at IPC. I suspect it's cheaper to position a crew in to operate IPC-PPT-IPC and stay the night in IPC if necessary, than have them operate SCL-IPC-PPT and potentially stay 3(?) nights on Tahiti!
OK !... any idea which hotel would be a likely crew place,
i.e. near airport and good quality ?
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