Leaping_Deere

MVD is perhaps the perfect size for an airport, Not only is it modern it’s big enough for a few places to eat and shop, a well stocked lounge that isn't the size of a box of matches but small enough that its takes only a few minutes to get from one end to another.

There is a bit of delay trying to print the second flight boarding pass, the check in lady seeks her neighbour who manages to print it on her computer and I make my way though the near empty security. Uruguay security doesn’t require the separation of belongings so its done in less than 45 seconds and onto the shared lounge, it has a membership option and as a result it has a elegant style and ambience to it with comfortable settees and more Chinese copy Eames seats.

LATAM LA409
MVD-SCL
Economy Seat 3C
Departure 19:05 (scheduled) 18:57 (actual)
Flight time 2h 32m

Originally booked as premium economy seat, the flight was ‘cancelled’ some 4 weeks back moved back by 5 minutes. The only other change from the time was the downgrade to economy. After making a quick call to BA CS I was told that this class was no offered on this flight.

Still branded as LAN it was modern A321 with the latest design of airbus 'thin' seating, the flight is fairly full but fortunately 3B is left empty. 3A contains the archetypal cliche Jesus lookalike with long brown hair straight out of a shampoo advert and a beard that looks like Kings of Leon circa 2004. He's dressed like he just got off a skateboard but his sheer volume of dead straight hair distracts me from creating more persona for him. The flight is pushed back ahead of schedule and we’ve head off to SCL. The flight is fairly uneventful, it’s the typical ham and cheese croissant with a mixture of drinks on and the crew are good but not memorable.

Landing into SCL and we’re once again bused into the terminal, with plenty of time to kill this doesn't bother me as much as before and when we get to the terminal building I am one of only a handful of people doing international transfers. Security process is swift and I`m soon up to the gates, I have just under 3 hours before the next flight so I head to LATAM lounge. This proves more difficult than I expect, the interactive map doesn't explain very well how to get to it and there isn't any signs until you arrive there. It turns out there is a whole section of duty free shops between each side of the airport gates and this leads up to the lounge. I cant say I ‘click’ with this lounge, it isn't well sign posted and it appears that they build the lounge around the building and doted seats around very ad hoc. For the first time on this trip I feel weary, Ive been none stop for a week and I just don't fancy being in an airport or a plane, the last hour and and half drags a bit but mercifully the call goes out to board. I take two Nytol and make my way downstairs.


Day 9

This will be one of life's unusual moments. Once the plane door is shut all time stops in my eyes and because of this I will be getting a 40 minute Saturday. I feel strangely that its been stolen from me and whilst I will get some of it back when I head west again, to lose on paper 29 hours feels very odd. As we depart, we have a very half hearted hand baggage inspection on the jet bridge. They take away everyones drink bottles, which grates the affected passengers who just bought it from a kiosk.

LATAM LA2801
SCL-AKL
Premium Business Seat 4D
Departure 0:40 (scheduled) 0:51 (actual)
Flight time 12h 45m

I’m not sure what to expect from LATAM long haul service. I had seen some videos on youtube it appeared that the 787-9 was the aircraft with the best hard product and on this flight we had that very aircraft. The seat is one of the widest I can remember sitting in and there is more space than a BA seat, it makes sleeping easy with room for your knees, which I have to bend to sleep on the slightly short bed length. Although its 2-2-2 the distancing is well spaced and the seat companion next to me feels far enough away to feel private, not huge amount of storage but just about enough cubby holes.

The J cabin is full and when they hand out NZ landing cards I appear to be the only one who takes one. Everyone else seems to be staying onto SYD and the cabin is full of semi entitled Australians. My seat companion is one of these Aussies, with ‘airplane’ blonde hair and a face that looks like someone is waving a stick with excrement under her nose, she’s with a section of others I bet they’ve been to the andes and feel culturally superior as they spent two weeks trekking, even though some poor sherpa local who's paid less than 300 USD a month carried their luggage. I take these fellow passengers of my mind and lay back to sleep.

The best part besides the seat width is the bedding, whilst the pillow was standard J product, the duvet was something out of a F product and it certainly made a difference for sleep comfort. I skip dinner and sleep on and off for about 9 hours. I give up trying to sleep about 1 hr 45 minutes before landing and put my mind of the next stage of the trip.

Day 10

For most British people born after the war, we were sold the dream of emigrating to Australia or New Zealand. Countless tales of 10 pound poms who told us how great it was to go to the beach on new years day, we were sold the dream of sunshine, sand, surf and jobs for everyone. I went to Australia 9 years ago with the vague notion of staying and setting up this new life, but the dream for me didn't match the reality. I found Australia totally under whelming. I didn't make it to New Zealand until 3 months ago and I was charmed by the place, It’s feels more like a chilled out Britain where as Australia always felt like a lesser version of the USA and I'm back here again to finish what I started in June.

We land into Auckland 30 minutes early and I’m off the 3rd person off the plane, I walk off the jet bridge and round the corner and to my horror find that I’m just behind the last of the passengers disembarking off the QR flight from Doha, I had flown here on that flight last trip and we landed 45 minutes later then. I hadn’t banked on this, I have plenty of time to make my domestic connection but like all business travellers I know we hate queuing when it could be avoided.

We accept that at times it will happen, but when passport gates aren't being managed efficiently by airport staff or such other inefficiencies it grates us lot, we have timings in our heads, x amounts of minutes to clear immigration, x amount of time to clear customs x amount of time to walk to car, uber, train plane or hotel.

I move into top gear and veer my way around families, backpackers and the odd middle age couple. I see Auckland arrivals fairly large duty free area and I bank on the returning travellers stopping to take advantage. I also notice that the path through the shop forks two ways, I take the longer but quieter right path and use the clearer aisle to overtake others., this clears another 60 odd people. I get to immigration and as a UK passport holder I can use the auto machines, alas no NZ country stamp but the whole process takes less than 30 seconds and it takes me past 2 rows of queuing travellers.

I then remember that the next bottle neck and the potential deadly one is the bio-security. I’ve heard that at time it can be long wait, particularly if a flight from Asia has arrived, it hadn't on my last visit. I do my best to increase my stride length and bank on QR passengers still waiting for their luggage. When I walk past the carousels only a few of the priority passengers have their bags and the majority are Kiwi or Aussie so when I get to the other nations line I’m the only one there.

The Biosecurity is fairly painless and I'm into New Zealand 15 minutes before our scheduled landing time. The domestic and international terminals are about a 12 minute walk apart, there is a free shuttle bus, but after being on a plane I'm eager for the fresh air and a chance to stretch my legs out. The route had a giant green line in the pavement so it’s hard to get lost. As Im walking past the various offices and warehouses between the terminals I remember that this flight takes me over the 1500 TP’s to the level of gold. Before the trip I had worked this out and planned to have my own mini celebration during this flight, however the previous 10 days of travel totally pushed it out of my mind and the original fanfare I had originally planned had turned into a little smirk on a crisp Sunday morning outside Auckland. I'm hoping that the points get credited to my account before the journey back, might be able to get into a First lounge on my return journey to the UK.