New LAN Argentina flight MIA-EZE (August '06), but no AA EQM's
 

When, if ever will LAN Argentina/Ecuador join OneWorld?

The new nonstop MIA-EZE flights are nice, (and are pricing out $585 all-in) but no AA miles makes it kind of moot.

Do you think the increase competition will at least lower fares on this route?

IIRC, the highest-grossing flights in the AA system are MIA-EZE

Whoops, didn't realize there was already a thread out there:

MOD, feel free to merge

They will be OW when LAN Arg. and LAN Ecu. become more than 50% owned by LAN... right now, the laws of Argentina and Ecu does not allow a foreign carrier, in this case, LAN Chile to own more than 49%

At that point will they stop calling it LAN Argentina/Ecuador? I can't imagine the OW site having a web entry for all the LAN flavors.

I don't think we have to worry about this issue for loooooong time.....

Who knows. It would depend -- at that point -- on what LAN management decides. In any event, that issue won't be an issue until the governments there decide to allow for greater foreign ownership and until a few other things also happen.

The laws of Argentina stipulate that no foreign entity can own a majority of an airline operating in its borders. As a matter of fact, I read an article in La Nacion a couple of weeks ago listing the owners of LAN Argentina. If I remember correctly, there were many Argentine individuals on that list.

I do think that this is a good move by LAN. Aerolineas Argentinas, the real alternative carrier in Argentina, is really not very good and has zero brand awareness in the USA outside of MIA, IMHO. Even domestically, I have found that their services pale in comparison to LANChile (I was on an Aerolineas Argentinas flight to Salta a couple of weeks ago - delayed flight and very modest service).

A famous soccer player told me that the only reason he flies Aerolineas Argentina is because they had more attractive FAs than the competition. His family thinks he is crazy.

LANChile is certainly a very good carrier. Aerolineas Argentina is nowhere near.

No. LAN Peru is part of oneWorld and it kept its name.

The way I understand it (and I may be wrong) there is a company called LAN Airlines (which used to be known as LAN Chile). Then there are affiliate airlines which are partly owned by LAN (Chile):

• LAN Peru-LP
• LAN Ecuador-XL
• LAN Argentina-4M

All international flights are operated by LAN (Chile). Lan Peru domestic flights seem to be operated with aircraft registered in both Chile (CC-) and Bermuda? (VP-B), and the LAN Argentina domestic flights seem to be operated by Argentina registered aircraft.

I bet it has to do with whatever the laws in each country allow, but I am just guessing.

Ok folks… here is what I think. Let me start by saying that I was born and raised in Argentina, albeit from Lebanese parents… but “soy un porteño en mi corazón” (I am an Argentinean at heart!) hence, I may be biased.

LAN (and not LanChile) as they changed their names from Linea Aeras Nacionales to Latin American Network; has brand recondition and offers good service… I however refuse to fly them unless I’m flying the LanChile part of the airline. Why? Because they do not play fair…

The way Lan Argentina came to being is by bying LAFSCA, an Argentinean airline that was bankrupt. They signed agreement with the Argentinean government to absorb all of LAFSCA’s employees and fly only Argentinean registered aircraft… hence being a true Argentinean carrier competing with Aerolineas… just like AA and UA…

What really happened was LAN operated Chilean registered aircrafts, made sure every ex-EZE service that ends internationally such as EZE-MIA originates in SCL and did not integrate all of LAFSCA’s workforce into LAN Argentina.

Of course, transparency in that part of the world is no more than wishful thinking, so no one really raised an eye at this.

Going back to the original subject, I think LAN Argentina should be allowed to join OW, only when it becomes a full Argentinean carrier and competes fairly with Aerolineas… until this happens I would like to see Aerolineas in OW before Lan Argentina.

By the way, Aerolinea's domestic service is MOSTLY served by AUSTRAL and not Aerolinea's fleet...

Just my two cents!

If it has an LA flight number it should accrue AA miles, as my recent AEP-COR RT.

I agree that the International flights (MIA-EZE-MIA) are operated by LAN (Chile) with Chile registered aircraft, but the domestic flights seem to be operated by Argentinan aircraft such as LV-BBI, LV-BBM, LV-BBO, LV-BCB and LV-BCD.

I believe LAN Peru and American were just granted antitrust immunity. I can only assume that AA will seek the same with LAN Argentina.

Aaron G.

No they won't.

Lan Peru = Member of OneWorld
Lan Argentina = Not a member of OneWorld

But what's stopping the other LAN affiliates from just dropping the Peru, Ecuador, etc and just calling themselves LAN? The respective govts can't stop them, LAN wouldn't mind, and surely the customers could care less.

This would be similiar to a franchise and the OW alliance could be applied to all the affiliates irregardless of ownership percentages.