I'm not a wine guy, but I generally buy a few bottles to give out as gifts. I see bottles in the 15-20 range in the supermarkets, and then see them at double or triple that price in the airport stores.

This is in line with my observations.

When i left on the 20th the line was horrendous, allow an hour to get to the airport and 2 hours at least to get to the gate.

Chris

Gaucho,
When you pack wines, are they in free-standing containers with handles? Or are they more like a typical wine "case" that needs to be hefted in one's arms?

Rita

My advice for anyone wanting dulce de leche is to buy it in a supermarket downtown and pack it in your suitcase. Don't buy it at EZE. It'll be cheaper in the supermarket and you don't have to carry the weight around the airport.

The containers with handles are not profesional-grade shippers, and while more comfortable to handle, they will not survive the checked baggage situation.

Therefore, our shippers are "case" format... however, we solve the handle issue by making a custom handle which allows you to grab the case like you would any other of your suitcases.

Great tip... ^ ^ ^ you will save a bundle if you buy it in town. Also, you have far better selection in any neighbourhood supermarket.

I flew out of EZE for the US last night (Feb 9). Although I had no wait for security questioning (using the UA Elite line), and check in, the ecomony class lines were horrendously long.

Tax payment only took 5 minutes at the upstairs booth, but it took over an hour to get through security and immigration - most of that time was waiting to get in to the screening area. There were only two WTMDs open and a lot of inexperienced travellers it seems ...

I counted about 12 international departures scheduled for 9-10:30 pm, and the airport security screening was clearly overtaxed. There were many people asking to cut in line to be able to get to their flights, along with crew members trying to weave there way through the masses of passengers queueing up before the security screening.

So be warned!

John

I departed EZE for the US last night (November 9).

It's obvious that tourist season is ramping up, and there are many inexperienced flyers at EZE. I breezed through security/check-in using the UA elite security line, but it took 15 minutes to pay the departure tax (at the upstairs booth), 20 minutes to get into the security-screening area, and a further 30 minutes to clear security and immigration.

Traffic on the autopista was heavy, but not stop and go, and no accidents, but even then it took 65 minutes to get to the airport from Palermo.

Note LH has reinstated their EZE-FRA service, with a 9:50 pm departure, adding another 747 load of passengers in the evening bank of departures.

John

Great update John!! Thanks for the reminder of the reinstated LH service.... great news for travelers from Europe!!! ^

Indeed, thanks for the update. So if you have a 9 pm EZE flight, when is a rational time to leave BA, so that you feel neither particularly rushed nor that you're wasting time hanging out at the airport?

I leave my apartment in Palermo about 3 hours before my flight. The timing will also depend on:
Weather - if it's raining, traffic on the autopista will be slower with more chances of accidents;
Class of service/status will determine what check-in line you can use;
Whether you want to board at the first opportunity to ensure overhead storage space (if you are in Y).

I use a remise service which always is on time (or a little early) since they're situated a few blocks from my apartment. I have 1K status with UA, so security/check-in only takes 5 or so minutes. On Friday after clearing immigration I had 30 minutes to kill at the Red Carpet Club before boarding commenced.

The biggest hold-up is the security screening, and how many WTMDs are in use. Also with the dozen or so flights departing in the evening bank, there will be crew members cutting in line, not to mention elderly passengers in wheelchairs, and often passengers with children or pregnant women who will be given priority.

John

Thanks for the update.

Alas, I'm flying an airline out of EZE where I have no status, and no lounge access.

Many years ago, there was an American Express lounge at EZE that anyone with an AMEX card could use for free. Even at the time, it seemed like an oddity. I assume this lounge is gone?

We'll be flying in from Santiago to EZE via LAN Chile, transiting in EZE and then immediately departing onto the CO flight to IAH. Question, do we need to exit the transit lounge (if there is even one) into Argentina and then check-in with CO and then re-enter through Argentina Customs + Immigration, or can we remain in the in-transit lounge while awaiting our departure to the U.S.? I assume any answer is a bit complicated as the flight from EZE enters the U.S. and I assume there are extra security restrictions which the U.S. TSA imposes on all arriving passengers, so would those additional searches, etc. been already taken care of in Santiago or can they be taken care of in the in-transit lounge prior to actual boarding of the CO flight in EZE.

Appreciate any help.

Steve-o - you can stay airside while in international transit. You definitely don't want to go through customs/immigrations into Argentina just to hang around the airport.

US-bound flights have special screening/security within the gate area.

John