Anyone flown LON to Santiago, Chile via GRU?
Jun 20, 2011, 6:50 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 9
Anyone flown LON to Santiago, Chile via GRU?
Looking at taking a trip to Chile in August. The obvious choices seem to be:
- Iberia via Madrid but that doesn't seem to have WT+ equivalent and miles upgrades aren't available for the ourward leg
- Air France via CDG. This does have premium economy but I have heard that changing in CDG can be a miserable experience and I won't get miles/tier points that will be much use to me.
So has anyone gone via GRU? Upsides seem to be BA to GRU with WT+ and potentially miles upgrades available. Downsides are 4 hour stopover and a longish connecting flight on LAN in economy.
I'll be carrying skis, in case that makes life more complicated with any of these options.
Would be great to hear people's experiences/opinions on these options
Thanks!
- Iberia via Madrid but that doesn't seem to have WT+ equivalent and miles upgrades aren't available for the ourward leg
- Air France via CDG. This does have premium economy but I have heard that changing in CDG can be a miserable experience and I won't get miles/tier points that will be much use to me.
So has anyone gone via GRU? Upsides seem to be BA to GRU with WT+ and potentially miles upgrades available. Downsides are 4 hour stopover and a longish connecting flight on LAN in economy.
I'll be carrying skis, in case that makes life more complicated with any of these options.
Would be great to hear people's experiences/opinions on these options
Thanks!
Jun 20, 2011, 7:25 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Bloomsbury
Programs: BA Silver, AF Ivory
Posts: 2,202
Did exactly your trip last August, but with my snowboard.
Booked WT+ out and back to GRU and upgraded the way out when a seat opened up. Was unable to combine tickets with a cheap LAN fare on to SCL so purchased separately over the phone with BA.
GRU an easy airport to hang out in, I have a priority pass so went to the AA lounge each time (not silver back then) for a shower and a snack but also mooched around the main terminal.
Economy in LAN very comfy, top-notch 767 with good catering, at-seat IFE with large screen.
It was a work/play trip; my boss came out also; she took the Iberia option, had things stolen from her luggage at Madrid on the way back.
Booked WT+ out and back to GRU and upgraded the way out when a seat opened up. Was unable to combine tickets with a cheap LAN fare on to SCL so purchased separately over the phone with BA.
GRU an easy airport to hang out in, I have a priority pass so went to the AA lounge each time (not silver back then) for a shower and a snack but also mooched around the main terminal.
Economy in LAN very comfy, top-notch 767 with good catering, at-seat IFE with large screen.
It was a work/play trip; my boss came out also; she took the Iberia option, had things stolen from her luggage at Madrid on the way back.
Jun 20, 2011, 7:33 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2006
Programs: MUCCI
Posts: 1,923
Hi there1
Never done SCL but have been out to S America with stopovers.
GRU is not that bad to change at. MAD is OK as well but there is indeed no WT+ on IB and Y is pretty basic.
Changing at CDG is a pain. If you plan to use AF then for the LON-CDG sector take the flight at least 1 before the one that they advise to ensure that you connect. They are really bad at just leaving you stranded outbound in CDG overnight. Would avoid if possible. I have had some pretty rotten experiences with them.
FD
Never done SCL but have been out to S America with stopovers.
GRU is not that bad to change at. MAD is OK as well but there is indeed no WT+ on IB and Y is pretty basic.
Changing at CDG is a pain. If you plan to use AF then for the LON-CDG sector take the flight at least 1 before the one that they advise to ensure that you connect. They are really bad at just leaving you stranded outbound in CDG overnight. Would avoid if possible. I have had some pretty rotten experiences with them.
FD
Jun 20, 2011, 7:34 am
#4
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,210
You could go via EZE which means that the SCL sector will be much shorter. However, so popular a route is EZE especially with stingies looking for the best miles value you are unlikely to find any availability.....certainly nothing available in August from what I can see. GRU on the other hand is showing quite a selection of dates available on the outbound in August so that would be your best choice if wanting to upgrade using miles.
Jun 20, 2011, 7:38 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci. And BA Gold – previous awards - Gold 11, Silver 7, Bronze 4.
Posts: 4,233
Hi there1
Never done SCL but have been out to S America with stopovers.
GRU is not that bad to change at. MAD is OK as well but there is indeed no WT+ on IB and Y is pretty basic.
Changing at CDG is a pain. If you plan to use AF then for the LON-CDG sector take the flight at least 1 before the one that they advise to ensure that you connect. They are really bad at just leaving you stranded outbound in CDG overnight. Would avoid if possible. I have had some pretty rotten experiences with them.
FD
Never done SCL but have been out to S America with stopovers.
GRU is not that bad to change at. MAD is OK as well but there is indeed no WT+ on IB and Y is pretty basic.
Changing at CDG is a pain. If you plan to use AF then for the LON-CDG sector take the flight at least 1 before the one that they advise to ensure that you connect. They are really bad at just leaving you stranded outbound in CDG overnight. Would avoid if possible. I have had some pretty rotten experiences with them.
FD
CDG for transfers =
So AF+CDG =
And from personal experience, believe me, don't think I am exaggerating....
Jun 20, 2011, 7:39 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Romsey, UK
Programs: BA, UA
Posts: 748
Years and years and years ago, so I'm sure it's all changed since. And I should hope so too.....
I went Varig - all because that trip sent me over the threshold to make UA 1P. What a comedy of a trip.....
Varig MD11. Horrible.
Got directed to the wrong area at GRU for transit by some officious chap. Thought it looked wrong given the size of the queue. Same chap found me in the queue and asked what I was doing there if I was in transit!
Varig lounge was OK, although the comedy was added to by a German chap attempting to gain entry without any status or travelling in a premium cabin. The lady at the desk gave up after ten minutes of being bored into submission and let him in. (The warm cheesy balls were very nice - although eating them for four hours probably did me no favours!)
The work engagement in Santiago was interrupted by a national holiday on the Thursday we were there. Nobody had told us this before we travelled!
It's the most horribly hung over I've ever been on any trip anywhere.
On the way back, my colleague was asked "Chicken or beef". Having had lots of beef on the trip, he asked for chicken, to be told it was all out. Bizarre enough that they should ask if they'd run out, but I hadn't heard all this. Took my headphones out and asked for chicken - "Certainly sir. No problem".
In transit on the way back from GRU there was only one bus that took us from the flight arriving from SCL to the one going to LHR. Except it appeared to be the only bus at the airport, because it was also ferrying passengers going to CDG and FCO (I think). Some poor couple bound for CDG got off with us and only figured out they were getting on the wrong plane when an announcement was made welcoming everybody aboard just before the doors were about to be closed. The (mis)fortune and coincidence of having BPs for unoccupied seats on the wrong plane at a time when BPs weren't checked on boarding.....!
Sigh.
I guess you had to be there!
I went Varig - all because that trip sent me over the threshold to make UA 1P. What a comedy of a trip.....
Varig MD11. Horrible.
Got directed to the wrong area at GRU for transit by some officious chap. Thought it looked wrong given the size of the queue. Same chap found me in the queue and asked what I was doing there if I was in transit!
Varig lounge was OK, although the comedy was added to by a German chap attempting to gain entry without any status or travelling in a premium cabin. The lady at the desk gave up after ten minutes of being bored into submission and let him in. (The warm cheesy balls were very nice - although eating them for four hours probably did me no favours!)
The work engagement in Santiago was interrupted by a national holiday on the Thursday we were there. Nobody had told us this before we travelled!
It's the most horribly hung over I've ever been on any trip anywhere.
On the way back, my colleague was asked "Chicken or beef". Having had lots of beef on the trip, he asked for chicken, to be told it was all out. Bizarre enough that they should ask if they'd run out, but I hadn't heard all this. Took my headphones out and asked for chicken - "Certainly sir. No problem".
In transit on the way back from GRU there was only one bus that took us from the flight arriving from SCL to the one going to LHR. Except it appeared to be the only bus at the airport, because it was also ferrying passengers going to CDG and FCO (I think). Some poor couple bound for CDG got off with us and only figured out they were getting on the wrong plane when an announcement was made welcoming everybody aboard just before the doors were about to be closed. The (mis)fortune and coincidence of having BPs for unoccupied seats on the wrong plane at a time when BPs weren't checked on boarding.....!
Sigh.
I guess you had to be there!
Jun 20, 2011, 7:47 am
#7
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,210
AF is pretty good even in economy and at least the SCL is a direct flight now compared to years ago.