Transiting issues in SCL
 

Yesterday I flew from COR to SCL to JFK. The actual flights were fine (economy from COR--there is no J--and J to JFK. Service on board was efficient (not great but acceptable). However the transit in SCL was a nightmare.

The flight from Cordoba had mechanical issues (that happens as we all know) and left about an hour and half late. (BTW, I need to compliment the gate agents at COR who assuring this lost traveler that if it seemed like I would miss the connection that they would protect me.) It was due to arrive at 21:20 and actually touched down at about 22:10 (there is an hour time difference). The good news was that the flight from SCL to JFK had been rescheduled last week from 23:00 to 23:20. So there still was plenty of time to make the transit. However, that was when the "fun" began.

First the plane taxied all over the field, making several U-turns and retracing its path. Then it finally stopped. No jetway, steps. But the steps didn't arrive for about 10 minutes after we stopped. The door finally opened and I ran down the steps only to find that, rather than a typical air transit bus, there was a regular tour bus waiting for us. Of course that slowed down the process since everyone had to climb on the bus with their carry-on, walk the aisle and find a seat.

Finally the bus was full and we left for the terminal. The bus drove around a bit and dropped us off by some glass doors in the arriving passenger area. Surprise, the doors were locked. Everyone trying to make a tight connection started pounding on the doors, several maintenance people looked at us but no one would let us in.

About 10 minutes later a LAN employee finally let us in and the race to the plane (and clear the additional transit security) began. The good news is that I made the connection (especially considering that the NY airports may be closed tomorrow due to a predicted blizzard).

Look. Stuff happens when you travel. We learn to live with it. But when something does go wrong, you hope the carrier will work to alleviate the problem, not add to it. LAN failed that test yesterday.

It sounds like ATC (causing the plane to not reach its "final resting place" for a while) and the ground contract support were the issues. The original COR gate probably filled up. It also sounds like LATAM didn't operate at 100%.

Curious if during this very tight connection if your baggage made it?

Look, I understand, I've been there. At least you were @ SCL transit security and not LIM, where you've got the same tight connection and have a full transit security hall.

Actually it did. I was presently surprised. Of course, it did not have to wait at a locked door.

As you note, my point is that even with the original delay there was plenty of time for the connection. The ground services were the cause of the my ire.

There's a lot of things that went wrong here... not all of them can be blamed on LAN (although I agree that they could have been a little more efficient in anticipating everything)

Nowadays, arriving in SCL outside of your original time slot in a narrowbody does cause this issues. SCL is very over capacity for years now and the expansions needed 5 years ago are just starting. This is a government and airport operator issue.

The buses (not being the usual airport bus but a "regular" bus) is the airport operator's fault. The airlines do not operate these buses.

The terminal doors being closed where you were dropped is a miscoordination of the airport operator and the airline. LAN should have made sure (by proper coordination with the airport management) you could enter the terminal as soon as leaving the bus, even though both the bus and the terminal access are responsibility of the operator.

Sorry you had to experience this. Not using a proper jetway is a PITA all by itself, let alone all the rest of the stuff you went through. The good thing is that this is more the exception than the norm (not the jetway thing, but the rest) and eventually, as the airport capacity is increased in the coming years, these problems should tend to happen less and less.