Lan
 

I am confused about the JFK-GYE flight on LAN. I thought this was
a OneWorld flight.

Here are the sources of my confusion:

I purchased the ticket using a LAN certificate from AMEX.

The ticket itself says LanChile in two places, and does not say Lan
Ecuador anywhere (other than the XL code). The ticket jacket says
LanChile.

When you go to Lan.com and look at

http://www18.lan.com/compania/oneworld.html

It says the following:

"LAN's incorporation into oneworld means not only that our passengers
will have access to benefits to make their trips easier and more
pleasant, but they will also earn awards redeemable with all oneworld
associates.

"This mega-alliance includes Aer Lingus, American Airlines, British
Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, LAN, Iberia and Qantas."

Also on http://www18.lan.com/compania/quienes_somos-EN.html:

"LAN is a commercial alliance comprised of LAN CHILE, LAN PERU, LAN
ECUADOR, LAN CARGO and LAN EXPRESS."


I also add that when you go on http://www.oneworldalliance.com/
you see the LAN logo, not the logo of any of the individual
LAN airlines. When you click on the LAN logo, you are brought
to a page that only uses the world LAN without reference to
any of the LAN airlines. When you click on "Weekly flight schedules"
from the OneWorld page, it takes you to a LAN page where you can
find the GYE-JFK flight listed.

However, now I hear that my flight is not a OneWorld flight.

Is this not completely deceptive, if not fraudulant? The
information on LAN's website seems to conclusivly state
that LAN ECUADOR is part of LAN which is part of OneWorld.
The OneWorld website only backs this information up.

I am AA platimum. Will I at least be able to check in the
Business class line or use the lounge at JFK?

Could you clarify what you mean by "hearing" that your LAN flight is not OW?

I found out from LAN reservations when I tried to
add my AA FF # to the reservation. They said
LAN Ecuador is not part of OW, and I could not
get any AA miles on the flight.

Granted, I have never flown Lan Ecuador, so I am not speaking from experience, but aa.com lists only LanChile and LanPeru under the Lan umbrella of eligible, miles earning tickets.

"Earn a minimum of 500 AAdvantage® miles each time you purchase and fly on a published eligible fare ticket on LanChile (including LanPeru), a member of oneworld."

Given this information, it seems like LanEcuador flights are not eligible...something I was not previously aware of.

Nor was I.... it appears that a similar issue may exist with respect to "Lan Dominicana." I find the lack of participation by Lan Ecuador and Lan Dominicana to be more than a little deceptive... considering that:

1) virtually all oneworld collateral materials highlight the "Lan" logo (without mention of the exceptions for Lan Ecuador and Lan Dominicana);

2) attempts to access the Lan Ecuador and Lan Dominicana websites are redirected to the generic lan website;

3) Lan marketing materials appear designed to make the airline appear seamless.

It appears that Lan Ecuador and Lan Dominicana are getting a "free ride" from the oneworld program's marketing efforts (while only Lan Chile and Lan Peru are apparently the only one's paying into the oneworld coffers).

Clever management, those Lan folks!!

Yes, this is really confusing. Adding to the confusion, the aircraft that operates the Lan Equador flight from JFK to GYE is a regular Lan Chile aircraft that arrives earlier in the morning from SCL and LIM as LA 530. The Lan Chile operated Lan Equador GYE-JFK flight returns each evening to LIM and SCL as LA 531.

Does Lan Equador exist anywhere but on paper?

You will find on the website of oneworld it clearly states that LanEcuador and LanDominica are not eligible under a *ONE* routing.
Check it out here where the table under the heading Planning your trip has a list of all affiliates able to be used for a oneworld explorer.
Seems LANPeru has some of its own problems.

It does seem like a free ride. I never quite get how the umbrella of LAN operates. It used to be that LanChile was the only OW member (I think)...then Peru must have jumped on board and Ecuador/Dominicana are getting a free ride. Very deceptive.

I will be flying Lan Peru on intra Peru flights in October. I see that on some of the fares on the LAN website, it says that mileage is not available, but on AA.com, mileage seems to be awarded for all LAN fare classes. The whole thing is confusing...

Yes, indeed. Left out of the article you reference is the allegation that LAN was the one who sicked the U.S. government on Aero Continente, whispering in the U.S.' ear that Aero Continente was backed by drug money.

Hmmmm. Actually is the last line in the article.

The last sentence references Aero Continente's problems with the U.S. government relating to the drug problem. It doesn't mention anything about how they ended up in trouble with the U.S. over drugs in the first place; Aero Continente management has publicly alleged that LanPeru is responsible for getting them "on the list."

No offense intended, but what are they expected to say? Aerocontinente and Lan Peru have been going at blows from the day that LP began operating. Whether there's truth to it I suppose will never be known since AC accused LP of causing them to be grounded a few years ago as well yet nothing came of it. But if even if they did then fine. The US isnt going to ban an entire airline without more than allegations from one of its competitors.

Here is a new posting on the LAN web page. Their
faiure to metion that not all LAN flights get AA miles
continutes to be criminal.

The phone number listed is also wrong.

-------------------------


Fly with LAN and earn miles in the AAdvantage® program of American Airlines®.


LAN is part of the American Airlines* frequent flyer program, AAdvantage®. This allows you to earn miles with AAdvantage® whenever you take LAN flights, and to use awards for free flights or fare upgrades.


This means that every time you purchase a LAN flight at a published fare you will earn a minimum of 500 miles.


If you have further questions about LAN participation in the AAdvantage® program, talk to our operators at 1-800-735-5526 (in the U.S.) or visit the American Airlines website at www.aa.com

• American Airlines and AAdvantage, AAdvantage Gold, AAdvantage Platinum, AAdvantage Executive Platinum are marks of American Airlines, Inc.
• American Airlines reserves the right to change AAdvantage program rules, regulations, travel awards and special offers at any time without notice and to end the AAdvantage program with six months notice.
• Any such changes may affect your ability to use the awards or mileage credits that you have accumulated.
• American Airlines is not responsible for products or services offered by other participating companies.
• For complete details about the AAdvantage program, visit www.aa.com.

"LAN" as often used refers to Lineas Aereas Nacionales de Chile, previously LAN Chile, or Lan Chile. Lan Perú is a subsidiary, and is (also) elegible for oneworld benefits. Lan Ecuadór, forget about it, regardless of the logo on the aircraft fuselage, ditto Lan Dominicana. What hand is the boarding pass in?

As for AeroContinente, they were refused insurance, therefore grounded. The Latin American media is full of interesting aspersions about its CEO and the alleged drug trafficking. True? Maybe, maybe not... but I'd certainly not be surprised. Politics? Most assuredly.

Some airlines in the southern nations have stunk to high heaven, allowed to function only because of some "fix." A classic example was the deservedly and now-defunct LANSA Perú. My cousin Flint died thanks to their poor maintenance and operations (according to the Peruvian government report, the L188-A was overloaded, and the captain committed major mistakes when the No. 3 engine quit - out of Cusco.) It wasn't the first, not even the first Electra, they lost.

Of course, in Ecuadór, we have Icaro - would you fly on an airline named after a guy who flew to high, melted the wax on his wings and crashed into the sea? (Or had its safety record?)

LAN Chile seems comfortable and has good service, in my experience. Be cautious. Choose wisely. Fly well.

LanEcuador does not have domestic service within Ecuador?

Need to fly LIM-UIO, preferrably on an (AA) award ticket.. only LIM-GYE (LP767) is available. flightlookup.com shows XL flight 516 from GYE-UIO (probably the continuation of the LanChile 767 LIM-GYE), but unable to book it online anywhere (GYE-UIO-MIA however is bookable). Buying a LIM-UIO one-way ticket is over $300. :( LIM-SJO-UIO is available on TACA but requires an overnight in SJO.