Kiwi Flyer

Santiago International to Domestic Easter Island Shuffle (and vice versa)

So the SCL-IPC and IPC-SCL flights using the international part of the terminal can create issues. The terminal has no sign posting or instructions on what to do in this transfer. LAN staff and ground staff don't necessarily know the right things to do either.

For international to SCL to IPC transfer in 5 easy steps
1) on arrival go straight to immigration, avoid the temptation of international transfer, do not pass go
2) once landside turn left for domestic
3) check in if haven't already
4) if have lounge access then see LA check in counter about being escorted to international part of the terminal (where the lounge is)
5) go through security

For IPC to SCL to international/domestic transfer in 5 easy steps
1) on arrival go straight to immigration, avoid the temptation of international transfer, do not pass go, do not surrender any arrival card you may have (in Chile this is retained until departure)
2) once landside turn left for domestic or right for international
3) check in if haven't already
4) if have lounge access and continuing on domestic flight, then see LA check in counter about being escorted to international part of the terminal (where the lounge is)
5) go through security (and immigration if international)

Kiwi Flyer

Santiago to Lima (SCL-LIM) Business Class on LA 767

Another shower and check FT and some emails. The shower system is a bit odd. Some airline lounges have showers you just walk into and lock the door behind (eg NZ, SQ). Some have showers you book at reception, but then walk into and lock the door behind (eg BA at LHR). Some have showers you need to get a key for which you collect at reception (eg AA). Here you ask at reception and they ring a bathroom attendant to unlock your shower room for you.

Boarding is called and I head down to the gate. Once on the airbridge all (yes, not just random or non-random selection but everybody) passengers continuing on to Los Angeles get pulled for a search of carry-ons. However since they don't check the boarding pass it would be easy to avoid by saying you're only flying to Lima. The search is extremely rudimentary and consisted of opening the main part of my bag, prodding a couple of garments and closing the bag - that is all. I'm not sure what they're trying to achieve, other than perhaps being able to truthfully answer to US bodies that a "search" has been made.

Kiwi Flyer

Santiago to Lima (SCL-LIM) Business Class on LA 767 continued

I'm sitting further back and boarded mid-way through (since I came across from the lounge), thus once again missed out on pre-departure drinks

For this longer overnight flight we actually get an amenity kit and quite a reasonable one it is too. It is very similar to Qantas business class kit - fold out with 3 pockets, secured by elastic. The contents are vanity mirror, some L'Occitane creams, eye mask and socks, pen, tissues, toothbrush and toothpast, comb, ear plugs and shoehorn.

This time the IFE is working but I don't watch any since the movies and shows are of little interest and I am lacking a lot of sleep.

My seat gets stuck with backrest fully upright and legrest partially extended. This makes sleeping difficult as well as eating dinner. The FA tried to no avail and found another seat for me (business class wasn't quite full). The seat I switched to had a sticker on it "do not use". I'm not sure why, as far as I could see the seat worked, wasn't soiled, etc. Perhaps the IFE for that seat wasn't functioning properly?

The new seat was at the rear of the cabin and so again my preferred meal choice had run out by the time they took my order. I politely mentioned I had missed out previously as well and when she went away briefly she mysteriously had found another one (I suspect one of the crew had "reserved" it and proferred it up).

This is a relatively short leg so I didn't get much sleep by the time meal was served.

Since the flight was in darkness there was no view except the lights of Lima just before touchdown. Through passengers were offered the choice of remaining on board or going into the terminal (and could leave carry-ons on board).

Kiwi Flyer

SCL-LIM Business menu

LIST OF WINES, SPIRITS & LIQUEURS

Aperitifs

Champagne Henriot Brut Souverain
Pisco Sour
Bloody Mary
Screwdriver
Cervezas - beers

Spirits & Liqueurs

Vodka Absolut
Gin Bombay Sapphire
Ron Bacardi Reserva
Johnnie Walker Black Label
Whisky Chivas Regal
Bailey's Irish Cream
Amaretto Di Saronno
Drambuie
Grand Marnier
Oporto Graham's Port
Cognac Courvoisier VSOP

Soft Drinks

Fruit Juices
Soft drinks
Diet drinks
Mineral water

Other Beverages

Coffee
Instant coffee
Instant decaffeinated coffee
Tea
Herbal tea
Milk

Champagne

Champagne Henriot Brut Souverain

Port

Graham's Port Late Bottled Vintage 1997

Wines

Vina Valdivieso Eclat 2004 Valle Del Maule
Bodega Vargas Arizu Tierras Altas Malbec 2002 Lujan De Cuyo, Mendoza
Vinedos Organicos Emiliana Adobe Carmenere 2004 Valle De Colchagua
Bodega Catena Zapata Saint Felicien Chardonnay 2005 Mendoza
Vina Carmen Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2005 Valle De Casablanca


DINNER

To Start

Champagne Henriot Brut Souverain

Appetizers

A great flavour
Prosicutto [sic] and fresh Mozzarella served with mixed vegetable salad and olive oil.

Comforting and fresh
Fresh spinach cream topped with pita bread croutons.

Fresh garden salad
Fresh salad, prepared with a variety of selected seasonal vegetables.

As the Main Entree, we Offer

Grilled fillet of beef
Grilled fillet of beef medallion, served in rosemary sauce, accompanied by creamy polenta and steamed asparagus.

Catch of the day
Ask your cabin crew about today's fish, served with creamy dill tomato sauce, potato gratin and sauteed vegetables.

Our pasta
Ham and ricotta cheese tortelloni served with creamy sage sauce and tomato confit.

Cheeses

Assorted cheeses served with dried fruit.

Bread Basket

Make your own selection from our bread basket, white bread, whole wheat bread, home made puff pastry crackers and grissini

Our Dessert

Chocolate marquise with raspberry sauce

Fresh seasonal fruit

Freshly brewed gourmet or instant coffee, decaffeinated coffee, tea or herbal teas

Liqueurs

[Ed - look familiar?]

Kiwi Flyer

LIM-LAX Business menu

LIST OF WINES, SPIRITS & LIQUEURS

Aperitifs

Champagne Henriot Brut Souverain
Pisco Sour
Bloody Mary
Screwdriver
Cervezas - beers

Spirits & Liqueurs

Vodka Absolut
Gin Bombay Sapphire
Ron Bacardi Reserva
Johnnie Walker Black Label
Whisky Chivas Regal
Bailey's Irish Cream
Amaretto Di Saronno
Drambuie
Grand Marnier
Oporto Graham's Port
Cognac Courvoisier VSOP

Soft Drinks

Fruit Juices
Soft drinks
Diet drinks
Mineral water

Other Beverages

Coffee
Instant coffee
Instant decaffeinated coffee
Tea
Herbal tea
Milk

Champagne

Champagne Henriot Brut Souverain

Port

Graham's Port Late Bottled Vintage 1997

Wines

Vina Valdivieso Eclat 2004 Valle Del Maule
Bodega Vargas Arizu Tierras Altas Malbec 2002 Lujan De Cuyo, Mendoza
Vinedos Organicos Emiliana Adobe Carmenere 2004 Valle De Colchagua
Bodega Catena Zapata Saint Felicien Chardonnay 2005 Mendoza
Vina Carmen Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2005 Valle De Casablanca


MIDNIGHT SNACK

Gourmet Sandwich

Peppered ham supreme and Gruyere cheese sandwich served on a croissant roll with fresh butter

From the Bakery

Apple streusel cake

Selection of fresh seasonal fruit

Freshly brewed gourmet or instant coffee, decaffeinated coffee, tea or herbal teas

Liqueurs


BREAKFAST

To Start

Orange juice

Coffee or tea

Our Cold Dishes

Fresh seasonal fruit

Yoghurt

Cereal

Warm Entrees

Cheese omelette served with fresh tomato compote and mushrooms

Virginia ham and Gouda cheese sandwich, served on country bread with fresh butter

From the Bakery

Choose your selection from our variety of bread served with butter and preserves

Kiwi Flyer

Lima to Los Angeles (LIM-SCL) Business Class on LA 767

The transit lasted about an hour. I fell asleep soon after take off, only waking up in time for breakfast about an hour and a half before landing. By this time we along the northern Mexican coast and the sun was just rising. I peeked out the window to see the southeast faces of peaks and ridges glowing in the early light, nicely highlighting all the ripples of the landscape below like rumpled bedclothes.

As we neared Los Angeles we encountered low cloud, obscuring most views until we were on final approach, apart from once that reminded me of the intro to Airplane when I saw another aircraft a few miles away pierce the cloud with its tail for several moments before the rest of the aircraft burst forth from the cloud cover. I can't recall flying over the southern stretches of greater Los Angeles before and so I was taken unawares of the extent of the sprawl.

We had a long taxi to the terminal including a 15 minute stop on the taxiway. I think immigration wasn't ready for us yet as we were the first arrival of the day at TBIT. We get a close gate and so once doors are open it only takes a few moments to reach immigration where there is no queue after than a handful of passengers who deplaned before me. The officer asks why I'm re-entering US after being away so few days, but soon becomes disinterested when I say I'm only in transit.

Since I have a longish layover, had correctly forecast I would need some sleep and freshen up as well as wanting internet access, and no/poor lounge options; I had decided to book a day room at a nearby hotel. I had considered walking to the Hampton Inn LAX, but on seeing how long it took our landing aircraft to travel past the hotel to the terminal I flagged it away and rang the shuttle. It took about 20 minutes for the shuttle to get me, and 10 minutes after that I was checked in, albeit to a rubbish room at that time of day. I think this was a good option this time. I had privacy. Could freshen up, repack my bags etc. Had free internet access on the computer (shared with other guests but not much in use), and free coffee. Plus leave my bags while I go out to do some stuff.

Kiwi Flyer

Summary days 1-19

• map
• 76,269 flown miles
• 30 flights
• 7 a/c types
  • 747-400
  • 767-300
  • 777-200
  • 767-200
  • A319
  • MD-80
  • 757
• 5 airlines
  • SQ
  • QF
  • BA
  • AA
  • LA
• 12 countries
  • New Zealand
  • Singapore
  • Japan
  • Australia
  • United Kingdom
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Oman
  • Spain
  • United States of America
  • Argentina
  • Chile
  • Peru
• 18 airports (number of transfers)
  • 3 SIN, LHR, DFW, LAX
  • 2 AKL, AUH, ORD, BOS, SCL
  • 1 NRT, SYD, MCT, BCN, ELP, SEA, EZE, IPC, LIM

Kiwi Flyer

FWIW some have mentioned getting SSSS treatment on US domestic flights as part of a RTW (or side trips). On this trip I maintained my recent record of avoiding the SSSS, on the other hand SSSS might have been useful in BOS and avoided me losing my small allowable liquids to the heavyhanded agent making up his own rules.

obscure2k

Kiwi Flyer-- You have seriously raised the bar for trip reports. ^ Thanks for such an enlightening, educational and entertaining report. Much appreciate the time and effort. Quite wonderful, indeed.

Kiwi Flyer

Thanks for the thanks. Still a long way to go yet so appreciate the encouragement.

Kiwi Flyer

LAX-AKL Business Class menu

SUPPER

Main Courses

Coriander Herb Crusted Beef Fillet with Pumpkin Puree and Cucumber Salsa

Sea Bass in Spicy Saffron Broth with Peas, Onion and Potato

A large bowl of Pork Wonton and Mushroom Soup

Toasted Chicken Mayonnaise, Cheddar Cheese, Mushroom and Bell Pepper Panini

Green Leaf Salad with Feta

Dessert

Selection of Seasonal Cheese and Dried Fruit

Baked Apple and Caramel Custard Tart with Creme Anglaise

Sliced Fresh Fruit

Chocolates

Valrhona Chocolates


REFRESHMENT

We invite you to enjoy a range of snacks and drinks from our inflight bar at any time throughout your flight. Your Flight Attendant will be pleased to assist you.

Create your own toasted sandwich from the following selection

Panini or Baguette with:

Sliced Roast Beef
Chicken Mayonnaise
Cheddar Cheese
Semi Dried Tomatoes
Marinated Mushrooms
Roasted Bell Pepper
Baby Rocket Leaves
Horseradish Cream

Fresh Whole Fruit

Espresso Cookies

Cheese and Biscuits

Chocolate Bars


BREAKFAST

To assist in maximising your rest, a pre-ordered Breakfast is available. Simply complete the Breakfast order card for collection by your Flight Attendant.

Orange Juice
Apple Juice
Guave Energiser Drink

Toast
Croissant
Raisin and Cinnamon Brioche

Strawberry Jam
Honey
Orange Marmalade
Vegemite

Fruit Salad
with Yoghurt

Granola

Full Cream Milk
Low Fat Milk

Breakfast Sausages with Potato and Sweet Corn Cake and Portobello Mushrooms

Scrambled Eggs on Toast with Bacon and Roast Vine Ripened Tomato

Hot Beverages

Coffee - Piazza d'Oro
Bodum
Decaffeinated

Tea - Dilmah
English Breakfast
Jasmine Green
Chamomile
Peppermint

Milk
Full Cream Milk
Low Fat Milk

Sugar
Sugar
Low Calorie Sweetener

Hot Chocolate

Express Breakfast

Alternatively choose our Express Breakfast of a warmed Raisin and Cinnamon Brioche served with your choice of a hot beverage.


BEVERAGES MENU

Champagne

Qantas is proud to feature Premium Non-Vintage Champagne from the most respected houses in France

Australian Wine

Winner Cellars in the Sky 2005 Best Business Class Cellar

Cellars in the Sky is awarded by Business Traveller and Wine International magazines annually and aims to recognise the quality and innovation of wine available onboard.

Australian wines are renowned around the globe for their intensity of flavour and fine fruit characters. With the first vines planted in Sydney in 1788, vineyards now thrive across our vast country. Differences in climate, topography and soil type provide us with a broad spectrum of wine styles and varietals.

For your enjoyment we have a selection of light and full bodied, premium white and red wines on board today. Your Flight Attendant will advise you on the selection.

Aperitifs

Campari

Spirits

The Glenlivet Malt Whisky
Chivas Regal Scotch Whisky
Wyborowa Classic Vodka
Wild Turkey 86.8 Bourbon
Tanqueray London Dry Gin
Bacardi White Rum
Inner Circle (Green Dot) Dark Rum 57.2%

Beers

Victoria Bitter
Tooheys New
Hahn Premium Light (low alcohol)

Non Alcoholic

Orange Juice
Tomato Juice
Spicy Tomato Juice
Apple Juice
Mineral Water
Soda Water
Tonic Water
Bundaberg Ginger Beer
Ginger Ale
Lemonade
Cola
Diet Cola
Solo - Lemon Squash

Hot Beverages

Grinders Coffee

Bodum
Decaffeinated

Dilmah Tea

English Breakfast
Jasmine Green
Chamomile
Peppermint

Hot Chocolate

Liqueurs

Cointreau
Bailey's Irish Cream

Fortified

Penfolds Bluestone 10yo Tawny
Rutherglen Liqueur Muscat

Cognac

Martell VSOP

Kiwi Flyer

Los Angeles to Auckland (LAX-AKL) Business Class on QF 747

For the second time on this trip it was the first day of a change. You may recall earlier I had the first day of the changes to British Airways' new Club World offering (soft product), and today it was to be the first day of the interim lounges at LAX Tom Bradley terminal (TBIT). Yes, after years of politicking and procrastination the abominations that are the TBIT lounges are being demolished and replaced with new larger and hopefully much nicer (surely they have to be!) alliance lounges. In the interim temporary facilities have been set up. More on this later. I bring this all up now as way of explaining why I left for the airport reasonably late and not wanting to spend an excessive amount of time in the terminal, since I was sure the temporary facilities would not be great.

As I headed to the airport I realised that Qantas is the ninth different major airline (ie not counting subsidiaries like Ted or American Eagle) that I have flown into or out of Los Angeles LAX, with this trip involving four of them. The others being

Air Canada
Air New Zealand
American Airlines (mainline + American Eagle)
British Airways
LAN
Lufthansa
Qantas
Singapore Airlines
United (mainline + Ted)

So I arrive at check in, which I notice has been open for several hours already (since 4pm). In answer to my query, the check in agent confirms that the interim lounge is indeed open now (the date had been delayed a few times previously) and that I won't have access to the first as I normally would due to my status since they are severely space restricted. Oh well.

When I get the boarding pass (only 1 this time!) I notice my pre-selected seat has been changed. This likely means one of three things - either a Chairmans Lounge (Qantas' invitation level status) has gazumped my selection (possible but not too likely since only NZ-based CLs or those needing early meeting in NZ would be on this 2-class flight), or the seat is broken (unlikely), or could it be that the seat doesn't exist on this aircraft (meaning it will be a 3-class aircraft being used on the 2-class route and as top tier I got a great first class seat)? Woohoo it is the later.

So now in a good mood, I head through security and off to the interim lounge. I have written a report on it here. In short as bad as my expectations although the staff seem friendly.

I decided to ditch the lounge early to stretch my legs within the terminal (airside of course so not much else to do). Boarding is delayed as I see the pilots and cabin crew straggle on board, some up to 10 minutes after the scheduled boarding time. Not a good look.

There is a huge queue of business class and elites boarding the left hand side of the gate desk, and before it is even a third of the way through they begin boarding the economy cabin on the right hand side of the gate desk. Since the same airbridge is being used this effectively negates the priority boarding benefit of most premium and elite pax Still the full flight boards reasonably efficiently and we push back only a few minutes late.

I settle into my seat and enjoy a pre-departure drink while checking the IFE changes since last month. I decide on the movie I'll watch over dinner, something reasonably short so I won't be tempted to stay up too long.

Dinner is good and the crew are fantastic. They don't have very many menu cards so instead of handing them out to all the seats, they pass it over while each passenger makes their selection to hand back once done. I politely ask if I can have a menu once they have finished taking all the orders and she says sure, no problem. Once again they run out of my preferred option before getting to my seat (just a few rows in). Not to worry I really don't want to eat anything much.

We get the usual Qantas business amenity kit. Dinner service is quick and I drop off to sleep straight away, waking only a few hours out from Auckland. That was good for I will be going straight into work on arrival and this flight arrives around 6am.

As expected we have a straight in approach over the city and soon pull into the gate. I walk fast down the pier passing many passengers from other flights that had already arrived, and mentally toss a coin passing the upstairs Australia/New Zealand immigration line. It has more people queuing than usual and only a couple of officers so I decide to try the downstairs one. Bzzzzz wrong answer. I should have taken the upstairs one as the queue downstairs is much longer and also only has 2 officers (for Australia/New Zealand). So instead of my usual, through in 10 minutes or less it takes about 30 minutes including the agriculture x-ray. The customs officer was happy with my conservative answers of a couple of questions - this is usually the best policy in my experience. If in doubt declare and show you have nothing to hide, generally makes it go smoother (and can be quicker).

Brrrr Auckland is much colder than when I left a few weeks prior.

Kiwi Flyer

Summary days 1-20

• map
• 82,773 flown miles
• 31 flights
• 7 a/c types
  • 747-400
  • 767-300
  • 777-200
  • 767-200
  • A319
  • MD-80
  • 757
• 5 airlines
  • SQ
  • QF
  • BA
  • AA
  • LA
• 12 countries
  • New Zealand
  • Singapore
  • Japan
  • Australia
  • United Kingdom
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Oman
  • Spain
  • United States of America
  • Argentina
  • Chile
  • Peru
• 18 airports (number of transfers)
  • 3 SIN, LHR, DFW, LAX, AKL
  • 2 AUH, ORD, BOS, SCL
  • 1 NRT, SYD, MCT, BCN, ELP, SEA, EZE, IPC, LIM

virtualtroy

Kiwi, gotta hand it to you, hugely entertaining flight report (from a respectd FTer) full of detail (at least about the flights). Made me smile when reading about your experiences in Argentina and Chile - regular runs for me - and your point about about LA lounge showers is best explained by it following the lead set by IB.

The AA bits also made me smile, and remind me of all the reasons why I both prefer ot to fly AA wherever possible - especially intra US - and to try and route without hitting the US.

Shame not to be able to read that much about what you experienced during your time in South America - not sure if it was first or return visit - so if the former perhaps the culture shock was too much (it certainly was on my first air arrival to Buenos Aires, the least South American city in the continent, and def. confirmed when taking a minibus over the Andes from Mendoza to reach Santiago de Chile). As a vet it all seems pretty normal now

So all things considered, the air / airport bits aside, how did you find the trip? Btw, should've PM'd me about Pascua - know a wicked place to stay there...

Kiwi Flyer

One World Explorer DONE5 RTW Summary

Okay this ends a phase in my travels (there is still plenty more to come, just on other tickets) so seems a good time to summarise my thoughts on how the RTW bit went.

• Firsts
  • new British Airways Club World - good
  • new interim business lounge at LAX TBIT - bad
• Good/lucky
  • No major delays, and even the minor ones happened on flights where I didn't have a tight onward connection
  • BA crew on LHR-LAX
  • QF crew on LAX-AKL (reminded me again how hit and miss it is with Qantas, they have some great ones but some terrible ones in the wrong job)
  • Meeting many FTers, some old friends and new ones
  • Easter Island - bizzare place but great spot for quiet contemplation
  • Buenos Aires - I must go back
  • The UK carry on baggage restrictions easing days before my trip
• Bad/unlucky
  • LAN was a disappointment
  • AA - I had low expectations and apart from some of the lounges and the odd staff member here and there, they were met
  • Sweltering for hours in London
  • Security hassles at London and Boston in particular
• Together with the side trip earned 2750 status credits and about 180,000 points @ well under NZ$5/SC (including all taxes). I could have done better starting somewhere like Colombo (see one world forum for more info) but this would have added costs to get to/from there, not only significant $ or points but also extra time. The earning relative to cost is similar to my star alliance RTWs, and each one has its own advantages and disadvantages. This worked well for the places I wanted to go this time.