New Years in Buenos Aires and Mendoza via American Airlines 772 Flagship First Class
Apr 19, 2014, 11:51 pm
#166
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,638
LAN doesn't permit the crew to get up for very much as planes cross the Cordillera. For example, on an SCL/EZE flight, the crew doesn't even get up until one has crossed well into Argentina, and after take off, there's a steep ascent to get to altitude (typically flying southbound) prior to turning east. The flight is barely over 100 NM. LAN offers a simple snack and limited beverage service on, i.e., SCL/LSC, where one doesn't cross the mountains.
Apr 20, 2014, 7:43 am
#167
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,602
Thanks for another good report, SFO777 - only just catching up with this one.
The DEN Admirals Club looks like a typical North American business class lounge – nothing special, but comfortable enough. There are far worse third party lounges out there. Paying for food and drinks is just awful though!
The snack mix on the DEN-DFW flight really is pitiful for what is essentially a business class offering.
The Amex lounge looks quite good at DFW – certainly better than an average Admirals Club, IMO.
AA’s F cabin on their 772s is starting to look dated now. The menu seems quite limited, particularly the lack of any proper desserts (just ice cream). QF have breakfast cards in International Business, which do work very well (albeit with a much greater selection than AA). However, I really don’t think it’s necessary in First.
I’m quite impressed with the presentation of the meal services – certainly much better than I’ve seen before on AA. It does seem more J than F, however.
Your hotel in EZE looks nice in an old-world way. The cemetery you visited is a little creepy! Loved the bookstore in the theatre. You have some great street photography shots throughout EZE, which looks like an architecturally interesting city.
Seems like AR are one to miss!
I agree the Park Hyatt in Mendoza doesn’t look up to the usual standard. It’s disappointing when chain hotels fail to match up to the brand – the Shangri-La in Cairns was one of those. It was so disappointing we left early and they refunded our entire stay! It was good luck that you were able to move to the wine lodge.
Some of those tasting menus in the wine region seem good value for money – 400ARS which is circa £30!
Very poor that LAN don’t offer even a drink on a 40 minute flight! BA manage snacks and a full bar service on a comparable domestic flight (eg. LHR-MAN).
Santiago looks like a nice city, as does the Sheraton property you stayed in, although the room wasn’t to my taste décor wise.
Neither the DL Sky Club nor the AA Admirals Club looks very good at Santiago.
DL’s BusinessElite catering looks surprisingly good! On a par with AA F by the looks of it. The seat does look narrow, but at least it’s a flat bed, which you can’t be guaranteed of on many airlines eg. LH. Probably slightly unfair to compare it with F - as a business class product it looks pretty OK to me (although admittedly I haven't flown DL).
Must catch up with your other couple of latest reports now!
The DEN Admirals Club looks like a typical North American business class lounge – nothing special, but comfortable enough. There are far worse third party lounges out there. Paying for food and drinks is just awful though!
The snack mix on the DEN-DFW flight really is pitiful for what is essentially a business class offering.
The Amex lounge looks quite good at DFW – certainly better than an average Admirals Club, IMO.
AA’s F cabin on their 772s is starting to look dated now. The menu seems quite limited, particularly the lack of any proper desserts (just ice cream). QF have breakfast cards in International Business, which do work very well (albeit with a much greater selection than AA). However, I really don’t think it’s necessary in First.
I’m quite impressed with the presentation of the meal services – certainly much better than I’ve seen before on AA. It does seem more J than F, however.
Your hotel in EZE looks nice in an old-world way. The cemetery you visited is a little creepy! Loved the bookstore in the theatre. You have some great street photography shots throughout EZE, which looks like an architecturally interesting city.
Seems like AR are one to miss!
I agree the Park Hyatt in Mendoza doesn’t look up to the usual standard. It’s disappointing when chain hotels fail to match up to the brand – the Shangri-La in Cairns was one of those. It was so disappointing we left early and they refunded our entire stay! It was good luck that you were able to move to the wine lodge.
Some of those tasting menus in the wine region seem good value for money – 400ARS which is circa £30!
Very poor that LAN don’t offer even a drink on a 40 minute flight! BA manage snacks and a full bar service on a comparable domestic flight (eg. LHR-MAN).
Santiago looks like a nice city, as does the Sheraton property you stayed in, although the room wasn’t to my taste décor wise.
Neither the DL Sky Club nor the AA Admirals Club looks very good at Santiago.
DL’s BusinessElite catering looks surprisingly good! On a par with AA F by the looks of it. The seat does look narrow, but at least it’s a flat bed, which you can’t be guaranteed of on many airlines eg. LH. Probably slightly unfair to compare it with F - as a business class product it looks pretty OK to me (although admittedly I haven't flown DL).
Must catch up with your other couple of latest reports now!
The Admirals Club in SCL was actually pretty nice, much better than the woeful Delta Sky Club. DL BusinessElite food was indeed very good. Tough to take the hard product when most of our long-haul travel has been in F.
Interestingly, AA has now upgraded DEN-DFW (and LAX-DEN) to full meal fight status. From this past week on DEN-DFW on a 1:25P departure.
LAN doesn't permit the crew to get up for very much as planes cross the Cordillera. For example, on an SCL/EZE flight, the crew doesn't even get up until one has crossed well into Argentina, and after take off, there's a steep ascent to get to altitude (typically flying southbound) prior to turning east. The flight is barely over 100 NM. LAN offers a simple snack and limited beverage service on, i.e., SCL/LSC, where one doesn't cross the mountains.
Apr 20, 2014, 9:40 am
#168
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 797
Thank you for a wonderful TR. Good to know you generally had a good time in my home town (Buenos Aires). Any plans to go back to Argentina and visit other parts of the country?
I noticed you did not offer an opinion about the wines you sampled in Mendoza. Were you impressed by any of them?
I noticed you did not offer an opinion about the wines you sampled in Mendoza. Were you impressed by any of them?