Dieuwer

As part of my trip to Santiago, Iguazu Falls, and Buenos Aires, I redeemed 12,500 Skymiles (DL) to fly one-way SCL-AEP-IGR with Aerolineas Argentinas (AR). I read on FT that "one should avoid AR as much as possible if another airline is available", but still decided to give it a go as there were no award seats available on the competition (LAN) and one-way revenue tickets were outrageously expensive.


Map courtesy of Great Circle Mapper

The evening before, I tried checking-in online for my flight but got the message that "this flight cannot be checked-in online". Whatever.
Maybe it has something to do with it being an award? Booked through Delta? Anyhow, I wasn't worried about it. Showed up at the airport 2 hours in advance and manual check-in was a breeze. Departure was from gate 10. Or so the plan was, because personnel from a delayed TAM flight were still trying to help their passengers and therefore the gate was not available. Looking through the windows, a thick fog had engulfed the airport and visibility was not more than three walkway lengths. But no worries, my flight would depart at 8 AM. Enough time for the fog to clear, right?

At departure time, the AR flight wasn't there and the info monitors at the airport didn't mention anything. I talked to a AR FA also waiting in the gate area and she didn't know anything either.
Fine. We waited 30 mins, 60 mins, 90 mins, and finally after 120 mins the announcement came that NOW the flight would depart from gate 13B. In 30 mins. Mad dash to gate 13B where indeed the flight started boarding...via a crappy bus! By then, I was already biting my nails as my connection in AEP was 2:30 hours. FINALLY, the bus was full and we circled the entire airport (of course...) to the tiny plane (ERJ) standing in the middle of nowhere. We quickly boarded the plane, were seated, and off we went.

Dieuwer

The flight from SCL to AEP was actually pretty nice. I got a row of seats for myself, sitting next to the window in 6A. Each seat had a little IFE screen in front of it with a decent selection of entertainment, consisting of documentaries, TV shows and games. Most in Spanish. I didn't see anything I liked, so just played some games on my iPad.







An hour after take off, we were served juices, tea or coffee and a small, colorful lunchbox.



Where do you get that on an american airline?

The lunchbox contained two cakes and something that resembled a granolabar.



I think that nuts were served too, but can't remember if those were in the lunchbox, or served from the cart.
Anyhow... after an uneventfull 90 mins, we approached Buenos Aires and were ready to land at AEP, 45 minutes until my next flight to Iguazu.

Dieuwer

When we finally landed at AEP, I had hoped we would connect to one of those new, gleaming jet bridges with "Aerolineas Argentinas" on it. Alas, we parked on the perimeter of the tarmac and waited for a bus. When the bus finally showed up, I had 35 minutes left to departure of my connection.

The bus left when it was only 70% full and it was a very short ride to immigration. I was one of the first off the bus, paced to immigration and was in Argentina 5 minutes later.
It now was 30 minutes until departure.

I ran like a mad man through the shops, through the entire corridor until the far end of the terminal where my plane to IGR would depart. When I got to the gate, I was surprised boarding had not yet commenced. I asked the gate agent about it and she said that the plane was still being cleaned. Five minutes later boarding actually started. I guess I could have just walked to the gate instead of running...

The flight itself was decent, although a little bit shabbier on the inside. Got the same lunchbox as the flight from SCL and once again was seated in a window seat. It was a marvelous view on approach to Iguazu. You could see the falls from the plane as a silver ribbon among the green of the lush forest. On landing at IGR, passengers started clapping until we finished rolling out. Must have been ages since I heard clapping hands on an airplane...
This time, we disembarked via a jet bridge into the tiny airport of Iguazu. VERY tiny actually as the baggage claim area was so small, it hardly had space for all passengers of the just arrived plane. It was like a mad dash pushing and pulling, getting to the baggage conveyor belt to grab your bag. Fortunately, my bag showed up early and off I went to Sheraton Iguazu.

Bretteee

12,500 miles is a good deal.

I noticed that DELTA have improved their frequent flyer program; more reasonable mileage requirements as it was a disaster.

LAN is a problem to get award tickets from New York to South America.

I flew Aerolineas Argentinas in 1978 from BA to Iguazu on a 737 and I recall it was OK.

I was not so impressed by Iguazu. I think they upgraded the viewing areas etc and there is more to do now.

Did you like it?

I thought the views from Santiago to BA were supposed to be nice? The Andes?

I always give myself 2 to 3 hours to connect. You were lucky.

Dieuwer

I did like spending time at the falls in Iguazu. The Sheraton is a good location for that.
The views from Santiago to BA are indeed very nice. Although flying above the clouds you don't see much most of the time.

Circumknowitall

The approach to AEP can be amazing, really brings home the size of Buenos Aires.

Marambio

Nice report.

Lucky that you got the southern approach to AEP - the views of Buenos Aires are quite breathtaking. Approaching from the north is not so spectacular.

AEP is a nice little airport for connections. Immigration takes no time and since it's quite tiny there's no need to rush.

Was the delay at SCL weather-related or incoming plane was late?

Dieuwer

SCL was shrouded in a thick blanket of fog on the morning of my departure. I estimate visbility was no more than a few hundred feet.

grandgourmand

That's a good deal. I noticed on Delta.com the availability is pretty good for that flight. Can be a good option to get to MDZ too.

Dieuwer

It is a good deal, better than using e.g. Avios to book LAN IMO (if LAN is actually available).