The Comprehensive Chile - Part I
Jan 2, 2003 | 9:13 pm
#1
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Join Date: Jul 1999
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The Comprehensive Chile - Part I
The Comprehensive Chile 2002
Part I
This is a lengthy multipart trip report, which I know many of you have requested, at least in part. As much of Chile seems to be fairly unknown as far as Flyertalk goes, I thought this would be a good comprehensive look, at least with respect to my most recent (3d) trip there it will cover air, hotel, car rentals, driving conditions, language issues, and so on. When prices quoted in Chilean pesos, the rate was approx. US$1 = CH$700
The trip, in general, consisted of 2 Alaska Airlines partner awards (on LanChile (LA)) SFO/LAX/SCL/PMC/SCL/LAX/SFO (100,000 miles F), and SCL/IQQ/LSC/SCL (25,000 miles Y).
18 Dec Four Points SFO. Received a decent (by calling the hotel directly) rate for hotel and 14 days parking. Hotel decent as usual. Upgraded to suite.
19 Dec SFO/LAX AS 244F. An uneventful flight. Boardroom visit was fine. As I had almost 3 hours in LAX, I wanted to short-check the bag to LAX and walk it over to the Intl Terminal, where I would make sure it would make it to the LA counter and get the priority tag. Oops, this makes you a security risk and requires secondary screening. So, I had the agent reverse it all and just have her check it directly through to SCL.
19 Dec LAX. Its a short walk from AS to the Bradley Crap-o-terminal for LA 601F LAX/SCL (1 stop LIM). I know LA is strict on carryon, even somewhat in Intl F, so I bought a smaller bag at Costco which has an odd shape. More to follow on this, but I did get the coveted equipaje a mano tag from the agent even though it was over weight.
The security line at LAX was an absolute joke. The entire terminal had 2 screening stations open, one for crew and everyone late for a flight, the other for everyone else. After hour in that line, two more x-ray machines were opened.
Finally made it to the shared lounge (BA/QF/LA). Adequate but not special. If this is where the BA F Pax sit at LAX, they must be disappointed.
Boarding was MUCH IMPROVED from one year earlier. Although LA rarely gets a real gate, at least this year the lounge pax were put on a small van directly to the plane.
The plane was a 763, which is much less comfortable than the A340s on this route. Pre-departure drinks were offered, but they do not have any liquor permit for on-ground US service. No big deal. Although the routing is LAX/LIM/SCL, it is treated as one long Intl flight, servicewise, with one menu. Dinner after takeoff, snack prior to LIM arrival, and breakfast prior to SCL arrival. There is one row of 5 seats. There were 2 passengers. The other one slept most of the time.
Menu (not detailed)
_______________________________________
Dinner
Appetizer cart Caviar service & Sushi selection. I had both, with the Tattinger Comtes de Champagne, which was not quite chilled enough, but was fine. There is a separate elaborate wine menu you cant take with you which consisted of, I seem to recall, 7 red and 2 white wines.
First Course Choice of Salad, Smoked Salmon Plate, or Cold Cuts. I had the salmon, which was delicious and generous in size, with the Anakena Vigonier, which was superb.
Soup Course I skipped. Carrot cream with ginger and coriander.
Main Course Filet of Beef, Coq a Vin, Balsamic Tuna Fish, or Ricotta Rolls. I had the tuna, which was a bit overdone, with a light red wine of some sort, which was adequate.
You also receive your own bread basket with an assortment of rolls.
Cheese and Fruit Course I skipped. Pre-plated.
Dessert Caramel Flan or Godiva Chocolate Ice Cream. I had the ice cream much later. The menu also says that there are chocolates. None were offered and I didnt ask, but Im sure they had some onboard.
Dinner service was friendly and efficient, and when it became a bit rapid (as I was the only one eating, with 2 flight attendants to myself), I asked them to slow it down.
Snack
Foie Gras with toast.
Choice of Fresh Salad, Baked Snapper, or Filet Medallion. I had the dead cow. It was ok. Another bread basket served, and then more cheese and fruit, and then tiramisu. I think I may have had some fruit, and that was it.
Breakfast
I didnt eat. There were choices of Omelette, Banana Hot Cakes, or a Ham and Cheese on Croissant.
Other inflight service notes. This aircraft didnt have the audio/video on demand system. When it isnt mealtime, there is no attentiveness, but upon any request, they will drop everything immediately. I think if I had simply requested to always have a glass full of water, it would have happened.
Arrival in SCL (20 Dec 600a) Immigration, baggage, customs, all quick and efficient. I fortunately paid only $61 last year for the reciprocity fee and am on my 3d visit with 8 more years on the passport. I made a deal with a cab driver in the terminal, and he also tried to help me find a cellphone rental place, but nothing was yet open at that hour.
Sheraton Santiago Room was ready early, per my request, and received platinum upgrade to a nice little suite.
Prior to my trip, I learned that one of my favorite bands, LUCYBELL, was playing in Santiago that night (the 20th). I didnt use the Platinum Concierge, but rather faxed the hotel concierge and arrangements were made. I was one of the oldest people in the crowd, which didnt bother me a bit. I was in Santiago, seeing LUCYBELL, en vivo. As it was their first concert back in Chile after a lengthy tour, the crowd was overly enthusiastic!
As this was my 3d time in Santiago, I wasnt overly concerned about doing much, except the concert, and relaxing by the pool, etc. My second night there when I was actually downtown, I decided that I wanted to be there longer, but it wasnt to be, as I had a 715am flight.
Continued in Part II
Part I
This is a lengthy multipart trip report, which I know many of you have requested, at least in part. As much of Chile seems to be fairly unknown as far as Flyertalk goes, I thought this would be a good comprehensive look, at least with respect to my most recent (3d) trip there it will cover air, hotel, car rentals, driving conditions, language issues, and so on. When prices quoted in Chilean pesos, the rate was approx. US$1 = CH$700
The trip, in general, consisted of 2 Alaska Airlines partner awards (on LanChile (LA)) SFO/LAX/SCL/PMC/SCL/LAX/SFO (100,000 miles F), and SCL/IQQ/LSC/SCL (25,000 miles Y).
18 Dec Four Points SFO. Received a decent (by calling the hotel directly) rate for hotel and 14 days parking. Hotel decent as usual. Upgraded to suite.
19 Dec SFO/LAX AS 244F. An uneventful flight. Boardroom visit was fine. As I had almost 3 hours in LAX, I wanted to short-check the bag to LAX and walk it over to the Intl Terminal, where I would make sure it would make it to the LA counter and get the priority tag. Oops, this makes you a security risk and requires secondary screening. So, I had the agent reverse it all and just have her check it directly through to SCL.
19 Dec LAX. Its a short walk from AS to the Bradley Crap-o-terminal for LA 601F LAX/SCL (1 stop LIM). I know LA is strict on carryon, even somewhat in Intl F, so I bought a smaller bag at Costco which has an odd shape. More to follow on this, but I did get the coveted equipaje a mano tag from the agent even though it was over weight.
The security line at LAX was an absolute joke. The entire terminal had 2 screening stations open, one for crew and everyone late for a flight, the other for everyone else. After hour in that line, two more x-ray machines were opened.
Finally made it to the shared lounge (BA/QF/LA). Adequate but not special. If this is where the BA F Pax sit at LAX, they must be disappointed.
Boarding was MUCH IMPROVED from one year earlier. Although LA rarely gets a real gate, at least this year the lounge pax were put on a small van directly to the plane.
The plane was a 763, which is much less comfortable than the A340s on this route. Pre-departure drinks were offered, but they do not have any liquor permit for on-ground US service. No big deal. Although the routing is LAX/LIM/SCL, it is treated as one long Intl flight, servicewise, with one menu. Dinner after takeoff, snack prior to LIM arrival, and breakfast prior to SCL arrival. There is one row of 5 seats. There were 2 passengers. The other one slept most of the time.
Menu (not detailed)
_______________________________________
Dinner
Appetizer cart Caviar service & Sushi selection. I had both, with the Tattinger Comtes de Champagne, which was not quite chilled enough, but was fine. There is a separate elaborate wine menu you cant take with you which consisted of, I seem to recall, 7 red and 2 white wines.
First Course Choice of Salad, Smoked Salmon Plate, or Cold Cuts. I had the salmon, which was delicious and generous in size, with the Anakena Vigonier, which was superb.
Soup Course I skipped. Carrot cream with ginger and coriander.
Main Course Filet of Beef, Coq a Vin, Balsamic Tuna Fish, or Ricotta Rolls. I had the tuna, which was a bit overdone, with a light red wine of some sort, which was adequate.
You also receive your own bread basket with an assortment of rolls.
Cheese and Fruit Course I skipped. Pre-plated.
Dessert Caramel Flan or Godiva Chocolate Ice Cream. I had the ice cream much later. The menu also says that there are chocolates. None were offered and I didnt ask, but Im sure they had some onboard.
Dinner service was friendly and efficient, and when it became a bit rapid (as I was the only one eating, with 2 flight attendants to myself), I asked them to slow it down.
Snack
Foie Gras with toast.
Choice of Fresh Salad, Baked Snapper, or Filet Medallion. I had the dead cow. It was ok. Another bread basket served, and then more cheese and fruit, and then tiramisu. I think I may have had some fruit, and that was it.
Breakfast
I didnt eat. There were choices of Omelette, Banana Hot Cakes, or a Ham and Cheese on Croissant.
Other inflight service notes. This aircraft didnt have the audio/video on demand system. When it isnt mealtime, there is no attentiveness, but upon any request, they will drop everything immediately. I think if I had simply requested to always have a glass full of water, it would have happened.
Arrival in SCL (20 Dec 600a) Immigration, baggage, customs, all quick and efficient. I fortunately paid only $61 last year for the reciprocity fee and am on my 3d visit with 8 more years on the passport. I made a deal with a cab driver in the terminal, and he also tried to help me find a cellphone rental place, but nothing was yet open at that hour.
Sheraton Santiago Room was ready early, per my request, and received platinum upgrade to a nice little suite.
Prior to my trip, I learned that one of my favorite bands, LUCYBELL, was playing in Santiago that night (the 20th). I didnt use the Platinum Concierge, but rather faxed the hotel concierge and arrangements were made. I was one of the oldest people in the crowd, which didnt bother me a bit. I was in Santiago, seeing LUCYBELL, en vivo. As it was their first concert back in Chile after a lengthy tour, the crowd was overly enthusiastic!
As this was my 3d time in Santiago, I wasnt overly concerned about doing much, except the concert, and relaxing by the pool, etc. My second night there when I was actually downtown, I decided that I wanted to be there longer, but it wasnt to be, as I had a 715am flight.
Continued in Part II
