LAN - how good is it, the need for SC's and other stuff.

[dragonman]

A mini TR with some other observations, ramblings but no pix.

It became obvious to me a couple of months ago that I would fall about 200 points short of requalifying for WP. Then a trip to Perth for work (going SYD-CBR-MEL-PER) helped reduce the target. But I worry about being comped to WP again and I do enjoy the perks.

Being a keen tournament poker player I noticed that Auckland Casino has a friday night and then a saturday event. Kept reading about LAN and the one way fares AKL-SYD in J and the thought process moved up a notch. It was only after a cheap QF SYD-AKL fare was booked that the prices dropped on LAN for that leg too. Time to book a hotel - I like Hyatts and had just qualified for Plat with them. Search on the internet and the Hyatt in Auckland has rooms for $112NZ a night.

3 problems arise. The hotel has very mixed and many poor reviews - the consensus is that if you get a refurbished room its ok. The next problem is LAN at $300 in J its cheap to get home and again the reviews are mixed at best. Talk of a sandwich being thrown at you in J and poor seats/service abounds. Then there is the OMG time of departure 5:45 am. But then 80 SC's for $300 and 100 for $500 if you include the SYD-AKL red e-deal and the deal is done.

QF 43 SYDNEY - AUCKLAND (Economy)
Friday September 4 (11:15 am)
Operated by JetConnect for Qantas

Train to the airport arrives at 8:45. Check in very smooth at the F counter and get express departure card - given an inbound one but only when I ask. Off to the F lounge for breakfast (scrambled eggs with smoked tuna and potato cake). Discover that my macbook and ipod are no longer talking to each other. Ahh well I might just have to start reading the Sookie Stackhouse novels.

On boarding notice that there are only 6 J seats (so that op-up was never gonna happen). The flight seems to be 90% full but fortunately the seat next to me is vacant. In every flight I have been on recently this has been the case. I suspect that seats next to WP's are often blocked - or at least assigned last. I stay awake for lunch (its a choice of pumpkin gnocci or soy braised chicken) and the chicken is passable and I manage to snooze most of the rest of the way. Arriving at 4:00 I am a little short of time to make the tournament on time. Clear customs very quickly and street-side in no time at all.

Now I did a lot of research and asked on the NZ forum on FT for advice on getting to the CBD efficiently. The word from KiwiBigDave over there was a mob called President Limousines and Taxis. A fixed price of $60 and the driver Shah was waiting with a board and my name on it and off we go. Despite roadworks and Friday peak hour it all goes really well and check-in is in plenty of time to get to the airport.

At the hotel I get "congratulations Mr Dragonman on your Platinum status we have upgraded you to a new suite". The other advantage of Plat is free internet. Great room(s) lovely views and off to the casino we go.

One thing I notice on the 15 minute walk is the number of US chains the Kiwis have that we don't (Dunkin Donuts, Wendy's hamburgers and Denny's) spring into view. The perennial search for good US hashbrowns is solved at Denny's for brekkie he next morning.

The poker? well for those who know or care my AK ran into AA earlyish on Friday and then I finished just out of the money on Saturday.

So saturday night I decide to just stay awake until 4 am when Shah returns to deliver me to AKL. Check in is fine at LAN - nobody in the J line and through customs/security in 10 mins.

I had done the homework was pleasantly surprised that the QP opens at 4:30 am and that there is still even an F section. The self-serve bar was open and there was the usual brekkie stuff plus sausages and little quiches that were quite good. The flight was on time and I was ready to endure the flight home.

LA 81 AUCKLAND - SYDNEY (Business)
Sunday September 6 (5:45 am)
Lan Airlines A340

Well this was a huge surprise. Massive leg room pre-flight drinks (OJ water and champers), a lie-flat seat. This is proper J after all.

Menus are handed out and I chose a very passable omelette with fresh fruit. They call it the express breakfast. For the life of me i cannot remember the other choices. I did notice the wine list was pretty much all South American wines.

The AVOD worked and had a pretty good selection. It was turned on the instant the seatbelt sign went off. Tried to watch the movie with Russell crowe and Helen Mirren but sleep got the better of me and I slept pretty much all the way home. The J cabin was maybe half full.

Using the express card was on the street (and the 400 bus) within 30 minutes of touch down.

Would use LAN again in a heartbeat - great service and for $291 one way in J. The points and SC's might take a while to credit but the FF number was on the boarding pass so its prob all good.

So now I am going to fall about 40 points short but I have until NOV 30 to requalify - surely, maybe they will comp me the difference. Or maybe its a saturday in *class to MEL - time will tell.

Oh and one other thing I should share.I have a OW award ticket Dec-Jan and am booking hotel rooms in Vegas - never seen anything like it. Paris casino for $60 a night on Expedia in mid january.

 

[Bundy Bear]

A mini TR with some other observations, ramblings but no pix.


So now I am going to fall about 40 points short but I have until NOV 31 to requalify - surely, maybe they will comp me the difference. Or maybe its a saturday in *class to MEL - time will tell.

Which calendar are you reading, 30 days have ...... you know the rest. :idea:

Thanks for the quick trip report.

 

[dragonman]

Which calendar are you reading, 30 days have ...... you know the rest. :idea:

Thanks for the quick trip report.

woops gotta fix that!

 

[Alanslegal]

Oh and one other thing I should share.I have a OW award ticket Dec-Jan and am booking hotel rooms in Vegas - never seen anything like it. Paris casino for $60 a night on Expedia in mid january.

That's a great rate, I stayed there a couple of years back (was ~us$250 per night) and laying by the pool with the replica Eiffel Tower towering right above me ... very surreal!

 

[docjames]

Nice TR, good read.


LAN SCs should post in well under a week.
LAN are highly underrated by many people,t ehir product has really lifted. To me the only major drawback of flying LAN from AKL-SYD is the OMG o'clock departure.:shock:

 

[Dave Noble]

LAN are highly underrated by many people,t ehir product has really lifted. To me the only major drawback of flying LAN from AKL-SYD is the OMG o'clock departure.:shock:

Personally I found them very overrated when I used them. Their seating was pretty decent but the meal service on SYD-AKL was v poor imo which is why I switched my return flight to EK on that trip and have not used LA since.

Pricewise they can be v good compared to economy pricing on QF and at they were good for the price, but as a business product it wasn't v good overall imo

Dave

 

[docjames]

I was not referring specifically to J, but LAN overall. I've posted in the past thier food on all their Sth American routes is very good (short haul) and was fine long haul ex-SCL, so not sure why their meals are so bad ex-AKL (cheap supplier i'm guessing!)



FWIW the J seating is a hell of a lot better than what QF provide on the route. As is EK's and just aboput everybody's!

Each to their own.

 

[Dave Noble]

FWIW the J seating is a hell of a lot better than what QF provide on the route. As is EK's and just aboput everybody's!

Each to their own.

Indeed; it is only on a price basis that I would consider LA since they do have cheap fares. LA's business fares starting at around the same cost of a QF K makes then a good option to consider on price for SYD-AKL

Comparing business classes, I find that the service on QF is a lot better than on LA , but the seating is definitely better on LA. With all else being equal, I prefer QF J overall to LA . For good seating and good service I have found EK to be a good airline. I have not tried AR yet , so be interesting to see what their Trans Tasman offering is like

Dave

 

[docjames]

I wouldnt be flying AR anywhere. The litany of complaints mostly centered around appalling service (in Y, let alone J), and cancelled / delayed flights.

If you dont like the service in LA J, you wont like AR!

(Note: not speaking from experience see sentence #1)

 

[BAM1748]

Have flown LAN (that's Chile as opposed to Peru) in the Americas a few times. Generally in first and nearly always the only person in that cabin of aircraft, I've been pleasently surprised and impressed with the service.

The planes seemed new Boeing products, but the LAN Peru part of the business seemed to have decidedly older aircraft, but I'm no anorak wearing plane spotter like some of you guys. (no disrespect intended)

 

[docjames]

Their larger a/c (763s and 343s) are all being refitted with new hard product (seats / IFE) that is excellent although not quite with then range of QF but about the same as BA. Their Economy seats are fine for Y, the new J i think are what i call "sky slopes" (172degrees iirc). The full fleet of 763 and 343s are due to be fitted (i believe they're close to done).

The domestic fleet is becoming all Y A320s (there were some with a J/F cabin). Again, comparable in fitout to domestic 738s on QF (overhead IFE not individual).

The 763ERs and A343s are all Lan (chile) whilst the A320s are mixed between nominally Lan Chile, Peru and Equador. It's all essentially the same company, but with the different countries repesenting nominally where the fleets are registered, I presume to get around certain governments requiring a degree of "localness" (sic) to give the flight rights.

The 763s and A343s do main routes like SCL-EZE and SCL-LIM and the long haul to madrid/JFK/AKL. eg. last year we flew (in Y) on a 763 from SCL to EZE but on the 343 from EZE to SCL. Note the 763 we flew at that stage had the new product compared to the A343 and it is noticiably better although seating wise the legroom is similar.

 

[drron]

Last year we did PPT-IPC-SCL-LIM in J on their 763s and certainly enjoyed it.The seat was great.The service was acceptable(no worse than QF),loved the Chilean wines and the food was also acceptable.I would have no problems flying their J again.