LATAM Airlines Delays/Cancellations

[Kiwi_Flyer]

Kiwi_Flyer, for the benefit of prospective and regular travellers on LATAM, would you be kind enough to fill us in a little more as to why?

From disembarking the plane at 2am (no service onboard because lights & power was off for part of the time) it took until at least 7:30am to process everyone at the service desk - so about 5.5 hours to issue everyone with vouchers for food, hotel, transport to & from hotel. Bearing in mind the scheduled departure time of 12:45am this means people were up almost all night waiting around in a long queue that was barely moving. Transport back to airport was before noon, so some people (includes some elderly and young kids) would have been lucky to get more than 3-4 hours sleep, factoring in the travel time to & from the airport, plus time waiting for the bus.

The time spent waiting in line and then at the service desk did not include any rebooking for missed connections. In my case that took a further 6 hours of hassle (and waiting around) with each LA suggestion for rebooking more stupid than the last.

It seemed to me there are several problems:
1) terrible processes - it should not take 5.5 hours to issue vouchers for a plane load of people who have a forced overnight
2) even the supervisor at the service desk is not empowered in respect of rebookings - they would agree with sensible suggestions that had availability (I checked) and what would come back from ticketing was something completely different that was ridiculous (fail the common sense test)
3) inability for lounge staff to help - this meant had to spend many hours queuing and waiting around at the service desk (who took passport and boarding pass meaning you were trapped there)

 

[Melburnian1]

From disembarking the plane at 2am (no service onboard because lights & power was off for part of the time) it took until at least 7:30am to process everyone at the service desk - so about 5.5 hours to issue everyone with vouchers for food, hotel, transport to & from hotel. Bearing in mind the scheduled departure time of 12:45am this means people were up almost all night waiting around in a long queue that was barely moving. ..

I don't like to use tabloid words like 'shocking', but that qualifies.

Maybe the redoubtable Mattg may consider it as an item for the AFF Bulletin.

Just out of interest, which hotel and where?

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

I don't know what hotel(s) were offered at SCL (I guess more than one hotel given the flight was chockers). By the time I reached the desk I decided to stay and sleep in the lounge as being equally as good once factor in the travel and bus wait time.

I didn't end up sleeping in the lounge, because I was also trying to get my missed connection rebooked.

I had a forced overnight at MEL but organised my own hotel because by then I had no confidence LA would take of me adequately.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Wednesday 1 May 2019, LA805 from SCL to MEL (B789 CC-BGI) is arriving at 0724, 114 minutes late. LA804 returning to SCL is not timetabled to depart until 1245, so it should be unaffected.

 

[Melburnian1]

LA800, the 1115 hours SYD - SCL on a very wet Tuesday 4 June 2019 in SYD is expected to depart at 1330 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

LA805 from SCL to MEL should arrive on Saturday 3 August 2019 at 0608 hours, 38 minutes tardy.

 

[Sprucegoose]

General LAN Delays/Cancellations/etc. Discussion

Sunday 10 May 2015's LA800 (which is also QF321) was cancelled between SYD and AKL while the onward leg from AKL that is timetabled at 1445 is not departing until 2130 tonight for SCL. I assume that any passengers ex Australia will have been accommodated on a QF Jetconnect flighht across the Tasman.

Best deal going. Buy the cheap J LAN seat and get bumped to a better product in QF/ANZ was my experience. There are opportunities and the unknown in delays

 

[Silvia]

The usually punctual LA805 SCL-MEL (B788 CC-BBH) had a later departure, making the red-eye airborne at 3 22. It is now suggested to arrive tomorrow Nov 7 at 7 14, 104 min behind.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Thursday 16 January 2020, LA803 (B789 CC-BGK) is arriving in SYD at a projected 1950 hours, 815 minutes later than its timetabled 0615 hours. Passengers would be rather tired. The SYD - SCL return working, LA802 is estimated to depart at 2140 hours tonight rather than its scheduled morning 1000 hours. The inbound having to endure a holding pattern due to the Sydney storms as at 1921 AEDT is a further negative against good timekeeping.

 

[Melburnian1]

LA802, the fairly recently introduced nonstop from SYD to SCL due out at 1000 hours on Monday 16 March should be 420 minutes late in pushing back at 1700 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

LA1164, the Friday 26 June morning SYD - SCL coronaviruis pandemic flight of this bankrupt South American airline took off at 1215 hours.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Monday 29 June 2020, LA1174, the scheduled 0900 hours to SYD and then on to SCL (B789 CC-BGD) pushed back at 1216 hours, 196 minutes late, and then promptly took off at 1230 hours. SYD arrival was at 1339. IT was timetabled to depart SYD at 1335 hours so is likely to be more than 90 minutes late, perhaps delayed further by rigorous cleaning during the pandemic.

 

[Melburnian1]

On Wednesday 28 April 2021, LA1242 (1215 hours lunchtime SYD - AKL) was cancelled. Competitor QFi cancelled two flights on this route today, as well.

 

[Melburnian1]

A year later from the last post, on Friday 29 April 2022, LA800, the recently resumed SYD - AKL - SCL (B789 CC-BGH) as the 1135 hours ex SYD was airborne at 1407 with AKL arrival at 1851 hours, 131 minutes tardy. Predicted second sector SCL at gate arrival has become 1551 hours, an identical number of minutes late.

 

[Melburnian1]

B789 CC-BCG arrived in SYD as LA801 at 1037, 67 minutes late, but teh return flight to AKL and SCL (the 1135 hours LA800) was not estimated to depart until 1300 hours. It is pushing back later than that.

 

[Melburnian1]

LA801 from AKL to SYD (B789 CC-BCG, again!) took off from AKL at 1201 hours on Wednesday 6 July, arriving SYD at 1327 hours, 232 minutes late Pushback for the returning LA800 to AKL/SCL is estimated as 1535 hours mid afternoon, a similar 240 late.

UPDATE: Takeoff was at 1635 hours, so much later than suggested.

 

[Melburnian1]

B789 CC-BGC on LA801, the SCL - AKL - SYD arrived AKL at 0753 hours (0553 AEST) on Friday 15 July. It was timetabled to depart AKL at 0740 hours local time but is an expected two (+) hours late, delaying the returning flight ex SYD LA 800 from 1135 hours as pushback to at least 1345 this afternoon.

 

[Melburnian1]

B789 CC-BGB on the Sunday 31 July SCL-AKL LA801 was airborne at 0110 hours, only 10 minutes late from scheduled pushback of 0040, but Monday 1 August AKL arrival was at 0546 hours, 31 minutes late. However it wasn't then airborne until 0939 hours, so SYD arrival is estimated as 1047 hours, 72 late, delaying the returning LA800.

 

[Melburnian1]

LA has had quite a deal of late running in the past week.

On Sunday 7 August, B789 CC-BGI on the 0040 hours SCL-AKL took off at 0140 hours, arriving at 0657, 102 minutes late so I assume adverse winds. SYD arrival may be at around 0930, meaning LA801 back to AKL and SCL will be delayed.

 

[Melburnian1]

The 1135 hours Wednesday 10 August LA800 from SYD up to AKL and then to SCL is again badly late with pushback predicted for 1455 hours. B789 CC-BGF took off from SCL at 0243 hours on Tuesday 9, arriving AKL at 0721, 126 minutes late, but departure for SYD of this LA801 isn't predicted until 1100.

Yesterday the inbound arrived SYD at 1048 hours, 73 minutes late after taking off from AKL at 0948, so perhaps today the flight will be at its SYD gate by around 1200 'high noon'.