Lantastic! NZ-Aus -great way to travel!

Saturday, November 20, 2010 Unknown
My flight with my 70th airline (LAN Chile) almost came to blows in the Check In line - before it had started.

I get to stand in the priority check in queue because  of the curse/benefit of having flown too much!!. When I arrived at Auckland, New Zealand airport for my 430am Check in for  Sydney, I went straight to the Priority Line. As I stood there,   I observed the man in the regular line was eyeing me carefully. When the check in clerk gestured to me to move forward, he was off! He roared across with his luggage trolley, narrowly scraping in front of me. The check in  clerk gestured him to stop and waved me forward again. He kept zooming up to the counter glowering at me the whole way and demanding attention from the check in staff. Suffice to say, the clerk refused to serve him. He looked ready to punch me out as he slunk back to his place in the line.   I could feel his eyes burning holes in my back as i checked in!

Air New Zealand handled the check in on behalf of LAN. I appreciated their initiative in getting me an exit row seats. What was even nicer was that they seated me alone! (after defending my place in then line!)

The LAN plane was an A340 which I love. Its a great plane. Almost as nice as the A380 but its engines don't seem to blow up. It feels roomy (especially in 25A exit row!). 

Being an airline from a Spanish speaking country, the crew were bilingual. They greeted each passenger in Spanish and/or English. I decided I would go Spanish! Every member of the crew from front door to my seat welcomed me!

Safety briefings included the crew standing silently while a cute cartoon briefing played. It was very well done.LAN appeared to take safety very seriously and their pre safety checks were quite thorough (compare to Uniteds' slap dash approach I blogged about a few weeks ago)
The pilot made his announcements in English and Spanish and wasted no time in getting the plane into the air. It was a superb take off on a grey morning


 My only two negatives with my seat were:
  1. that the man who tried to head me off at the check in was just a couple of seats behind. He glared at me as he boarded!
  2.  that it was opposite the :facilities" which were well used after take off and before landing.

Breakfast was fresh fruit, a very fresh ham and cheese croissant and carrot cake. Alcohol (from Chile) and non alcoholic drinks were freely and generously available. Cabin Service was warm and friendly from all crew.



The Trans-Tasman route Between Australia and New Zealand is one of the more competitive in Asia Pacific. Multiple airlines have slugged it out on this route. Because i like ranking everything, This  list ranks the airlines on that sector based on my rating of my experiences with them:
These ratings are ONLY for the Trans Tasman (Aust-NZ) Service
  1. Emirates (amazing meals, great service, comfy planes, individual entertainment)  55/60 
  2. LAN (good meals, v good service, comfy planes, individual entertainment)   51/60
  3. Air New Zealand (no meals to good meals, v good service)  : 50/60
  4. Qantas (ok meals, ok service, cramped planes, no ind entertainment)    39/60
  5. Pacific Blue/Virgin Blue (no food, ok service, cramped planes, no ind entertainment)   30/60
  6. Continental (ceased this sector)
  7. Jetstar (no food, ok service, cramped planes, no ind entertainment)  26/60
  8. United (ceased)
  9. Aerolíneas Argentinas (not flown but they have a horrendous rap)  ?/60

I would fly with LAN again! I just hope check in is in the afternoon! (and watch out for pushy  men at check in)
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