Tag: lan

View All Tags

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

Boeing's 787 Dreamliner: Who's Got It and Who Desperately Wants It

September 7, 2012 at 3:49 PM | by | Comments (0)

As we type this very sentence, Air India flies at cruising altitude on the long journey that will take their first Boeing 787 Dreamliner all the way from South Carolina to New Delhi.

And yet it seems like only yesterday we were perched atop the Future of Flight Center in Everett, WA, in the early morning cold and mist, as the absolute very first Dreamliner was delivered, to Japanese carrier ANA. In fairness it's been a solid year since then and while five airlines now boast Boeing 787s in their fleets, there's a whole slew more champing at the bit to get their mitts on the sleek plane.

Let's review who's got it and who wants it, shall we?

more ›

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

Chasing LAN's Boeing 787 Dreamliner with the Aerial Photographers of Wolfe Air

September 5, 2012 at 3:40 PM | by | Comments (0)

New airplane alert! On Saturday, September 1, LAN Airlines picked up its very first Boeing 787 Dreamliner, becoming the first in the Americas to operate the aircraft. From the factory to the runway at Boeing's Paine Field in Everett, WA, we were there to kick the tires, put the seats back and get a feel for her. Stay tuned the next couple days for more Dreamliner dispatches.

Have you ever been on a flight and spotted another flight off in the distance? It's just the coolest thing to see another plane in midair; they become your friend for a few minutes, as if you're sharing the delicious secret that 38,000 feet is the place to be. And it is. Now imagine that flying alongside other airplanes was an everyday occurrence for you—even better, that it's your job. This is actually the case for the badass pilots and aerial cinematographers at Wolfe Air.

Thanks to our buddy David Parker Brown of AirlineReporter.com and the team at Wolfe Air, we were able to go beyond watching the LAN Boeing 787 Dreamliner delivery flight to participating in it while discovering how Wolfe Air makes their magic—the magic of capturing the Dreamliner on film, in flight, from a few hundred feet off the raked wingtip.

more ›

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

Photos and Video: Inside and All Around LAN's Very First Boeing 787 Dreamliner

September 4, 2012 at 1:21 PM | by | Comments (3)

New airplane alert! On Saturday, September 1, LAN Airlines picked up its very first Boeing 787 Dreamliner, becoming the first in the Americas to operate the aircraft. From the factory to the runway at Boeing's Paine Field in Everett, WA, we were there to kick the tires, put the seats back and get a feel for her. Stay tuned the next couple days for more Dreamliner dispatches.

It's been nearly one year since the first Boeing 787 Dreamliner flew off into the blue skies above Boeing's factory on its way into commercial service. And, in that year, not one airline in the Americas has gotten their hands on the American-made aircraft. Until now. Until Chile's LAN Airlines signed on the dotted line, picked up the (ceremonial) key and said hasta luego before heading down to Santiago with a shiny new 787-8.

Why's it such a big deal anyway? Oh, well, aside from years of hard work and billions of dollars behind it, the 787 has some nifty features passengers will notice right away. For one, there's ginormous auto-dimming windows made possible by the plane's construction of composite materials. Another: the 30% increase in overhead bag storage space. Yet more: less engine noise, less CO2 emissions, the addition of humidity to that horribly dry cabin air, and the ability to pressurize the cabin at a lower altitude to cut down on headaches and fatigue. Enough—let's go inside already!

more ›

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / /

Follow Along with Us During LAN Airlines' First Boeing 787 Dreamliner Delivery

August 30, 2012 at 5:59 PM | by | Comments (0)

You know what happens when you buy a brand new airplane from Boeing? It's not as simple as signing a contract, doing a massive money transfer and picking up the plane out back. Nope—a new aircraft delivery involves ceremony, months and months of planning for a single flight to start the plane into service, and yes—even a little key.

Tomorrow, LAN Airlines becomes the fourth carrier to receive a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and first in the Americas. It's a pretty big deal and, as the United States will be seeing routes down to Chile on her before 2012 is over, we've hightailed it out to Everett, WA to check out what LAN has in store for their fresh bird.

Here's how to follow along for all our hot and bothered LAN 787 Delivery excitement:

more ›

/ / / / / / / /

Inside LAN's Engine Shop at Their Santiago Airport Maintenance Base

Where: Santiago, Chile
April 13, 2012 at 10:03 AM | by | Comments (0)

General Electric. Pratt & Whitney. Rolls Royce. Sound familiar? Sure, as appliances and cars, maybe, but these companies are also very much into the business of manufacturing airplane engines. And just like when airplanes go into a hangar for maintenance, so too do their engines have a special work area.

Welcome to the Engine Shop for LAN Airlines, located right nearby Santiago, Chile's Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport.

It's really odd to stand in a room so clean it's almost sterile, and be surrounded by machines that not only cost something like $13 million each, but are responsible for hundreds or thousands of lives every day, each again. You know, we could walk into Harry Winston on Fifth Avenue and look at velvet-lined trays of jewelry worth just as much and more, but the pendants and tiaras don't do anything. Next to an engine, however, we were left with a profound sense that here, right here, is a real machine, something worth every raw cent spent on it and every cent (sometimes $3 million) spent to keep it in tiptop condition.

more ›

/ / / / / / /

Inside LAN's Neruda VIP Lounge at Santiago Airport

Where: Santiago, Chile
March 23, 2012 at 10:29 AM | by | Comments (0)

Away from the prying eyes of economy passengers at Santiago Chile's Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport sit two "VIP Salons," as LAN calls their lounges. Both are named for famous Chilean poets—Mistral and Neruda—and both have almost the same amenities. BUT! But you've already seen inside the Mistral lounge, and not the Neruda. Until now.

Just down from Gate 20 in the International Terminal, the Neruda VIP Salon has two food and drink bars, several seating areas (including one area just of cozy cream leather chairs), a length of semi-private workstations and—YAY—shower rooms. Oh yes, and free, fast WiFi.

more ›

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

RNP: Three Little Letters That Mean Big Things for Modern, Eco-Friendly Flying

Where: Lima, Peru
March 20, 2012 at 3:32 PM | by | Comments (0)

"Terrain challenged" isn't exactly what you want to hear about the airport where your flight will be landing, but thanks to technology (thanks, technology!), it's now a cause for excitement rather than worry. Add this acronym to your travel vocabulary: RNP, or "Required Navigation Performance."

RNP is the hip, new navigation system that uses satellites and 3D calculations to devise the best route into an airport. Alaska Airlines, Southwest, Qantas and a couple others are old hats at using RNP by now, but LAN only made the switch in February to using the technology for the entire flight.

The lucky inaugural RNP route: Cusco-Lima, Peru. Though passengers onboard were more concerned with taking snapshots of the dramatic Andean scenery out the window, the pilots up front were enjoying 30.5 km shorter flying distance, 6.3 fewer minutes in the air, 644 kg less CO2 released into the air and 67.5 gallons of fuel saved—and that's just on a single flight!

more ›

/ / / / / / / / / /

All the Food Onboard LAN Between New York and Santiago, Chile

Where: Santiago, Chile
March 16, 2012 at 12:23 PM | by | Comments (0)

Look out of the windows by your gate at the airport, before boarding a flight, and you'll likely spot the catering truck raised up to load its munchies directly into the airplane. There's a mystery about it, like "ooh ooh wonder what we'll get?" If you're flying LAN Airlines to South America, the answer to this questions is "something good from Gate Gourmet," to put it simply.

Although menus differ from route to route, there's still some standards to look for on LAN long-haul flights. For one, expect Chilean and Argentinean wine selections (even in economy), Pisco Sours in Business Class on flights to and from Chile and Peru, quality beef as an entree option, and a dessert incorporating dulce de leche. All this we saw and devoured ourselves on a recent roundtrip between New York-JFK and Santiago, Chile onboard one of LAN's 767s.

more ›

/ / / / / /

What's the Deal with Stemless Wine Glasses on Airplanes?

March 7, 2012 at 3:04 PM | by | Comments (2)

It's been decades since a fully stemmed wine glass last flew in First Class. Sip some Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon with your in-flight meal these days and you'll perhaps notice a trend towards flatter, squattier cup shapes. Why? Well, the simple answer is to say that the airplane is moving around in the sky and passengers would rather have their red wine in a glass than on their clothing. The correct answer, however, is all about design and enjoyment.

In-flight wine glasses have evolved along with appreciation for proper tasting and, as a result, properly shaped tasting glasses. Onboard LAN in both Premium Business and Economy classes, the carefully chosen wine options are poured into a stemless glass, thinner in economy and the fuller "Globe"-style in Business. The minimal designs are not so much for cost-cutting or space savings as they are for enhancing the total wine experience.

more ›

/ / / / / / / / / / / / /

All Around Premium Business Class on LAN Airlines to Chile

Where: Santiago, Chile
March 2, 2012 at 4:58 PM | by | Comments (2)

Two words, or, rather, one hyphenated word: lie-flat. On a 10.5-hour direct flight overnight, how low your seat goes should be concern numero uno. The Premium Business Class cabin on LAN's Boeing 767 is made of 30 true lie-flat seats, meaning there's no angle when it's all the way down, and you're sleeping for 7 hours on the way to Chile. BOOM.

Of course that's just a small part of Biz Class on LAN, but the rest is experiential...wining, dining, catching up on 30 Rock, you know. We'll have more on the meals early next week, so for now enjoy our slew of photos, and the hard facts below.

more ›

/ / / / / / / / / / / / /

Inside Economy Class on LAN Airlines' Long-Haul Boeing 767s

Where: Santiago, Chile
March 2, 2012 at 3:44 PM | by | Comments (0)

At 10 hours, 50 minutes, the LAN Airlines direct flight (LA 533) between New York-JFK and Santiago de Chile-Arturo Merino Benitez International isn't anything to sniff at. Longer than a Europe hop but shorter than an Asia haul, the South America jaunt is enough time to enjoy a leisurely dinner, a movie and a quality snooze—yes, even in Economy Class.

Economy is 191 seats behind only 30 Premium Business seats up front on a LAN 767-300ER. On an A340-300, you'll find a few more seats, but nothing too different. Regardless, you're in that ergonomic, upholstered seat for the long haul to the southern hemisphere.

more ›

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

Window Seat Required: The Five Most Scenic Flight Routes in South America

February 28, 2012 at 4:20 PM | by | Comment (1)

If you think the above photo is beautiful—it's our Andes sunrise view from LAN Airlines flight 533 from JFK to SCL—then get ready to have your mind blown.

South America is a land of such staggering terrain, from desert to glaciers and rainforest to snow-capped peaks, that flying over it without requesting a window seat is a grave mistake.

For Marcelo Grether, Global Tourism Director at LAN and possessor of maybe the best job ever, the important thing is not so much getting passengers to want to fly LAN, but getting travelers to want to experience South America. And when you make that decision... "You want to go to South America? There is LAN."

Now, which route? Using Marcelo's knowledge and a passion to experience the extremes, we've figured out The Five Most Scenic LAN Flight Routes in South America:

more ›

Previous
Use of this Site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (effective 3/21/12) and Privacy Policy (effective 3/21/12). © Condé Nast. Your California Privacy Rights. All rights reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast.
Ad Choices