Carnival in the sky

The case for business class proved strong on this particular journey for Peter Lynch

/ The seat

Once again, my heartfelt thanks to the inventor of the lie-flat seat. Latam’s seats have a mattress-like cover and a duvet, lots of leg room, slippers and a toiletry bag by Thomas Olivos filled with hand cream, a facemask, a toothbrush set and socks. Slippers are provided. There are fast-charging USB ports and a universal 110-volt plug – but no Wi-Fi. The mattress is of a NASA-developed material that regulates temperature, ensures airflow and calms the body’s pressure points during sleep. It works a treat. I sleep like a top.

/ The food

carried most of the latest movies, TV shows, music and games. I would have loved an introduction to South America, but instead, as we were going to Antarctica, I settled in for David Attenborough’s Frozen Planet II

/ The lounges

Latam has partner lounges in Auckland – in this airport, if you’re not in the Air New Zealand lounge, you’re nowhere. Santiago has a showpiece lounge, as befitting Latam’s home city, with great food and plenty of space, showers, work areas, Wi-Fi and power. The Buenos Aires lounge has all you need for a late-night take-off.

We are setting out on a 12,000-kilometre journey to the most southern tip of the world. Our trip to Ushuaia, Argentina, involves four landings, three planes and 18 hours in the air.

It’s a punishing schedule for any airline. But this took place at the height of the lost luggage crisis, cancellations on a whim and airport chaos across the globe.

To say we were concerned is an understatement. Every item of luggage is air-tagged, and I am braced for fruitless hours spent in airport lounges. I am carrying a book as thick as a doorstop to while away the wasted hours.

But none of that happened. Indeed, on the journey back, the Qantas flight from Buenos Aires was cancelled, stranding many of my colleagues, while our Latam Boeing 737 took off on schedule.

More Australians are tackling this trip, which explains why Latam – the airline of Chile – is a favourite of adventure companies.

After all, if you’re travelling to somewhere as exciting as South America, why not get into the grove from the moment the wheels are up and taste the carnival atmosphere?

Latam flies from Sydney via Auckland. It’s an arduous journey to Ushuaia. Not surprisingly, we chose to fly business class. Here’s what we found:

/ The flight

Latam flies from Sydney via Auckland, Santiago, Buenos Aires and finally on to Ushuaia. LA 800 leaves Sydney at 11.25am and arrives in Auckland at 4.35pm local time – it’s a flight of just over 3 hours. After an almost two-hour layover – we go to a lounge – we’re off at 6.30pm for the nearly 11-hour flight to Santiago, Chile, and then it’s a two-hour hop to Buenos Aires. It’s a trek and keeping you happy is a test for any airline.

We chose to pay for Premium Business – the lure of lounges and lie-flat bed was too much to resist.

/ The plane

You may remember the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner – they were the fly-by-sire sensation grounded for months after a couple of deadly crashes. Now, they are one of the world’s most popular and the plane, which carries about 300 passengers is modern, airy and pleasant.

We are served slow-cooked beef in red wine sauce and vegetables, cheese and a popular tapioca-style dessert with coconut which pops up several times during the journey. Breakfast is an omelette and tomatoes, with fruit and yogurt. South America has some of the best red wine anywhere and Héctor Vergara, the only master sommelier in Latin America, doesn’t let us down with his selections. I can recommend the Chilean 2017 Syrah.

/ The entertainment

It’s an odd complaint I know – the legroom is a boon but it meant the screen was a long way off. The headphones didn’t seem to offer noise-cancelling, but I always carry my own Sony MDR 1000X – an oldie but a goodie. The flight

/ The service

Our Latam crew are distinctly South American – upbeat, pleasant and helpful. They are attentive at mealtimes and well-versed in how to deal with passengers like me who can’t work the bed. Their uniform is very South America – tight trousers and short jackets. CT

Verdict

This is a particularly arduous fight, and Latam managed it well given that many airlines were making cancellations and losing luggage due to staff shortages. Our journey was uneventful – in a good way – compared to some who travelled the same route. I was very happy to see my battered cases come through the carousel intact and on time. The investment in business class was an excellent one.