On a recent flight to Chile from the U.S., I had the chance to experience LAN Airline’s Premium Business Class product and wow was I impressed. I guess I’m used to some carriers who don’t devote a lot of resources to business class because every aspect of LAN’s service blew me away. Here is the unfiltered review.
Seat and Comfort
The chief draw for many of us to business class is the ability to relax and ultimately sleep; especially important on a long-haul flight. Instead of the standard midway recline I’ve seen in far too many business class sections, I was shocked and elated when I got to my LAN Airlines seat to see that it reclined into a fully lie-flat position. For all those aviation geeks out there, I was on their 767. This is the holy grail for business class travelers and I was positively giddy when I discovered it. The other aspects of the seat are all as I would expect. Very comfortable, easy to figure out with all of the bells and whistles usually associated with the best business class products on any airline.
We were given noise-cancelling headphones and one of the best amenity kits I’ve ever seen. I love amenity kits and am a little obsessed with them, so when I saw the Salvatore Ferragamo signature on the side of the bag I was beside myself. The stylish bag contained all of the usual goodies from lotions to toothpaste and everything in between. The amenity kit was my lifeline to sanity as I settled into the ten-hour flight.
Food and Beverage
My major complaint with airline menus is that they try to out “fancy” each other, which ultimately results in a well thought out, but poorly executed meal. LAN did pretty well on this front. My dinner consisted of steak with ice cream for dessert. There were of course other options, but this was more than enough for me. The gentleman next to me was very concerned for my wine consumption though and took over all responsibilities for ordering the wines. The fact that LAN offers such a robust collection of fine Chilean wines that the passenger next to me was able to serve as a de facto sommelier speaks volumes to the airline’s commitment to not just providing great options for guests, but to representing some of the best Chilean wines.
Entertainment and THE SLEEP
Most airlines have now mastered the ability to provide great entertainment options for guests and LAN is no exception. I had a hard time choosing between movies, but quickly decided on one and settled in to bed. Now this is the true test of any business class product. For all the amenity kits and noise cancelling headphones, what truly matters is the ability to sleep and sleep soundly. I put the bed into the fully flat position, adjusted my comforter and pillow, placed the eye mask on and I was out. Maybe it was the wine or the soft hum of the engines, but I lost consciousness as soon as I put head to pillow and didn’t awake until I was gently poked by the flight attendant when it was time for breakfast. That’s what you want in a great business class product, to relax, to enjoy yourself and sleep. I got all of that and left a very happy customer.
Overall I was very surprised by LAN. For whatever reason, I frankly didn’t expect the high level of comfort and service I received on my flight. In addition to the physical comforts I say without exaggeration that the flight attendants onboard my flight were amongst the best I have ever seen. They went out of their way to ensure I had a wonderful experience and for that I am extremely grateful.
So the next time you’re considering airlines and LAN is an option, run don’t walk and book them right away. Believe me, you won’t regret the experience.
