Santiago to Isla De Pascua/Easter Island (SCL-IPC) Business Class on LA 767, and an immigration snafu
Since the onward flight was a domestic leg of an international flight (continues on to Papeete Tahiti), I checked to see where I needed to go. The FAs told me to use international connection which I did. A quick security check and upstairs to departure level. Then I went to the LA lounge by gate 20 for a shower, check my emails and FT and something to drink. Boarding is called rather later than the time printed on my boarding pass, but is efficiently done and we push back on time.
This 767 has the new business class seats which are similar to Qantas skybed, but with no useful storage other than the small gap between window seat and edge of the cabin. The seat is comfortable - modest width but the central arm rest lowers to provide more space. The leg rest elevates nicely but doesnt quite extend long enough for me, making a choice between uncomfortable bent legs with footrest out, or uncomfortable metal of the footrest against the back of my legs (footrest in).
Pillows and blanket are hidden in a cubby at the base of the seat in front.
Meal orders are taken before take off, starting from the front of the cabin. Status counts for nothing, so if you want the most popular dishes (ie fish for lunch or dinner, omelette for breakfast) then be sure to sit close to the front. It seems they only do one go through for pre-departure drinks, so if you aren't amongst the first to board then you miss out
As you can guess I missed out on both a pre-departure drink (no worries this time as I'd had one in the lounge) and also my first meal choice.
As well as the new seat this aircraft has the new avod IFE. It has about 8 movies, mostly a year or more old, plus about a dozen tv shows, flight path and some games. The tv shows have an annoying video montage of Peru at the start of each one. So in a several hour flight you get to see the same (beautiful) pictures over again and again. The IFE is very buggy, going back to menu many many times, and locking completely a few times. At least when it goes back to menu you have the option of restarting from where you left off, but it is still extremely annoying. So I end up mostly reading.
The service is friendly but very slow. Some meals are being cleared away from the front of the cabin before passengers at the back are even served, and call buttons were routinely ignored. However when they did answer (or I went to the galley) they were helpful and friendly. The impression I got was they aren't customer focussed enough - doing what they need to do rather than thinking about how to give great service.
After the first few minutes we are over the water and nothing to see over than sea and an extensive cloud sheet below us and to the south. We pass a small island part way (over an hour into the flight?). There is a nice sunset before we reach Easter Island and thus no view of the island until the lights of some houses and a road by the runway threshold moments before landing.
On arrival all passengers must deplane. Those continuing on to Papeete entering the departure lounge while those flying only to Easter Island go straight through to baggage claim. By now I realise I could enter Chile without completing immigration so I head through a door to the departure immigration and explain my situation.
I spent a nervous 20 minutes or so while they work out what to do. I got the impression this isn't the first time it has happened, but nonetheless they have some extra paperwork to do and since they are busy with passengers departing for Papeete it takes some time to complete. Eventually my passport is stamped and I'm allowed to go.