TAM 777-300ER First Class Sao Paulo To New York

Holy TV Batman! How big was that thing in the lounge? For such a small space it looks like overkill.

Am I right to assume there's a privacy shield next to each seat?

@ Chase -- It was MASSIVE. Easily the biggest TV I've seen. Ever.

@ thomas -- There were, though I think mine was broken, as it only went up a few inches. Wasn't all that much of a concern to me given the private cabin. 😉

Nice review! And FYI TAM will remain an Aeroplan partner even after they exit *A at the end of the month, so it will remain bookable.

https://www4.aeroplan.com/whats_new/news_articles.do?dl=WhatsNew_webup1000156_2014_02_24

"always appeared within a few minutes"

was this supposed to say "seconds"???

@ Lantean -- Whoops, it was indeed. Just updated the post!

That bed looks super long. Was it longer than most, or just the photo angles?

Lucky, how would one search for JJ space after they join oneworld?

are american miles the best way to get to Buenos Aires maybe using this flight with a connection?

@ Neil S. -- I don't think it was longer than usual, perhaps just a function of angles and how small the cabin was. But it was certainly long enough.

@ Michael A -- Since TAM will continue to partner with Aeroplan there's a chance space may continue to show up there. However, I suspect the British Airways website will also display the space.

@ dan ray -- American miles are definitely a great option for Buenos Aires through Sao Paulo, yes.

Not to sound like a douchebag or something - but I am a bit surprised by how "bad" this First class looks, particularly the food doesn't really seem to be on par with TG, LH, LX, EK?

Very timely post. After my struggles of last week trying to find availability on March 31 on AA (it was showing on AC and ANA), I pulled the trigger on AA metal to EZE (J) and TAM coming back to JFK. Still wasn't able to book the OW outbound on TAM through AA, but very excited to take this trip and try different products! Thanks!

I am adding "actively miserable" to my lexicon. Nice turn of phrase.

"[The TAM first class lounge is] quite possibly the only part of the airport that isn’t actively miserable."

Well, the Admirals Club there isn't ACTUALLY miserable. In fact it's quite decent as far as Admirals Clubs, and South American airport clubs, go. 😉

@Heather:
Did you book any free one-ways after your stop at JFK? Not sure if that is your final destination, but if it is, don't forget to do that 🙂

@ Gary -- My biggest issue with the Admirals Club is that the wifi is REALLY slow, and it was actually decent in the TAM lounge. As far as I'm concerned decent wifi speed is just about the single most important thing when it comes to a lounge.

Between Tam and Korean, which one would you choose to fly to South America?

@ Carlos -- That's a toughie. They're both great products but in different ways. Probably still a slight edge to Korean, though I did enjoy TAM...

@Carlos. I didn't. I completely forgot to and I don't think there is any way to change...let me know if you have any ideas.

@ Ben -- Beautifully decorated? We've been in that lounge I found the decor repulsive and the lounge horrible.

"Once through security I quickly found the TAM first class lounge, which is by far the nicest lounge at Sao Paulo Airport." LOL!!!! Not a very difficult thing to accomplish. All lounges at GRU are disgusting.

When TAM was launched many years ago it was intended to be the SIN of South America. They only hired the most beautiful flight attendants you could ever imagine (and they were also very professional), their service was amazing and it was kind of a sign of status to fly TAM. However, the company had two major accidents in 1996 and in 2007 where 300 people died in both events and in between the founder died in a helicopter crash. After that the company has been struggling with competition from GOL and TAM has lost its glamour. Some people love flying them. Many hate.

"And I especially don’t mind the lack of privacy when I have the whole first class cabin to myself, as I did on this flight."

Lucky, would you still feel that way on a full flight? It does look pretty tight for a FC cabin.

And while the cutlery looks good, with the exception of the amuse bouche and maybe the desert, it looked very much like what you'd get served in business class. As a reference, whatever the quality of Cathay Pacific's steaks, they certainly look more appetizing...

Very nice report, thanks for taking a hit for the team (are you sick of Sao Paolo airport yet?).

Sorry if I missed it but are the seats horizontal lie flat or angled lie flat?

@ beachfan -- They're fully flat.

@ wwk5d -- Yeah, maybe not. If the shields worked properly I would be fine with it, but a full cabin without a shield would be less pleasant.

@Lucky fwiw I've not had issues with the wifi there.

Was there any special ground handling on the receiving end (JFK)?

@ A. S. -- On descent the purser told me I would be picked up planeside, though I wasn't. And for that matter I wouldn't have used it even if I was, since I have Global Entry and didn't have checked bags.

Hmmmm...you seemed 100000 times more excited about two days ago.

...you should know that that's not an ER just a 777-300...

@Lucky, I booked a flight in early January 2015 from GRU-JFK using United miles. Wanted to do GRU-JFK-LAX but there was no JFK-LAX availability at the time. When/if JFK-LAX availability opens up closer to the date, would I be able to pay a change fee and tack on a JFK-LAX flight without jeopardizing the TAM leg once it's no longer a *A partner? Or is that leg "safe"? Just wondering if ANY changes to that itinerary would throw the whole thing out of whack.

@Lucky -- also, I know this is silly-- but I can't get over those champagne flutes. In photos they seem kind of gaudy 🙂 Most importantly -- how was the champagne that was served inside them!?

@ hkairlinenews -- Hmmm, what am I missing? Pretty sure it's a -300ER and not -300. This is the exact aircraft I flew:
http://www.airlinereporter.com/2013/09/vip-tour-of-tam-airlines-new-first-class-on-a-boeing-777-300er/

@ Nick -- You should be able to do that without issue.

@ Nick -- They served Drappier Grande Sendree 2004. It was good enough to drink a couple of bottles, but not amazing.

@ lucky post 37 - Both SeatGuru and info.flightmapper.net list it as a non-ER 777-300, but I'm not sure (NZ 087, which I've reviewed in my blog as a 777-200, actually showed as a 777-200ER on the flight but both SeatGuru and info.flightmapper.net showed it as a 777-200).

@ Hong Kong Airline News -- If you take a look at airfleets.com (which I find to be the most accurate), you'll see that all 10 of their 777-300s are the "ER" version:
http://www.airfleets.net/flottecie/TAM-active-b777.htm

I guess that's my mistake then, sorry. (Well, I guess I'm not entirely to blame then, eh, SeatGuru and Info Flightmapper?)

Hi Lucky, Great review! I'm zoo looking forward to take my TAM F in April.
A question, do you think I would have entry to the first class lounge when I fly JFk-GRU-EZE (on my stop in GRU that is) Onward leg from GRU-EZE is in TAM C?
Cheers
Eric

Self-professed pedantry alert: those glasses aren't actually flutes, as a Champagne flute necessarily has a stem. Apologies for the near-uselessness of my comment! 🙂

@ Eric -- I believe you would, yes.

@lucky and angel: I booked on Aeroplan but didn't add a leg. Do I call them to try to add it? Do I have to do it before 3/31? Any experience with Aeroplan changes?

@ Heather -- Aeroplan charges a $90 change fee, but other than that should be able to make a change over the phone. Though keep in mind they allow two stopovers OR one stopover and one open jaw.

Any reason you didn't include SQ miles to book TAM? 140K in F round trip?

@ AJK -- Nope, no reason in particular, but seems if you're going to transfer Membership Rewards points then ANA would be a better value. But Singapore works as well.

Thanks. Because I already have about 1MM miles IN my SQ account, and because I'd be booking this speculatively, I'm attracted by the $30/pax redeposit fee, compared to $175-$400 it'd cost for 2 pax with AA, UA, US.

Sure, the 3,000 mile redeposit fee of ANA is attractive as well, but no reason to transfer into a program where miles expire within 3 years regardless of activity unless I have a certain redemption.

You're right on about the differences to expect between airlines like TAM and Cathay, for example. I had wanted to try TAM out in F until I flew them in Y last year. Nothing horrible, but service was very standoffish and the bare minimum. It's the only airline that I've experienced that doesn't do *any* drink runs, period, outside of meals.
Getting stuck in the window seat for an 11 hour overnight on the 10-across 77W didn't help much either.

And I won't even mention that empty abyss that is GRU. Anything over 1.5 hours is torture. My connection was 8...

So is Brazil not doing any improvements to their airports for the World Cup? It seems like that would be a huge motivation to improve GRU, for example.