Back in June of last year Aerolineas Argentinas was added as a Delta SkyMiles partner. More saver options are always a good thing, though I haven’t heard great things about Aerolineas Argentinas.
As of now their only route to the US is from Miami to Buenos Aires, and one of the cooler aspects of flying with them is that using Delta SkyMiles you can route from Miami to Sydney via Buenos Aires, with a stopover if you’d like. So I’ve been toying with the idea of doing a Delta award from the US to Australia via Buenos Aires in one direction, and via Guangzhou on China Southern in the other direction.
After my experience on LOT I’ve been tempted to try more non-premium airlines in order to improve my knowledge of different types of alcohol, and Aerolineas Argentinas seems like a great option.
I was doing some research on their “Club Condor Class,” and you know it’s a bad sign when their website doesn’t even have a picture of their business class seat. There is an excellent video of the product on YouTube, though:
Their entire page describing Club Condor Class is pure gold, starting with this:
If we’re going to “call a spade a spade,” I think there’s a different way we can describe the product. 😉
Their “Comfort on Board” section is even better though:
Seats with ample space among them. They have headrests of adjustable height footrest with various positions.
Okay, cool.
Each seat has a screen of individual video, where you will be able to enjoy four movies, previews or just opened in Argentina, in stereo.
Four movies? With that kind of selection how am I supposed to decide?!
The audio system has 12 channels with the most varied musical genders.
The more genders the merrier!
You will be able to make satellite phone calls through an individual telephone from your seat, paying with your credit card, to a cost of U$S 7.50 per minute. If you wish to send a fax, you will be to request it to the crew to a cost of u$s 7.50 per page.
And this is probably my favorite part! Forget in-flight Wi-Fi, I could fax in blog posts during my 15hr50min flight from Buenos Aires to Sydney (did anyone know an A340-300 could even fly that far?).
So, is this a flight y’all would enjoy reading about?
Hey, I love reading your reviews, but I have to point this out. This video is not of Condor Class, it's the economy of the old 340-200. While their Business Class is not something to write home about, it is not any worse than the old American Airlines 777-200 or Delta's current . I do not think they still fly the 343-200 (I may be wrong on that). they have the newer 343-300 and the...
Hey, I love reading your reviews, but I have to point this out. This video is not of Condor Class, it's the economy of the old 340-200. While their Business Class is not something to write home about, it is not any worse than the old American Airlines 777-200 or Delta's current . I do not think they still fly the 343-200 (I may be wrong on that). they have the newer 343-300 and the 330s. I have flown EZE-MIA and MAD-EZE con the newer aircraft, once in Condor and once in Economy (Turista) and I have no complaints really.
Anyway, that's subjective, but all I wanted to point out is that the video is not Condor. I think this can be misleading, and will give people the wrong impression.
@Lucky-Will do!
Hey did you ever fly on Aerolineas Argentinas? I'll be flying on the new Airbus A330-200 planes that they’re flying on the EZE to JFK route onto MVD. Their Condor Class has the soft blue lighting (seems to be all the rage now), new IFE (more than 4 options ha!) and lie-flat seats. Not sure about inflight fax tho. Anyhow, was just curious what you know? I'll be sure to take lots of pics!
@ Mike -- I haven't, though please do report back on your experience if you don't mind!
Aereolineas is terrible. I purchased our tickets last week for a trip next December and they've already e-mailed me with flight changes. I had a decent scheduled but now they cancelled the flight I was going to take from Miami to Buenos Aires to the next day. What am I supposed to do? Can I hold them responsible? Should they pay for a hotel? Any suggestions?
Better hurry up. They're axing the service per 2 April 2014.
Flying with aerolineas in late september 2013 SYD-EZE. no stop over in AKL. Judging by the comments on here...starting to sound like an interesting flight!
Check out the passenger comments about Aerolineas on airlineequality.com (linked below) before booking. I've only flown them domestically or intra-South America, and the flights were memorable for mystery meats, broken seats, and surly service.
http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/aero_arg.htm
It stops to refuel.
@ Andrew -- Are you sure about that? For the dates I'm looking you can buy a ticket for EZE-SYD but not EZE-AKL, so it leads me to believe that the flight doesn't stop in AKL.
Routing is actually EZE-AKL-SYD that's why it is 15 hours. A340-500 is the only A340 variant that could do EZE-SYD non-stop, but who knows, maybe they grab those from SQ when Airbus tries to re-lease them.
Yup, Aerolineas Argentina is owned by the bankrupt Argentine government headed by the Eva Peron wannabe nut case President CFK.
YES. Take JRL with you. Hilarity guaranteed to ensue.
Didn't Aerolineas Argentinas become nationalized by the Argentine government (read: stolen from the original owners)? If so, it is like the government running an airline (think post office).
As someone who is married to an argentine, aerolineas is the joke and disgrace of the nation. The flights are sometimes reported as 13% on time, if and only if they take off. The flight attendants don't tuck in their shirts or shave (women included) and don't expect a smile or customer service anywhere. I'd avoid that if I were you. But secretly deep down, I'd love to read about it with a snarky comment thread that only you could do :)
I've read your blog for a long time but never commented. The more unusual airlines, the better! I've read dozens of your comparisons of the details of ultra-high-end airline products, but hardly any that are way off the beaten path. How bad, really, is Aeroflot? How's first class on Royal Air Maroc? What's a non-dairy vegetarian meal service like in, say, Icelandair Saga class? I'd love to see you take a trip that was really totally unusual for you.
EZE - AKL (or even more so EZE - SYD!) must be an interesting great circle route. There's essentially nowhere to divert to that far south over the Pacific. Maybe land on a really big iceberg / ice sheet?!?
Jack
Finally...a carrier to trump EK.
I think the flight time includes the stopover. However I heard they were ditching auckland at some point
Doesn't Aerolineas Argentinas A340-200 fly EZE-AKL-SYD?? not EZE-SYD nonstop?
You are horny?
You are corny.
Lucky, on the subject of interesting South American routes, how about the LAN Santiago-Easter Island-Papeete, Tahiti route? It's a 767 but as you know, LAN's business class is mighty comfortable. As far as I know, this route even has a daytime layover in Easter Island, allowing you to do some sightseeing without staying too long (even though its supposed to be a spectacular place). Don't know about onward options from Tahiti but maybe Air Tahiti Nui or Air France?
Interesting about the speed difference. So would EWR-SIN be an hour shorter if it were operated by a 77L?
Good News: "The treatment for pregnant women will be the same in domestic, regional and international flights."
They will be able to board
Every pregnant woman is allowed to board, as long as they do not exceed eight (8) months of pregnancy (those who are still lacking a month or more of the foreseen date for their childbirth) without filling any form.
Those pregnant women who spontaneously express that have passed this period...
Good News: "The treatment for pregnant women will be the same in domestic, regional and international flights."
They will be able to board
Every pregnant woman is allowed to board, as long as they do not exceed eight (8) months of pregnancy (those who are still lacking a month or more of the foreseen date for their childbirth) without filling any form.
Those pregnant women who spontaneously express that have passed this period of pregnancy or express it whenever they consult our company or declare it at the request of our traffic staff (due to doubts about the presumption of an evident advanced state of pregnancy) will be able to board only completing the form called Pregnant Passenger Transport. They will have to show it at the airport which will have to be attached to a medical certificate authorizing the trip and asserting not to be presumed that the birth would take place on board.
Other widely consumed spirits are aguardiente (firewater) made from sugar cane, known as caña quemada ("burnt cane") or, simply, 'caña' ("cane").[8] A folkloric note about caña quemada: until June 21 it is traditional to drink caña quemada with ruda macho (a variant of common rue), it is supposed that this mixture prevents the flu and other illnesses. Caña competes, mainly in rural areas, with gin ("ginebra"—as in the Dutch kind of gin.)
There are...
Other widely consumed spirits are aguardiente (firewater) made from sugar cane, known as caña quemada ("burnt cane") or, simply, 'caña' ("cane").[8] A folkloric note about caña quemada: until June 21 it is traditional to drink caña quemada with ruda macho (a variant of common rue), it is supposed that this mixture prevents the flu and other illnesses. Caña competes, mainly in rural areas, with gin ("ginebra"—as in the Dutch kind of gin.)
There are many artisanally produced liqueurs (distilled, flavored alcoholic beverages) in Argentina, for example those flavored with orange, egg, anise, coffee, cherry and, inevitably, dulce de leche. The Hesperidina is a type of liqueur made from orange peels, invented in Argentina around 1890. One may also encounter chitronchelo or (in Italian) citroncello, based on lemon. This beverage arrived with immigrants from the Mezzogiorno, and is produced both artisanally and industrially (for example, at Mar del Plata).
The only redeeming part of the trip would be the return on a China Southern A380. Their business class product is kind of like a "first class lite" - lie flat, relatively spacious/private seat, thin mattress (really a thick sheet) and a duvet. They even give you pajamas. Where they fall short is the food/wine, it is just so-so.
Not even for free. Total piece of crap airline.
It is A340-200 the oldest A340 aircraft type
To call a spade a spade, f*** that. I fly MIA/EZE about 6 times a year. Once on Aerolineas, never again. Not even if Madonna was the purser and performed her Oscar winning song You Must Love Me while sitting on my lap.
@ Justin: The A340 cruises at a slightly slower speed than the 747 or A380. Over a long flight, that can easily add up to an hour's difference in flight time.
I wonder why, despite being a few hundred miles shorter, this flight takes more than an hour longer on average than the LAX-SYD flights.
I'm not seeing the personal video, but I do see the big front projector on the ceiling and a screen on the forward bulkhead in the posted video. Makes me nostalgic for the old 747s.
You totally have to book this route. If not only to spend some time in Buenos Aires. The 90's style hardware....meh...But Buenos Aires is an awesome city to spend time in.
@ A.S: I heard they recently upgraded from 8 tracks to cassette tapes.
Didn't you make a trip on LAN last year to Santiago? If so, would like to read a review on that. Or did you fly on American?
I'd like to read a review on Aerolineas and a few Chinese airlines, not a lot of reviews on China Eastern or Southern. But...
"They treat you like cattle"- my Argentine friend to me when I asked what Aerolineas was like when I met him a few yrs ago. And this is someone who was studying to become a pilot.
YYZ-HKG was started on their A345. A343 to HKG must have been from YVR. They never owned any A342.
@ Denis -- If you can find me a TAM longhaul first class award seat I'll jump on it no questions asked.
@ Arcanum -- Didn't they used to fly it on the A340-500?
@ Zing -- LOL!
I think you missed the best feature. 4 videos in STEREO!!!
I came to chime in that the flight used to go via AKL, but someone beat me to it. God, I love the internet! It's nice to know I'm not the only dork out there.
FWIW, EZE-SYD is 500 miles shorter than the YYZ-HKG route AC used to fly with these planes.
Don't risk it! They go on more strikes than Iberia. Now...If you plan on doing multiple shots before departing, it may not be that bad at all. If anything come to Lima :)
Since you are thinking about South America, how about a trip report on TAM F?
I don't think you should do it unless you are in the mood to torture yourself.
Yes!! Please do! Must fit in a rotation of your favorite sky currency!
Don't do it! Fly LAN to Lima or Santiago and fly to Auckland via Eastern Island and then try Air New Zealand to Asia...this looks like total and absolute Hell!
Do the seats have CD players, too?
I made one flight with Aerolineas Argentinas (it was and will remain my LAST flight with them).
Their 4 A342's were delivered new back in 1999. It's some of their A343's that are second-hand.
Just found a cool site with tons of info: www.planespotters.net
The routing looks pretty good!
It would be awesome if you get a fax to e-mail service and then have that forward to a post-to-blog address so we get the fax pages as blog posts. But if the page doesn't transmit well you won't know...
So maybe you could ask a friend to post the faxed page to the blog.
The planes are old, never on time and service is crappy. That airline is being pushed away by LAN and Avianca in South America. And I think they stop in Aukland before Sydney.
Just make sure to wear a suit, cause Club Condor ain't casual! I mean, with a name like that!!...
It's an Airbus 340-200. 18 ft shorter fuselage but same wing. 700 miles longer range thanks to an extra 1000 gallons of go-juice. That's a looooong flight on a A340.
I believe some (most?) were obtained second-hand from Air Canada and they kept the old seats.
If you do it during east coast business hours, I am happy to assist in the retrieval of the in-flight fax and post an image of it to your live blog. :)
This was a really fun post
DO IT!!
maybe try it just for the wines?
"Four movies? With that kind of selection how am I supposed to decide?!" LOL!
I'd love to do (or read about) a trip from MIA to SYD w/ a stopover in Buenos Aires. However I have a hard time spending my hard-earned miles on sub-par products.
Lucky for you though, because you've already experienced all there is to experience in the best 1st and biz cabins, if it interests you I think you should...
"Four movies? With that kind of selection how am I supposed to decide?!" LOL!
I'd love to do (or read about) a trip from MIA to SYD w/ a stopover in Buenos Aires. However I have a hard time spending my hard-earned miles on sub-par products.
Lucky for you though, because you've already experienced all there is to experience in the best 1st and biz cabins, if it interests you I think you should go for it. I'd definitely enjoy reading about such an adventure. Something tells me there would be some really funny stories to tell. :-)
SkyPesos? More like SkyGold! Now I know what to do with that recent AX MR 100K.
Absolutely!
I'll seriously be happy to re-imburse you the U$S7.50 if you send me a fax update.
Purely for the entertainment value...
4 movies? I guess you will have a hard time deciding which one to watch twice... Or maybe three times, before paying $7.5 to fax a page... At least they accept credit card.... Earn some bonus points for oversea spent ? :P
The dream of the 90s is alive in Condor.
YES!