Let’s get down to business, shall we?

I flew LAN Airlines from Chilean Patagonia back to the good ole’ USofA. The flight from Santiago to Miami was eight hours, an adequate amount of time to work, play and sleep. Actually, scratch sleep. There was none of that. I had too much to do! Look what was in front of me – thousands of movies, TV shows and episodes, music, games, etc, etc. I also had my work laptop next to me if I felt so inclined to turn it on between season 2 of The Newsroom and a gorilla documentary that struck me as particularly fascinating.

How about LAN’s mood lighting? The cycle consists of warm colors during boarding/deboarding and cooler colors during cruise. Genius.

The food?

I’m glad you asked. I was served a salad with seasonal vegetables, a cheese platter and corn soup with basil leaves for an appetizer.  Then came the grilled steak with potatoes, mushrooms and squash, topped off with a coffee and light fruit plate for dessert. About 6 1/2 hours later, I received a “snack” consisting of another salad, a chicken and cheese quiche and almond cake. That’s a full meal in my book, and I basically rolled myself off the plane upon landing. My favorites, however, came along with the bread basket and Chilean wine cart. Mmmm. I wonder when a gym will make its first appearance on an airline? Count me in as the first member.

Special perks?

Perks in addition to the OJ and nuts you so frequently see premiere-class passengers scarfing down before take-off? There’s more. It was like Christmas morning when I was hand delivered a Salvatore Ferragamo beauty bag stuffed with designer lotions and potions, an eye mask, mirror, brush, toothbrush, toothpaste and other luxurious amenities I could use in-flight along the way. My new high-end products will continue to come in handy as I’m demoted to economy class in the near future (although it should be noted that short-haul LAN flights in coach are lovely as well).

More perks included my USB port that I used to charge my dying iPhone. Additional power is a godsend these days. Replacing the traditional window shade is the new window dimming control (with just a push of a button!) unique to all 787s. It’s technology at its finest, coming in handy when the sun creates a glare on the TV screen. The best perk of all? Lying all the way flat, of course.

Service?

If it’s comfort and style you enjoy high in the sky, LAN is what you need to fly. The service onboard is exceptional and attentive without being overbearing. They make sure each passenger is well taken care of, and obviously, well fed. LAN is a member of the oneworld alliance (basically a group of the most preferred airlines out there) with more than 750 destinations in over 150 countries around the world. Oh LAN, you spoil me. Thanks for the fun ride!