Review of LAN Airlines flight from Frankfurt to Madrid in Business

Hi everyone !
LAN has a daily flight from Santiago de Chile to Frankfurt via Madrid operated by a 787-8. However, during the summer, some flights were done by their brand new B787-9. It was not possible to know while booking the flight if it was going to be a -9, I've just been lucky.
The main difference between LAN's 787-8 and -9 is that the -9 are equipped with the new cabin of the LATAM Group.
Even though LAN and TAM are part of OneWorld they operate from the Terminal 1, next to all Star Alliance carriers and some exceptions like Condor, or El Al.

Check in is done by TAM employees. I take this flight quite regularly and they've always been adorable. All of them speak English, Spanish, Portuguese and German which is probably a requirement.

TAM and LAN flights leave from the B gates, next to Thai, Asiana or Air Canada. They send their business passengers to the Air Canada lounge which is, in my opinion, the best one in the area. Especially since the last Air Canada flight leaves when LAN passengers are arriving and when TAM passengers are arriving, LAN's flight is leaving. It is therefore a very confortable and intimate space.

The entrance displays a huge model of Air Canada's 787.

The lounge is pretty big but cosy at the same time. There is a huge window view on the tarmac and on some gates.

There is a decent choice of snacks and meals

The press offer is limited to some Canadian and German newspapers.

There is also a large selection of beverages

The center of the lounge is a rest area with a sculpture

On the side, you'll find some diner tables

In the back are some rest areas

The restrooms are clean

My little selection while I wait for the beauty to arrive

The last Air Canada flight, to Toronto, is pushing back

While LAN is landing

The CC-BGA, first 787-9 received by LAN is taking the spot of the Air Canada. Right in front of us. This plane, with this livery, is just gorgeous. Everyone in the lounge is taking picture of it.

Boarding starts on time and I'm amongst the first to board the plane

We are greeted by smiles from FAs and directed to our seats.

And here I am ! Discovering this cabin I've been waiting to see for long ! I have to say that, even if they didn't choose a 1-2-1 configuration, this cabin looks beautiful. The colour combination is much more pleasant than on the 787-8.

I take my seat, the 5A, last row of business.

The TV is big and the quality is excellent.

We can find a blanket and a pillow under the footrests. Those are given on short flights, long-haul passengers receive a bigger pillow and a real duvet.

My friend found on his seat an amenity kit. Thinking that it was a mistake from the cleaning team or the crew we kept it in a bag until the end of the flight. While disembarking, the purser asked us if we had found it during the flight. It was actually a gift from them to my friend who is OneWorld Emerald.
The kit comes from Salvatore Ferragamo. It contains an eye-mask, a basket for your shoes, socks, a shoehorn, ear plugs, a comb, tissues, a pen, a toothbrush with toothpaste, a face cream, a hand cream, and a lip balm.

Headphones are already available. They are not the best on the market but they are definitely confortable and good quality.

Seat controls

Reading lights

The tv remote and a plug are located under the armrest.

There is also a little button

That allows passenger to raise the armrest. It is completely useless when you're seating but when the seat is in the bed position, it becomes practical to separate yourself from your neighbor.

There is a lot of space for the legs.

The middle table looks like the rest of the cabin. Nice and new.

The content of the front pocket.

The purser comes directly to us to welcome us onboard and propose a pre-departure drink with a little bowl of mixed nuts. There is a choice between water, champagne, and juice. Usually there is also the possibility to have a Pisco Sour and it has become a habit for me to drink Pisco onboard LAN's business.
Since today is going to be without my Pisco, I'll have champagne to make up for it.

FAs are then offering newspapers and this is one of LAN's only flaw on those flights. They are only offering Chilean, Spanish and German newspapers. They really should add, at least one, english newspaper.

I also found in a storage the wine list and the menu passengers from Santiago to Madrid had. Everything is divided in the 3 languages : English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

This sounds pretty good.

There is a large choice of beverages. The beverages with an asterisk might not be available during the flight and Pisco Sour is one of them, sadly.

The Champagne is a Louis Roederer, a pretty good one !

Wine are either Argentine, Chilean or Spanish, apart from the Port.

Cabin is getting ready to leave

Pushed back on time

The window of the Air Canada lounge

An A330 of Air China

A B747-8 of Air China

Safety video

Some Lufthansa on the way to the south runway

Take off

I really like the cabin, I find it very elegant.

The pillow is a bit small but enough for a two hours flight.

However the blanket is huge and very soft. I had to fold it in two and it was still covering my body.

The IFE has a large choice of movies, tv shows, music and games. There's no way one could get bored on this 2h flight.

There is also a wifi access but I completely forgot to ask how one access it.

Shortly after take off, oshiboris were handed.

A British Airways

The map is very detailed and easy to use.

Outside we are trying to avoid some storms.

Service starts after passing over Geneva. FAs are giving trays from their trolleys. Except for us where one FA + the pursuer brought us our trays without allowing us to see the trolleys.

Lyon Airport

On flights of less than 3h, LAN doesn't give a hot meal. It is usually a salad with cheese and a dessert. The pictures are a bit blurred because we were in the middle of turbulences.

The main plate contains turkey, and a salad with walnuts, candied fruits, smoked ham and tomatoes.

Salt, pepper, butter, vinaigrette and black chocolate. It is possible to change the chocolate to have milk-chocolate or an after-eight.

Cheese

And fruits for the dessert

The bread isn't warm but is good.

Overall it is a good meal but quite disappointing when I compare it with my previous experiences on this route. I had foie gras, Jamon Iberico, clafoutis, apple cake, blue cheese etc. A whole different level.
With this, I had red wine. A recommendation from our FA.

This one

We're slowly getting closer to Spain as we pass the Pyrenees.

The seat can become a full-flat bed of almost two meters. It is not too soft, nor too hard, just confortable.

I had a bit more champagne before we started the descent.

The cabin was very peaceful on this flight. Only half of the seats were occupied.

Approaching Madrid

We landed earlier than planned

One of the problems of taking this flight is that LAN is operating from the T4S, the international non-schengen terminal. This means that we have to pass an ID control before taking the train back to the T4 where you can collect your luggage and leave the airport. It takes more time to leave the airport than if you fly with Iberia, Air Europa or Lufthansa.

Thank you for reading.