From the local three large airlines, Sky has become my favorite. As I have reported previously, LATAM ended up loosing all appeal after they got rid of their onboard service, to begin with, and then their BOB as well, leaving Y passengers with nothing but a laughable cup of water for the whole trip, and unable to pay for something onboard. JetSmart, the other competitor, has a decent BOB menu, but be warned that the ironing boards they use as seats are not the best option for long trips. Besides, their cabins are pretty basic. Not even USB chargers.
You can see Sky's baggage allowances in my boarding pass. Oh, I forgot to mention that Sky's customer service has improved a lot, too. They have quickly solved all inquiries from my part. Yes, Sky has come a long way since my first report about them back in 2016.
The first thing I note on arrival at ZAL is that the rumored enlargement is becoming urgently necessary. Yes, this short line of about 20 people looks like nothing for anyone used to huge international airports, but this line here comes all the way to the restrooms! XD Well, it has its advantages. You can queue up and take a leak at the same time!
Besides, those people - the (supposedly) blond lady and the guy in the red sweater - have been standing at the entrance of safety check for ages. No idea what might be happening in there.
Then a LATAM lady goes along the queue announcing "Solamente pasajeros LATAM en la fila, por favor." So the 15 minutes I have been standing there have been in vain. I have to leave the line and go back to a corner and wait, because that line is for LATAM passengers only. Damn.
Once LATAM has stopped claiming the airport for them alone, Sky Airline passengers can finally make it to the boarding room. Today Sky is using the old trick of boarding by rows.
We are held in the jetbridge with a view on CC-AZQ for some a moment…
…while the last passengers from Santiago proceed to baggage claim. They disembarked through the rear door, I suppose.
Sky Airline's seats are slightly better than those of JetSmart's, and much on par with LATAM's. They can't be reclined but have headrests and USB connectors.
Legroom is nothing out of this world, but it's enough for me. A stain on my pants!! Must have been the juice I bought at ZAL.
Unlike JetSmart's and LATAM's cabins, ads are plastered all over the place. Sky also decided to stick the safety card on the seatbacks. Much like Ryanair, but these look much better, I think.
Sitting in the aisle seat, there's no geography lesson for today (here's where you say Phew!) and having eaten before leaving home, there's no need to buy anything from the BOB. So I simply lean my head back, close my eyes, and listen to the sounds of the plane. The best lullaby.
Actually, this lullaby led me to what Chileans call hacer tuto (lit. to make sleeping) and when I stopped making tuto we were already descending!
This was my last sight of CC-AZQ after dragging my feet along jetbridge in the heat of Santiago.
And that was it. As some say, an uneventful flight - as if flying weren't an event in itself! Here's some additional information about this flight.
teeny-weeny tourism bonus
I take the bus from Santiago to Pelequén - the town where I spent my early childhood and where my family on my father's side reside - and I'm welcomed by this view of the Central Valley shortly before sunset.
I can't help standing there, motionless, the evening breeze carrying the sounds and smells of the fields, all of it so familiar and so dear to me. I have trouble holding a nostalgic tear. Silly me.
The valley is famous for its production of wine. You can go on tours of the different vineyards. Check here.
Thanks for reading! :D
Aside from all the ads, the cabin actually looks quite nice and great that the seats have USB. Non-reclining seats are no problem on high-density configurations like this, in fact they are preferred since there is so little room anyway. Plus, there's no need to recline on short day flights anyway--much rather preserve the little space there is.
The Central Valley near Pelequén looks so nice--there's a familiarity to it that reminds me of Southern France or other Mediterranean wine regions. Looks like home :)
Thanks for sharing!
Baahahhahah Thanks for taking the time to comment, Kevin! I wasn't expecting a single comment for such a dull report! lol I posted this knowing I was risking my reputation as a reporter but well, a flight is a flight. lol
You're right when you find something familiar about the central valley (that's the name) As you mention, the weather is Mediterranean. Well, it used to be. It's quickly becoming a desert. There's been too little rain for the last 12 or 13 years. Temps rarely climbed above 32 C when I was a child. They're reaching the 40s in summer nowadays. A terrible disaster.
Chile opened its borders some time ago but we have been advised to travel within the country. I won't be posting about any international destinations this year. Boo hoo. Omicron has been spreading like the plague during the summer holidays. (Well, it IS a plague, ha) Luckily, death rates are low (only 1 person died yesterday), and schools will open normally next March. Actually, I'm looking forward to it! So many fun things to do with the kids!
I hope everything is going well in... France? California? Whatever. Stay safe! Thanks for stopping by!