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LAN makes Peru congresswoman get off plane

Living in Peru
Israel Ruiz

With reports ranging from drug trafficking to discrimination, LAN Peru has come under fire this week by everyone from congressional representatives to ministers.

Congresswoman Susana Vilca, a representative of Ollanta Humala's nationalist party, pressed discrimination charges against the Chilean company early this week claiming she had been treated unfairly.

On February 1, the congresswoman boarded a LAN plane after paying her ticket, checking in her bags and paying the airport tax to fly from Lima to Juliaca.

She stated that after she had sat down she was told she would have to get off the plane and wait for a later flight. Once off the plane she watched as other people continued to board.

Local media affirmed LAN was aware she was a congresswoman because paperwork she had filled out clearly stated it.

Stating this company had a monopoly of Peru's domestic flights, newspapers pointed out that if a congresswoman was treated in this manner, how could other Peruvian passengers expect to be treated.

Click here to read our Editor-in-Chief's experience with LAN.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

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# Everyting in MODeration says :
11 February, 2009 [ 18:03 ]

English Only Please

# Richard says :
11 February, 2009 [ 18:05 ]

Yah like I would ever step on an airplane of Aero Condor or Star Peru!!!!

# Shigeru Muto says :
11 February, 2009 [ 18:21 ]

Ok.  Lan Chile or LAN whatever
I boycot LAN altigether.
Go to HELL, LAN
LAN, you don't need me, I don't need LAN

# Fritz says :
11 February, 2009 [ 18:37 ]

I love to fly with LAN.
Don't bag it too much.

# Peruvian airline nastalgia guy says :
11 February, 2009 [ 18:40 ]

I remember,,, way back when there used to be Peruvian Airlines that Flew the Nacional Rutas out of lima,, it was excting to fly by the seat of your pants, to hear noises that you were not sure just what that clank n thudd were, nice flight hostess and real food,,, yes I miss you  Faucett, Aero Peru, Americana Aviacion, Aero Contentente, geee even Aero Condor!!! they are all gone now and into the history books,,, Not too many OB- regesterd airplanes on the Ramp at Jorge Chaves anymore.
Nice that Lan has 14 daily flights to cusco in stead of what it was years gone by with 1 or 2 or none a day.  TACA does make national flights so Lan is not with a Monopolio as they report, and kicking off a congresswoman is something rather of a plus than a minus.

# Donald says :
11 February, 2009 [ 18:56 ]

The Problem is that there is no competition for Lan here in Peru.
It will take $15 million to start up and compete with them. Anyone have that kind of money? I don't.
Lan has never been a courteous Airline. We still have a S/. 5 clock that was a gift to my wife for one of the stewardess insulting her during a trip in 1994. We keep it to remind us to book with someone else if, it is at all possible.
We are a family of 3 and our next flight with them was paid for in November. I found out today that none of our seats are next to one another, Great customer service!
I also have had my bank notify me of a fraud hit on my credit card after I paid on line through the Lan online reservations.
It would be nice if American Airlines would put their own aircraft back on the Lima - Los Angles flights.

# fran jones says :
11 February, 2009 [ 22:52 ]

who let lan in Peru? They are just like the spainards taking all  and leaving nothing....

# SA says :
12 February, 2009 [ 06:22 ]

It seems that what is needed is direct competition with LAN.  This will greatly motivate them to improve their quality of service.  Without any real competition they can and will do whatever they want to do. Sadly the Peruvian government does little if anything to regulate the airlines there.  This is the result.

# Dan says :
12 February, 2009 [ 09:47 ]

I read that the congresswoman showed up for her 11:25 flight at 11:05 and then tried to bully her way onto the flight after it was closed. This article gives the impression that the congresswoman was doing everything properly and she was singled out by Lan because she is a congresswoman.

In my opinion Lan is a professional airline and they are by far the most efficient  airline in South America.  Looking at the situation objectively, I seriously doubt that Lan would intentionally do something that would create bad publicity for the company. I think she is more upset at the fact that she didn’t receive the special treatment that she feels she is entitled to and the media is using the country’s anti-Chilean sentiment to sell the story as a Peru-Chile issue.

Oh, and she is suing Lan for 1 Million dollars.

# Tony Manero says :
12 February, 2009 [ 11:33 ]

she should be deported with humala to venezuela, they are both boot lickers to chavez----they are not true peruvians

# Better her then me! says :
12 February, 2009 [ 12:24 ]

I'm very happy! As it turns out I got her seat and I was the 10 millionth passenger that has flown with them in Peru!

I got treated like royalty, Champaign and Chocolates!

Oh and free flights for a year! One for the avg. Joe!

# Rachel in Peru says :
12 February, 2009 [ 19:26 ]

LAN has done me wrong on multiple occasions, they are not my fave airline, but recently they've been on my good side.

It's the one airline that I can fly without being charged extra for baggage or boring my kids to death for 5 1/2 hours.

They do have an issue with their seating as they seperated me from my two young children on both legs.

Fortunately they quickly resolved the inconvenience once I was onboard.

Making a complaint to the company or trying to get a hold of customer service is nearly impossible, though.

LAN basically put is the best of the worst.

# mari says :
12 February, 2009 [ 20:05 ]

Lan is my favorite airline, good service, courtesy, flights on time, very efficient airline, I am peruvian and I was never discriminated, all I had was excellent service and very good flights.
Continental Airlines , last year made us wait for an hour inside the plane , we left one hour late, they didn't gave a crap about the passengers, they were putting more and more luggages , until the plane almost couldn't elevated, it was very scary.
And American Airlines has very old planes and I heard they had some scary emergency landings.
Thanks Lan Chile for being the only good airline in Peru.

# SM says :
12 February, 2009 [ 21:03 ]

Is there any real, genuine Peru flag carrier or peru national carrier?
Why Peru government doesn't endose any Peruvian owned airline in stead of foreign airline to dominate Peru?
What's going in airline industry in Peru?
Do Peruvians think LAN Peru as Peruvian company?
I have no idea what Peru government thinking or planning.
Well, this is not my problem but I just interested to know if Peruvians want to fly their flag carrier or not.
In my case, I fly Air canada as much as possible, all other airlines are last choice

# A S says :
30 October, 2009 [ 13:51 ]

This is what we call monopoly, if you live in Peru you pay $120 for a round trip from Lima to Arequipa. If not you will have to pay $400
I am a Peruvian citizen that resides here in the States and go to Peru once a year to visit my parents. I have to pay the $400 because I do not live in Peru. This is a rip off... I hope the new airline that started service to Arequipa a few days ago does not become like LAN. They are many choices of airlines to go to Peru, but once you are there you are stuck with LAN.

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