I was none too thrilled with the value equation at LAN Peru when I flew with them this past December (see my LAN Peru post here). But many long-term travelers and expats in Peru have for years gotten around the “stick it to the foreigners” two-tiered pricing policy LAN follows by buying from local travel agencies. Basically, they got the real price instead of the inflated foreigner price.
Well apparently LAN has had enough of this and wants to make sure it is reaching in every pocket that holds a foreign passport, no exceptions. Here’s the report from our correspondent (and Peru guidebook and article writer) Nicholas Gill.
“LAN airlines has begun charging foreigners who bought their tickets in Peru at promotional prices geared toward residents of Peru $178 at the airport. I do this all the time and have never had a problem, but apparently since September 1 they have begun implementing these fees. It doesn’t matter that the LAN agent who booked your ticket in the office knew you were a foreigner when you filled in your passport number and country of residence. Plenty of travelers buy their intra-Peru tickets from travel agents who purchase at these rates, so all of these people are affected. It’s all blowing up right now and LAN has added a small note on their main page (when you click on Peru as your location to start). As far as I know this is only occurring in Peru. the funny thing is the difference in prices between a resident promotional ticket and is not $178, so apparently it is a fine.”
Word to the wise, TACA flies some of those routes (including Cusco to Lima) and is a much better bang for your buck.
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LAN Peru is despised by nearly everyone who flies it, but they’ve put money in the right pockets in the government, so they have a near monopoly. This is not going to change until the tourism numbers start going down and they wake up to the fact that people are angry about having to fly through Lima and pay all this extra money just to get to where they really want to go—Cusco.
I can’t see this bill doing anything if passed. All it requires is that airlines develop and publish a policy. It does not say that the government gets to decide what that policy would be. From a business perspective, I think it would make a lot of sense for airlines to have a policy on this (both for families and for others).