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| Executive Travel: Santiago, Chile |
Private Aviation
By Michelle Seaton
03/01/2005
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2. SELECT A PORT OF ENTRY
Most people fly into Santiago’s Arturo Merino Benítez International airport. The airlines use this airport, and it easily accommodates large business jets. The airport’s services are superb, with many fixed-base operators (FBOs) available to offer fuel, catering and VIP customs services. The two biggest FBOs at the airport are Aeroservicio Ltda. (56.2.273.4427) and Aerocardal (56.2.377.7400). The latter is the most popular among private jet operators. Aerocardal can arrange for travelers to clear customs in the comfort of their own jet, or in the company’s private lounge. It also arranges ground transportation, or can fly clients via helicopter from its private helipad to any number of destinations, including hotels, throughout Santiago.
Several companies provide ground support services for private jets. Menzies Aviation (56.2.601.8899) handles all ground support for the airlines flying into Santiago; the largest private jet owners also prefer it. Other handlers in Santiago include Aerosan Airport Services (56.2.601.9864) and Lan Airport Services (56.2.565.8772), the handlers for LanChile, the national airline of Chile.
Be aware that the high humidity in this region often causes fog late at night and early in the morning. “Anyone who flies regularly into Santiago has been diverted to another airport many times,” says Michael Henriquez Jr., vice president and COO of Prime Jet, a charter company that specializes in flights to Central and South America. Your international flight plan should list an alternate airport for landing. Most people choose to fly over the mountains to the El Plumerillo airport in Mendoza, Argentina, in the heart of the country’s wine region. Its staff is accustomed to handling private jets on short notice.
You stay overnight and hop back in the morning when the fog clears,” Henriquez says. Because there is no visa required for entry for U.S. citizens, landing in a different country is not an issue, as long as the pilot has listed the alternate airport as a possible landing site in the flight log. Without question, the busy Santiago airport has the best amenities for landing and servicing a private jet. Most smaller airports throughout the country see the occasional jet but deal primarily with smaller prop planes. In many of these airports, jet fuel will not be available and even routine maintenance is out of the question. Still, the service you do receive will be cheerful and enthusiastic.
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