Some places in the jungle can only sensibly be
reached by plane and Peru is so vast that the
odd flight can save a lot of time. There are
three major companies; Aero Continente, who fly
to all of the main cities and many smaller
destinations; TANS, the commercial arm of
Peruvian Air Force; and Lan Peru, which has
strong links with Lan Chile. A couple of smaller
companies - Aero Condor and Aero Santander - are
currently gearing up their operations. Tickets
can be bought from travel agents or airline
offices in all major towns. The most popular
routes, such as Lima-Cusco cost upwards of $60
and usually need to be booked at least a few
days in advance (more during the run-up to and
including major fiestas). Other less busy routes
tend to be less expensive.
In addition to the commercial airlines, Grupo
Ocho , the Peruvian Air Force, carries
passengers on some of its standard flights. Less
regular or reliable than the commercial
companies, these compensate by being very much
cheaper. Check availability at the major
airports, but don't be too surprised if the
promised plane never materializes.
On all flights it's important to confirm your
booking two days before departure. Flights are
often cancelled or delayed, and sometimes they
leave earlier than scheduled - especially in the
jungle where the weather can be a problem. If a
passenger hasn't shown up twenty minutes before
the flight, the company can give the seat to
someone on the waiting list, so it's best to be
on time whether you're booked or are merely
hopeful. The luggage allowance on all internal
flights is 16kg not including hand luggage.
There are also small planes (6- and 10-seaters)
serving the jungle and certain parts of the
coast. A number of small companies fly out of
Jorge Chavez Airport in Lima most days (their
counters are between the international check-in
counters and the domestic departure area), but
they have no fixed schedules and a reputation
for being dangerous and poorly maintained. The
jungle towns, such as Pucallpa, Tarapoto, Satipo
and San Ramon, also tend to have small air
colectivo companies operating scheduled services
between larger settlements in the region, at
quite reasonable rates. For an expresso air taxi
, which will take you to any landing strip in
the country whenever you want, you'll pay over
$200 an hour; this price includes the return
journey, even if you just want to be dropped off.
All the Peruvian domestic airlines offering
flight passes went bust in the late 1990s, and
airline companies are in a state of flux in Peru.
As new ones arrive and competition for
passengers increases, passes are likely to
become available again, and it's worth checking
with your travel agent or with the major
airlines on arrival in Peru.
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