AVIANCA review : 11 May 2008 : by S Koenig

Customer Rating : 4/5

Santiago-Bogota-LAX. Not the newest of 757s (eg. no individual video screens), but comfortable enough. Airport staff particularly helpful at check-in and later, when the plane had to return to Santiago (long story), and we needed help to make alternate arrangements. Prices far below those of other airlines on the same route.

AVIANCA review : 30 April 2008 : by A Rickli

Customer Rating : 2/5

Bogota - Madrid C Class, with baby. AV lounge in BOG is below standard, one wash room only, no international newspapers available. No international newspapers onboard distributed, only alcoholic welcome drink served, no other choices. Appetizer as announced in menu not served. Main course was chicken breast on sticky pasta, all squeezed into a ceramic bowl. Some tasteless cheese for dessert. This is by no means C Class standard and miserable in comparison with other high class service airlines. Avianca service and order of courses is poorly structured. Crew members run back and forth all the time with plates. They manage to complete the whole service in not more than 45'. We had the pleasure to have a group of 4 mid-aged Colombian business men in the cabin which drank a lot, stood together in aisle, joking and gossiping up till 2am. Crew only reacted after complaints by other passengers. Entertainment system was not distributed on this night flight. Instead they showed a movie on the main screen which took about 2 hours. Tough luck for those which wanted to sleep. Avianca staff is overall friendly but their C Class is definitely not worth the money. Reservation for connecting flight onward to Zurich on IB was according to IB ground staff not done appropriately by AV in Colombia. They booked us on a later flight instead. We spent some 5 hours in IB lounge at T4 in Barajas - waiting for our lift back home.

Avianca - by Juan Rojas

20 March 2008  Customer Trip Rating :

Medellin-New York-Medellin. Excellent service on board, even economy class. Seats comfortable and place for legs good. Good food and drinks but they should serve more drinks. Flight attendants were friendly.

Avianca - by S Delgado

30 January 2008  Customer Trip Rating :

BOG-CLO-BOG very good service, both flights were in MD83 in perfect condition. Avianca use an air bridge terminal in Bogota for their national flights, which is very convenient and there are no queues, the check-in service was quick. Avianca staff friendly and helpful.

Avianca - by Hans Friedrich

13 January 2008  Customer Trip Rating :

Bogota-Fort Lauderdale-Bogota. Excellent service onboard, even in tourist class and my wife, who needs a wheelchair was very well taken care of.

Avianca - by R Pieters

27 December 2007  Customer Trip Rating :

I recently took a trip CUR-BOG-UIO. My connecting flight to Quito was cancelled and we had to stay overnight in Bogota. Avianca arranged accomodation and transfers to and from the hotel. Staff was very friendly and all knew what to do and how to handle the passengers that were booked on the cancelled flight. Overall staff of Avianca is very friendly you get a nice lunch/snack even on the short haul flight. El dorado airports is very efficient. Be aware that when you are in transit to catch another flight you are in the waiting hall were there are no shops or entertainment what so ever. So if you are hungry or thirsty have your US dollars ready to buy a small snack at the small food desk they have there. No credit cards accepted.

Avianca - by Uwe Bode

7 November 2007  Customer Trip Rating :

Bogota-Madrid and return in Business several times this year. They use 767 aircraft on this route that show their age, but they are clean. C-Class seats no lie-flats, but comfortable, good recline, good width. They are certainly not going to replace them anymoer, as they change their entire fleet as of 2009 (A330 and B787 for long haul flights, and A320 for short international and domestic flights, then with lie-flats in C-Class). Seat configuration nice (2-1-2), seat pitch generous. Flight attendants are always very attentive and friendly, they even call you by your name which is normally standard in First class. Excellent food, especially outbound Bogotá, very good selection of menus. Wine selection not so good, only one red and one white wine, but good quality. Entertainment system quite aged, one main monitor, and portable DVD on demand, but with good selection of movies. As mentioned before, this shall change once the new aircrafts have arrived. FAs reachable and do not disappear after meal service. Amenity kit not too comprehensive, but in a nice leather case, almost looks like handicraft. Same refers to nice little details like the salt and pepper dispensers that are also almost like a piece of art. The service is what makes the difference on this airline, one is really being treated as a premium passenger, this also refers to the ones who have been upgraded, this shows professionalism. Very attractive C-Class fares available (around 2.000 dollars the return ticket to MAD). The airline has changed a lot positively after having been taken over by the Brazilian synergy group in 2004. Overall a good experience, and I prefer them against Iberia or any other airline flying from Colombia to Europe.

Avianca - by Patricia Easton

30 August 2007  Customer Trip Rating :

Bogota to LAX. Seems like they may be slipping back to their old lateness. Flight was more than two hours late departing and of course had to go into Bradley rather than their normal clearance terminal which closes at 9.00pm. Finally exited the terminal at 11.15pm which made for a very long day. Flight absolutely full and food quite edible. Tried to charge me excess for a few kilos over in one bag but I stood my ground and they backed down.

Avianca - by Patrick Meier

14 June 2007  Customer Trip Rating :

Madrid-Bogota-Quito. MAD to BOG older b767-200 showing its age. Seat peach is big and seats are confortable. Cabin staff is friendly and professional, they could serve more drinks as during the long flight you nearly dry out completely. Food on board is ok, inflight entertainment is simple but there are some movies on the common big screen. BOG-UIO on B757. Again, a lot of place for legs, seats confortable, cabin crew friendly, professional and helpful. Incredible, on the short 1 hour flight drinks and a cold meal was served. All in all a good trip over the ocean and a very good price-quality relationship. I can recomend Avianca for a south America travel, their have improved their image, I suppose the safety is also ok, well at least as a passenger I felt safe on both planes and I didn't think to much about it.

Avianca - by Patrick Meier

7 June 2007  Customer Trip Rating :

Madrid-Quito Via Bogota in Economy. Considering that the price of the ticket was convenient for a Europe-South America flight (700 Euro), the service for this flight fulfilled my expectations. Check-in in Barajas opened early and was professional. The plane is old, but the quality of seats is good and place for the legs is enormous for Economy class. Inflight entertainment is very simple, food is good but not very big portions. Cabin crew is friendly and professional, but they should serve more drinks during the flight. Incredible, for the short one hour flight from Bogota to Quito they serve you a cold meal. All in all, a good price-quality relationship.

Avianca - by Sebastian Meyer

12 April 2007  Customer Trip Rating :

Bogota to Cartagena and return, in economy class. No lines at check-in. Flights were on time, seats were reasonably comfortable, and juices were served on board. Last-minute change fee was much lower than change fees on US carriers. Baggage arrived with both flights, and it came off the planes quickly. Take-off was shortly after departing the gate. Check-in and on-board staff were friendly. The only problem is that, to get the best fare, you have to buy your tickets inside of Colombia (or at least not in the U.S.), but the difference between advance-purchase fares and last-minute fares appears to be small (the fare difference I was charged, just showing up at the airport an hour before the flight I wanted, was less than $40).

Avianca - by Luke Smith

26 March 2007   Customer Trip Rating : n/a

Bogota to Cartagena and return, in economy class. No lines at check-in. Flights were on time, seats were reasonably comfortable, and juices were served on board. Last-minute change fee was much lower than change fees on US carriers. Baggage arrived with both flights, and it came off the planes quickly. Take-off was shortly after departing the gate. Check-in and on-board staff were friendly. The only problem is that, to get the best fare, you have to buy your tickets inside of Colombia (or at least not in the U.S.), but the difference between advance-purchase fares and last-minute fares appears to be small (the fare difference I was charged, just showing up at the airport an hour before the flight I wanted, was less than $40).

Avianca - by Darlene Penner

5 February 2007   Customer Trip Rating : n/a

Our flight from New York on Avianca was on time. The service was good, food was included in the price unlike other airlines. However, it would be a good thing if the flight attendants knew more English and if the airport security in Colombia and the flight counter check in service persons were bilingual. It was difficult to communicate when we were checking in to arrive and depart the country.

Avianca - by Miguel Rubio

1 February 2007

FLL-BOG-EZE-BOG-FLL. This new Avianca has nothing to do with the old. Very punctual, great service, planes a little worn. It was a great way to go from FLL to Buenos Aires. Flight attendants have improved the English dramatically, very friendly, very professional. I felt safe and comfortable and price was very reasonable.

Avianca - by Steffen Frey

9 January 2007

BOG - LIM. Flight was on time, operated by a 767 with very comfortable seats, although the whole cabin was a bit worn. Onboard service was average, they started with hot towels but then they served a hot meal wich I couldn't identify. All in all not the worst choice for South America.

Avianca - by Anthony Abbate

22 August 2006

FLL-BOG-FLL, FLL-BOG-LIM-BOG-FLL, BOG-CTG-BOG. We have been flying Avianca for more than 30 years. 10 years ago the service and on-time performance was inconsistent, however over the past 3 years we have been quite pleased with the notable improvement. Flights within Colombia and South America were on time, clean, well-maintained aircraft, excellent pilots and friendly service. The flight attendants should improve their language skills - especially English.

Avianca - by Ed Calderón

24 July 2006

Avianca has improved the on-time performance at least for the last two years of my last 6 years of traveling from the USA to Colombia. Its MD-83 fleet is relatively new compare to its 767 and 752 fleet which shows wear and tear on its fabric upholstery as well as malfunctioning of the armrest features. It is unfortunate that as an Avianca PLUS frequent flyer member you do not have a choice of advance seat assignment selection like in the U.S. airline frequent flyer programs. The flight attendants are not friendly, and the lack of customer service does not help change the image of Avianca. They should be proficient not only in English but in several other languages. Flight attendant lack of respect for advance special meals request hurts winning more travelers. It alienates them. My family I vetoed flying Avianca for over 15 years due to poor service and lack of respect for its passengers. We have come back to a newly refreshed Avianca

Avianca - by Luis Mejia

24 July 2006

BOG-CCS-BOG. What a change, an airline Colombians can only feel proud off. Excellent service for a 1:30 hrs flight and plenty of available flights serving this key route as well. Plenty of leg room in the B757 coach section, even in the MD-83. On time departing and quick baggage claim at both destinations. My advise for everyone who reads this comment, give Avianca a try, it has improved so much in the last years, making the Colombian airline one of the most reliable ones in Latin America.

Avianca - by Giancarlo Leo

11 July 2006

CUR-BOG-SMR and back BAQ-BOG-CUR and must say that the airline has grown to become a serious competitor in Latin America. All 4 MD-83 planes were impeccable maintained. Only thing is that the cabin crew needs to get an english course, because you can hardly understand what they say, when they are talking over the microphone.

Avianca - by Jean-Louis Vergaert

24 May 2006

Rio-Bogota-Caracas Business Class - quite good. Following my previous horrible experience with Varig for Mexico-Rio, I decided to change my next segment to Avianca. Check-in at Rio was very pleasant, as almost nobody (most passengers board in the Sao Paulo stop-over). The 767-200 shows its age, but Avianca has a business class configuration 2-1-2. Just compare that to other companies who cramp 2-2-2 in their business class of 767 for long hauls! Avianca serve little canapes instead of peanuts - a touch of class. Champagne is Chilean, decent. The food was fine except for the hard steak. Also, they wait much time between the dishes, I don't like to be rushed, but I would like to work. Unfortunately their wine is mediocre, and they serve it until the brim in "design" glasses totally unsuited to wine service. Good DVD players, but maximum sound volume remains too low. Quick transit in Bogota for the second leg, with no additional comment. Flight on-time, no trouble at all, very friendly service, plenty of spaces, just a few comments for the food and wine which could make Avianca a very good airline - above all compared to their Latin-american competitors. Their prices are very good too.

Avianca - by Ralph Troncotto

24 May 2006

Traveled many times MIA and FLL to BOG and return. If you used Avianca more than 5 years ago you will not believe the changes. It is pleasant to see how good the airline is now. Food excellent, seat pitch above average, on time flights, professional and friendly crew.

Avianca - by Luis Andres Martinez

28 April 2006

They have improved a lot. My last flight with them was about 2 weeks ago, BOG-CTG. Good facilities for check-in but plane left 2 hours late. No food, only a drink was given on the 1 hour flight. Very nice cabin crew and high standards security. I'll certainly fly them again.

Avianca - by Phillip Boulton

23 January 2006

Have just returned from a trip to Colombia in December 2005. Flew several sectors on Avianca including international and domestic flights. Avianca now only operates MD83 aircraft on the major domestic routes in Colombia. The aircraft appear to be very well maintained, and most feature newly refurbished interiors (seating). Domestic cabin service is limited to juice or water selection - no soft drinks available and no food available. I had reserved and paid for most of my domestic flights in Australia, before arriving in Colombia. It was necessary to make several changes to my flights and there was no charge to make these changes - this was most appreciated, even 3 hours prior to depature. Overall, Avianca services are highly satisfactory and better than any airline in Venezuela.

Avianca - by V Russo

1 September 2005

I flew Avianca MAD-BOG first time this year. The quality of service was above average and food served on board pretty good. The flight attendants were professional and friendly. The flight was on schedule both in Bogotá and in Madrid. Try to get a place on the side of the emergency exit, as you will have a lot of extra room for your legs. I also took the internal flight between BOG and MTR (Monteria): very good as well and on time. Generally speaking, I recommend Avianca. Just a note - the English skills of the crew were OK, but it's much better if you know a bit of Spanish when travelling, especially internally, in Colombia.

Avianca - by Juan De La Hoz

19 August 2005

I've always found the in-flight service to be good and the meals on board above average, however, the ticket agents and hotlines in Colombia leave a lot to be desired, there is only 2 numbers to call in Cartagena, and they are always busy. Also, there is very little choice when travelling from overseas to Colombia, therefore, Avianca charges you an arm and a leg for your ticket when you go to a city that is not Bogota or Medellin, so much, that it is cheaper to go Avianca from JFK to Guayaquil, Ecuador, than from JFK to CTG.

Avianca - by Mik Kaminski

1 July 2005

Bogota-Cartagena-Bogota. First time flying with Avianca and found the flights, albeit short, comfortable with friendly crew.Only eye opener for me was the time it takes to get through immigration at Bogota...took over an hour when arriving and 45 minutes on departing!

Avianca - by Mark Kleiner

4 June 2005

Avianca for the first time from FLL via BOG to LIM. Not a problem at all. We were on time and treated kindly. The only problem was in BOG. You have to go thru security again. They take you out of the gate area and to the main lobby area where all the stores are. Then back thru security. On return you need lots of extra time in LIM airport. Id say check in was slow in LIM for Avianca, we spent 1/2 hr at the check in desk, I think the clerk was new on the job. The security is fast but immigration takes their time moving people thru. You should be there at least 2.5 hrs before time in LIM. The in flight food was excellent and they had no problem giving you seconds on the drinks. Before the meal they hand out hot towels. The movie on board was repeated on both legs of the flight and WAS NOT in english although they said 1 for english and 2 for spanish. They could have had some english radio stations but there was none.

Avianca - by Patricia Easton

22 March 2005

I am not normally a fan of Avianca (still missing my beloved ACES) but when I flew MIA-BOG on Sunday, March 20, things had improved a little. Their check in area had moved to F and of course the travel agent did not tell me, but there was more space and although it is crazy to have all four flights departing within an hour of each other, the gate agents did work hard to move people through quite quickly. I must commend them on being very liberal with baggage weights and although $80 for an extra piece is a bit rich (guess they have to pay for the fuel), when I asked for a seat as far forward as possible I was given Row 9 which was ideal and wonderful for a speedy exit from a completely full 767. Best of all for the typically delayed Avianca, the flight actually landed ahead of schedule in Bogota. The new CEO, formerly with ACES, must be starting to make his presence felt. All in all, a vast improvement over my last flight with them to Medellin.

Avianca - by Thomas G. Schaad

18 August 2004

I recently flew on Avianca from Bogota to Madrid, using their "Clase Ejecutiva." Check-In was simple and fast, the staff friendly and helpful. So was also the boarding and the cabin crew was nicely welcoming the passengers. The appearance of the 767's interior was OK and everything functional. The flight left on time and the services provided by the cabin crew were efficient but in a friendly and courteous way. What I did not like, was the attitude of the FA's in regard to their emergency duties. So they didn't get their jump seats untill the very last moment, did not fasten their belts correctly and used the take off run for changing shoes - I was happy, being familiar with the emergency duties how to evacuate a transport category aircraft. Apart from this, the flight was a real lovely and positive experience. The catering was first class and offered a rich choice. The crew was really helpfull and ready to serve at any time, even after a hard 10 hours long night flight. The choice of movies I liked and even got a good and deep 5 hours sleep, before being waked up by the smell of a delicious breakfast offering even fresh fruits and granolas. Many things offered on this flight were presented in a way I do miss it on other airlines. I also had the chance to chat for a while with the pilots. Working in aviation myself for 20 years I can say that the Avianca cockpit crews work absolutely at international standarts and I have no concerns at all flying with them again.

Avianca - by Luis Franco

28 July 2004

I have flown Avianca many, many times since 1965 to JFK, BOG, CCS, SJU, LIM, SCL, etc. I find the service to and from USA to be substandard, but within South America I find it to have great service, excellent food for economy.

Avianca - by Giancarlo Leo

7 July 2004

I flew last week from Curacao to Bogota and Bogota to Aruba. All I can say is that they have improved a lot over the years. Cabin crew is friendly and will go that extra mile to please you. Both flights left on time. The snack provided on both flights was very reasonable for a flight of just one hour and twenty minutes.

Avianca - by Bernardo Löwenstein

7 April 2004

During my last trip to Colombia I had the chance to fly with Avianca several times, both Business Class and Economy Class. The staff friendlier than years ago, the catering is good, flights are punctual, the inflight magazine is very good (although there should be some more English texts), the hotlines are efficient, the mileage program Privilegios better than average. Two aspects could be better: maintenance of the interior (especially seats) and better information and service during delays - here nobody feels responsible or has adequate information.

Avianca - by Roberto Camacho

10 March 2004

Being a frequent user of Avianca, ill have to say that they have improved a lot over the years, especially after they joined with ACES (sad they sucked them up to death). Those who flew AV 3 years ago, try it again and you'll see a totally different airline. New interiors. Better food and service. Friendly crew .

Avianca - by Lee Littleton

30 January 2004

I have been flying to and from Colombia every two months for the last 2.5 years - when I can, I avoid Avianca. I have had misrouted luggage, late luggage, damaged luggage and items stolen from my suitcases on two different occasions. The response to take care of baggage claims is almost non- existent. And you must return to the airport to pick up any late or misrouted luggage. If you must fly with Avianca do not put anything valuable in your check in luggage.

Avianca - by Charles E. Waterbury

20 December 2003

I fly Avianca often both Miami to Bogota or to Cali/Barranquilla and have always had a good experience. I use them for domestics flights and have always found the flight attendants kind if not completely certain of their jobs. I find both El Dorado and La Aurora airports in Bogota to be easily navigated and when in doubt there is always someone who will help even if it means walking you to the right place. I give Avianca a thumbs up.

Avianca - by Richard Winger

17 December 2003

I travel once a month in Avianca's business class between New York and Colombia. The seats in its 757 and 767 are spacious with plenty of recline (though some of them could use new upholstery). The food is rather variable though the steak is always a safe option (particularly coming out of Colombia) and the staff couldn't be more pleasant.

Avianca - by Mark Johnson

5 July 2003

Sorry to disagree with Mr. Pieter Hardebol. I flew the same route CCS-BOG-CCS and found Avianca to be one of the most mediocre airlines I've ever flown. The food was terrible, aircraft overcrowded and Flight attendants were very rude. Inflight entertainment was the poorest. The staff at BOG int'l are very rude. Flying to Bogota and with Avianca has been one of the worst travel experiences of my life.

Avianca - by Pieter Hardebol

4 July 2003

I flew Avianca in April and May 4 times CCS-BOG-CCS. All 4 flights were very on time, crew was very friendly and helpful. The food on the evening flight (CCS-BOG) was mediocre, on the morning flight (BOG-CCS) was rather good. Ground crew at CCS was very friendly and helpful. Ground handling in BOG is a bit overcrowded, the airport itself is safe, clean, decent and with tight security checks. Entertainment on board is a bit dated, but the journey was short (1h50). I wouldn't hesitate to fly them again.

Avianca - by H Tamara

20 October 2002

Avianca is in a class of its own when it comes to service - bad catering, rude and disinterested crews. An Inflight entertainment system that was not working at all on the 8-9 hour flights, Paris-Bogota-Paris. But the fares to South America are attractive - if you can put up with lousy service for 10hrs or more.

Avianca - by Luis Vassallo

02 June 2002

I have been a frequent Avianca flyer for a number of years and I have to say that I agree with David Thomson. They have tried many initiatives in the past to improve service and punctuality, but they are short-lived. With the exception of a few individuals who try hard, the service is arrogant and inept. What a shame that they gobbled up Aces, which was the BEST airline I've ever used. Colombia lost big time on this transaction.