TACA Airlines

SAL-LIM-SCL 30 August 2013. What a shame! Ever since Avianca bought this airline service has gone downhill! Business class was no better than going to Europe in coach on other airlines. Service was poor and the food was terrible. This airline thinks it can survive due to the monopoly they have.

While the TACA in-flight experience is very good it is all for naught due to the horrible robotic ground staff in charge of checking in passengers at the Guayaquil airport. They failed to keep the entry to the TACA check-in unblocked resulting in waiting for an hour in a line that was really to a different airline. Then upon correcting the mistake TACA staff closed check-in for the flight one hour before departure instead of the more traditional 45 minutes or half hour and refused to allow us to check in even just one minute after closing the check-in for the flight without looking for passengers still in line. The woman refused to call her supervisor to ask to allow us to check-in and the supervisor later denied we were even there or that the access to the check-in had been blocked. Worst airport experience ever.

Bogota-San Jose-Bogota. Flights precisely on-time good service chaotic boarding at Bogota with changes of gates and announcements only made in rushed Spanish. I just followed the crowd when I realised something was going on. However the TV screened departure information was again incorrect down at the new gate area although somehow I found myself on the correct bus to the aircraft. Nevertheless the flights themselves were fine with a full dinner on a 2 hour flight. TACA have quite a good lounge at San Jose and if flying business wine is offered for free in the lounge.

Flight from Miami to Guatemala (343) on July 9 was delayed then cancelled due to mechanical problems. TACA/Avianca miss informed us until we eventually left 30 hours after the initial flight was scheduled. They initially offered a plane ticket to all the passengers but finally only gave $200 coupons. I'm a Gold member with United but I will not accept to fly with this airline any more. They did not want to recognize my baggage allowance because of my Gold status although they are a Star Alliance Member.

GUA-SAL. A short 35 min flight at 7am. Check in long line took 25min. Boarding by rows. Delayed 1 hour. Nice new A320 comfortable seating nice FA. On arrival at Salvador bags fast on belt. Good product except for the delay no explanation given.

I asked for a Baileys before takeoff and was told that due to their new policy I would be served after the plane was airborne. I waited 40 minutes after takeoff and was ignored. Only after normal beverage service was I given my drink. I have been a TACA Diamond member for several years why? I recently bought promo- tickets on TACA and though I travel over 14 flights to Central America from the US yearly I will proudly lose my Diamond status this year but save over $3000 that I would have normally spend to maintain my Diamond status. I look forward to using Delta Airlines new direct service between LA and Costa Rica.

I flew Los Angeles-El Salvador. Though it was June and pretty busy because of travelers going out for summer vacation the lines moved fast and efficiently. Aircraft was a clean and new Airbus A321. Cabin crew were friendly and helpful. The entertainment was also good since this was the new AVOD system instead of the traditional overhead entertainment though some planes still use this. Food was okay French toast with strawberry preserves I think. Landed 15 minutes early instead of the scheduled 7.30 am arrival time.

Impressed with the cabin crew but not impressed with their flight operations . They need to work on their on timings - flight is late. We should have been sitting on the plane in San Salvador but the plane is late getting in from Toronto. Operations in Toronto need to be worked on. When we came down to Costa Rica we were delayed because of mechanical issues that got the flight cancelled until the next day. The next morning chaos ensued at the desk as my husband and I were put on different flights to San Jose. It did get resolved but only after some screaming and making a lot of noise about it.

I fly with them once a month SFO-SAL and back for work reasons. The times I used to fly in coach were alright. Flight attendants are dedicated to their job but only when they serve food at the beginning and end of each flight. Sometimes throughout the flight they don't come around that much. But business is a whole different thing. They are constantly asking if you need anything bringing you food and drinks. Flights are on time always. For an airline of it's range I think it's more than excellent. Of course it can't be compared to Emirates or Virgin America.

Our experience started with a flight out of Toronto that was delayed (with little to no communication from employees as to the reason for the delay). When everyone finally boarded we sat onboard for 1.5 hrs. They then required that we all deplane for 2 hours while they investigated further. After this they finally cancelled the flight. They did put us up in a hotel overnight but our luggage was left on the plane. Told the flight would be rescheduled for 8am the next day. When we arrived at the airport at around 6am we stood in line waiting for them to reissue our boarding passes - waited for 30 mins with little to no movement in the line. We finally flew out at around 10am. We finally arrive in Costa Rica only to be one of several on the original flight whose luggage did not make it on the flight. After wasting more hours filling out forms we were told that our luggage would be delivered to us at our hotel the next day at 7am. It's 1.25pm and it still hasn't arrived.