TACA Airlines

I am a silver LifeMiles member. I fly Taca 2-3 times per month and usually have no problems. On my last flight from Santa Cruz Bolivia to Lima I experienced less than stellar service from the ground crew at VVI. Flight departs at 7.00 am. I arrived at the Taca counter at 4.45 am. Within minutes the line grew to about 60-75 people and agents were nowhere to be found. We waited and waited finally at 5.45 am agents showed up and started checking people in. We waited a whole hour before we saw anybody from Taca. The rest of the trip all the way to San Salvador was uneventful and on time.

IAD-SAL-SJO round trip. Online booking could not be completed due to glitches but was called by an agent promptly to complete the process. Flights and services were excellent: all flights on time friendly and helpful employees at airports and onboard decent food good IFE and free drinks. New comfortable Airbus. SAL is a very easy airport for connections. Overall a very good value easily beating all my recent experiences on US carriers.

I had layover flight in Costa Rica to Mexico City. Flight arrived 15 mins late I was not supposed to change planes as informed. No information provided in cabin about connecting flights. On landing they announced the gates for connections but never mentioned anything about those continuing to Mexico. Seated towards back of plane but I noticed everyone was exiting. I ask one of the flight attendants and was informed as far as they knew the plane was not re-boarding so was directed to the TACA counter. Informed I had a connecting flight leaving from another gate at other side of terminal told the flight was full and I can no longer board. Told I had to buy a new ticket to fly the next day. I tried to reason with her and finally issued a new ticket for next day same time same flight. No compensation for meals transportation or lodging.

Very impressed flew IAE to SAL and BOG during March. New planes friendly and smiling staff flights on time a nice change to US airlines and their flight attendants!

Several flights from/to Central America-Miami during January. All flights on time. Fast check-in service nice and new airplanes. Usually you have personal IFE with personal choice of movies TV. Always a snack served with a smile.

Lima to Cusco on the 24th of December. My wife and I were meant to fly on the 23rd but after waiting 3 hours on the Tarmac we were returned to the terminal with little explanation. An hour later we were re- boarding the aircraft once onboard everyone was once again returned to the gate. After another 2 hours the flight was cancelled. No hotel or meals offered causing a plane load of people to find their own solution. The next flight they put us on was 7.40am - a very early wake up without a shuttle bus or organized hotel. On the return leg we turned up at the airport 2hr 30mins before the flight at check-in we were informed the flight would leave 3 hours later than expected and they contacted us via email and phone. This is untrue. Now we have a 5 hour wait in the airport thanks again to TACA. Not recommended.

LAX-SAL-LIM-EZE return EZE-LIM-SJO-LAX. Executive class comparable to US domestic First (2x2 seats no in-seat entertainment). is limited and a few inches give and take depending on newness of a/c. Attentive FAs necessaire thin pillow & blanket provided on overnight segments. Open bar in LIM lounge just one drink on the house in SJO. Security check in LIM in between int'l segments very long line no biz priority. Priority baggage first out on carousel at end of each segment.

Lima to Miami. Paid for a Business class ticket and had connecting flights in Miami. TACA delayed the flight twice and then switched all passengers to different airlines a few hours later. Refused to honor my Business class ticket and put me in economy class. Called TACA after the flight and after many calls they said "there's nothing we can do you already took the flight and we can't issue you a refund." In other words I paid twice the normal price to fly economy on a different airline and had to spend hours with TACA's horrible customer department.

Rio to Lima then to San Salvador and finally on to LAX for a transpacific flight to Australia. At all times the flights were on time planes were new and seats the most comfortable we have experienced in economy including the flight with Virgin Australia across the Pacific. Well designed seat support helps in long distance travel and leg room was excellent.

Toronto to SJO return. Hot meals on each flight even the one hour flight to and from San Salvador free drinks great cabin crew more leg room than US airlines. Clean aircraft flight on time with no problems pre- booked seats were honoured and plane change in El Salvador quick and easy. Connections from Canada much better than any other airline getting to SJO just after 4pm rather than after 8pm. All in all a great experience.