TAME

JFK to GYE flight in business class: the plane was pretty old in-seat video/audio quality was poor food was horrible. Plane broke down and there was no flight back from GYE to New York for 5 days. They don't give a refund at the airport and they are quite unfriendly and do not speak English at the ticket counter. There was no announcement / explanations and nobody apologised. I can't recommend this airline for an international flight! I Did a national flight (Quito to Coca) with them which was ok but the airport personnel did not speak any English and again they were not very friendly at all.

Cuenca-Guayaquil Guayaquil-Baltra-Quito. Brand new fleet so very clean and comfortable planes (especially E170). Drink and snack provided on 30 minute CUE-GYE flight and placed in business cabin for Guayaquil to Baltra (no difference except seat pitch) nice lunch on board. Return to Quite uneventful.

San Cristobal - Guayaquil - Quito. Worst cabin safety I have ever known. No check on whether seat belts were fastened. The girl next to me kept her large hand luggage on her lap throughout the flight. No check on whether seat backs were upright for landing and the meals not all collected on landing. One to avoid in my book.

Quito to Guayaquil and back. The price was $280 for two persons: not that cheap considering that you are in a developing country. Plane was a B727 very well kept and with nice legroom and cabin space. The trip is around 35 minutes and you get something to drink and to eat. My only complaint us that some of the FA (especially the ladies) were wearing a face like they lost all relatives friends and the family dog as well in the same day - not very smiling I would say! Apart from this an average normal flight without any delay or problem to be remarked.

Living in Ecuador now after 2 years in Costa Rica. That is important because I can use my Distancia Miles collected with TACA on TAME and never before using FF-Miles was so easy and well handled. Flying TAME various times between Guayaquil and Quito. The planes are mostly new and modern E190 and A320 used on this Route occasionly their remaining 727 but those are in very good condition. It is a 30 minute hop and you receive a beverage as well a little cake muffin or similar which I find quiet impressive. Flights had been always on time service on the ground and air leaves nothing to complain. Announcements in onboard in English and Spanish ground staff speaking both as well. Changing flights to earlier or later is professionally and quickly handled without extra costs and a smile. I would recommend TAME travelling in Ecuador.

Quito to Porto Viejo. The plane was a new Embraer 170. TAME provides an excellent service on a level you could expect in Europe may be 10 years ago (and completely unknown in the US). There were beverages offered free of charge in the waiting area. The plane was very clean. Seating was a bit tight but perfectly enough for such a flight. The best thing was that there was an board service consisting of a sandwich and free drinks. The plane was on time and the flight attendants were friendly. Well done TAME.

Quito-Guayaquil-Baltra return. The aircraft on the way to Galapagos was new (A 320) staff polite and helpful. They served complimentary sandwiches and drinks. On the way back to Quito the plane was an old Boeing 727 (?) but again flight and service were okay. I expected the worst from an Ecuadorian domestic airline but after all I would definitely fly them again.

Cali to Quito with a stop in Tulcan and connecting flight to Guayaquil. All flights were on time. The Cali-Quito leg was in a Embraer 170 quite confortable and in a 45 min flight form Cali to Tulcan free drinks full lunch and duty free service was performed by nice flight crew. The Quito - Guayaquil leg was an A320 quite comfortable as well. Once again snack and drinks were served on a 30 min flight. Tame is quite a good option for flying within Ecuador and to Colombia new planes great staff.

After reading some of the comments about TAME I was a little apprehensive about our flights from Quito to the Galapagos. Flew on what appeared a fairly new A320 aircraft the flight attendants were cheerful and helpful. Nice salad on the way out with beer/or wine return a hot lunch. Flights on time. Captain said goodbye to passengers on dis- embarking in Galapagos at the exit door which I thought was a nice touch. All in all a very pleasant experience unlike our flight into Quito from Miami with American Airlines which must be the worst airline ever to fly with.

Quito-Guayaquil-Baltra (Galapagos) return (Y class available only) in an old Turkish 727-200 (Turkish signs over the emergency exits). I hadn't flown in a 727 since a domestic Aerocontinente flight in Peru in 2002. Pleasantly surprised. The interior was refitted (apart from the Turkish signs) and comfortable. My friend and I asked for emergency exit seats with 2-window legroom and got them. All flights on time planes full with Galapagos cruise groups but service quite good with a coffee/drinks service on the 35-min Quito-Guayaquil leg (they managed to serve every single passenger) and a decent brunch plus free drinks wine or beer on the longer Galapagos leg. FAs pleasant and bilingual.