Viva Air

✅ Trip Verified | Viva Ar has recently cancelled my Lima-Cusco-Lima flights and issued me a voucher minus an administrative fee for the cancellation that they initiated! The voucher has a 180 day validity. They blame the Peruvian government's attempts to control the Covid-19 pandemic and completely ignored the following arguments: First, for Viva Air to charge an administrative fee for a cancellation that they have initiated is simply outrageous and in violation of standard airline practices. In fact, if an airline cancels flight because of bad weather or a disaster due to a tornado, for example, the standard and decent practice is to give customers a full refund for the moneys paid. The Covid-19 pandemic is actually worse than any weather disaster and a full refund is legitimately due. Second, for Viva Air to arbitrarily impose a 180 day limit on the use of the voucher under the uncertainties of the current pandemic conditions is not acceptable either. As the Peruvian experience of the last 5-6 months indicates, it s completely unpredictable when it would be possible for tourists to safely travel without risking their lives or well being. Specifically, there is no certainty about any of the following: (1) Whether some airports will be open or closed and when, and what other means of transportation will be available to tourists. In fact, air, train, and bus transportation has been prohibited for weeks, on and off, in most regions, provinces, and cities in Peru. (2) What travel restrictions will be imposed and what points of interests and attractions will be open or closed to the tourists. (3) What regions, provinces, or cities will be quarantined, when, and for how long. Not knowing this, tourists may be trapped in a quarantined place for weeks. (4) Peru is actually one of the countries with more severe problems due to the Covid-19 pandemic in South America. Thus, weekly repatriation flights for U.S. citizens and legal residents have been implemented since the pandemic started according to the U.S. Embassy in Lima and the State Department STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program). This alone indicates that everything related to the Covid-19 pandemic is very unstable in Peru and it is impossible to plan any travel for an undetermined period of time. (5) How long the mandatory stay-at-home order for people 65 years old or older will last, or when it will be reinstated if lifted. This is something that may affect different regions, provinces, or cities at different times, imposing a severe displacement or travel restriction on any senior traveller or tourist. In fact, I am currently a 77 years old U.S. citizen and simply cannot travel under these circumstances. In brief, Viva Air owners and administrators are using the Peruvian government attempts to control the Covid-19 pandemic as an excuse to keep their customers’ money. This is one of the most disgusting, unfair, and unethical airline practices that could ever be implemented.

✅ Trip Verified | We were supposed to fly with VivaAir in May, but our flights were cancelled due to COVID-19. Even though under US International law they are obligated to give us a cash refund for flights they canceled, they refuse to refund us. They will only give us a voucher that has to be used in 6 months. Unacceptable. They are operating illegally, taking advantage of ignorant people, and a sham of a company. Do not let anyone you know fly with them.

✅ Trip Verified | I had 2 different tickets via Viva Air but all the flights were suspended by the government and I wasn’t able to take the flight. They refused refunds. They told me That they were going to give me a voucher and I have to use it until November. But also they gave me deadline to reschedule my flights. It is so funny that I have to rebook again until 30th May. I told them so many times that I’m not going to be in the area to use it again. And we don’t know how virus will be spread! I will never use this airlines. Be careful before you book your flight. The customer service is terrible.

✅ Trip Verified | Think twice before you book a ticket with Viva Air. I booked 3 tickets from Cusco to Lime for our tour in Peru. Viva Air first changes our flight times - but we could manage these times so we accept them. However, a few weeks later, Viva Air cancels our flight that day. We had to fly that day though, because our return flight to Europe was the following day. Although I requested refund from Viva Air via e-mail (it was not possible through their website), it took 3 weeks before they replied, and they constantly told me that they will give me a voucher, valid until November 2020. I told them on every occasion that I am not in Peru and cannot do anything with the voucher, they insisted that they will send me a voucher; they even stated that I requested a voucher via their website - which I definitely did not - and they did send me a voucher. I have now roughly sent 75 e-mails to Viva Air, but they still refuse to refund the money. I was in contact with the local authorities, but in order to start a case against Viva Air, I have to present myself in person with all documents ... Peruvian bureaucratie ... I still did not get any indication that Viva Air will refund my 200 US Dollar, so I would recommend passengers to book tickets at LATAM instead of Viva Air.

✅ Trip Verified | In terms of the actual flying experience, the planes themselves are relatively new (at least the ones I flew in), I found there to be sufficient legroom, they were very clean and even comfortable. They tended to arrive and depart on time and there were minimal disruptions here. The problem lies within: 1) Booking anything on the website and; 2) Making any small misstep along your journey. I work in digital design and UX and like to think of myself as quite adept when it comes to booking flights online, either on my laptop or mobile. Until I needed to book flights with Vivaair. It works by automatically sticking on all these little extras through their "Combo++" packages, confuses you to the point where you don't know what you have paid for (they have these three packages which come pre-selected, or you can handpick your extras, and oftentimes "inadvertently" making you double up). I had to start again many times over, as it just became so convoluted - obviously intentionally designed to confuse you. Vivaiar's booking system is at best misleading (not to mention unethical) and makes Ryanair's website seem like a walk in the park. I just hate to think of the number of people it has conned out of their money this way which I'm sure is part of their business model. 2. So maybe this was partially my fault, I'm not sure. On one occasion I had to pay a proportionately hefty penalty for not having checked-in online and doing this at the airport instead. Fair enough. The second, was when at the time of my booking, I selected check-in luggage instead of extra carry-on luggage and paid a premium for this (my luggage was actually just a standard carry-on sized suitcase, I just had a backpack on me as well). On the day I arrived quite early to the gate. The staff at the desk here (who I struggled to communicate with in Spanish or English) made me aware that there was an issue, as I had not checked-in my bag. He said he would come back and rectify this for me (to which I was oblivious at the time), as he gestured for me to sit down. He, of course, never returned, and I was forced to pay £60 for this misdemeanour (this is in Colombia, mind you.). I would have been ok to pay a small fee as it was a misunderstanding on my part .. but £60 is enough to pay for one night at a very good hotel in the capital. Finally, one of my flights was cancelled from Lima to Bogota due to the COVID-19 crisis and government borders closing down. Vivaair sent me an email to say that this flight was cancelled (as expected), as Peru had already shut down all air traffic. Once I was back in London, I spoke to one of the customer service agents via their chat service about requesting a refund for this cancelled flight. The response I received was from their agent was "Sorry refunds aren't allowed. Any flights can('t) be refunded, besides the flight was not cancel(ed) by the airline, it was cancelled by the airport". Not to mention that I had to reconnect to the chat so many times, as the moment it takes you to the front of the queue, it gives you a mere few seconds until you are automatically disconnected sent to the back of the line. All in all, I now know why I was warned against this airline - it's just really dishonest and should really be called up on it.

✅ Trip Verified | Cusco to Lima. Worst airline ever. They charged us $50 for each carry on bag on the way there and on the way back. That’s including our personal items. Charged $50 for carrying a fanny pack! Ridiculous!

✅ Trip Verified | Cusco to Lima. Viva Air are supposed to be the most affordable airline but charge you for absolutely everything. We didn’t check in online 24hrs before (we don’t have data and we’re on an overnight bus) so had to pay 177 Soles ($80AUD) just to check in... I have never heard of this before. They purposely don’t seat you with your companions and then say if you’d like to change seat to be with your loved ones you can do so for an extra cost. I had a spare seat next to me and asked if my boyfriend could sit with me and he said only for extra cost... again I have never ever been on an airline that does such a thing. We weren’t given a complimentary beverage, we needed to pay for any refreshment. The ground staff were also very rude and unhelpful. This airline sucks and I would not recommend it.

Not Verified | Got the cheapest tickets with Viva Air. I knew I chose Economy but for all the hassle it wasn't worth it. Very Long Queues, very unhelpful staff on the check in area. Had to pay loads of money just to seat near the 3 children travelling with me, then an even bigger amount to have the boarding pass re-printed (as my copy wasn't from a laser printer!!). Even though I had downloaded the tickets to my phone (as per their web-site), apparently they don't run that service!! All and all was just as expensive or more than any other bigger airline company.

✅ Trip Verified | Lima to Bogotá. The worst airline and entirely rip off. They allow only 20kg checked luggage. This is the most stressful and inconvenient airline we have discovered. It’s all about money grabbing airline. They do not think about travellers but just charging money for every single opportunity.

✅ Trip Verified | Lima to Cuzco. This is the worst airline I’ve ever flown. It’s almost like they try to be the worst. They charged us 130 Soles just to check infor the flight, which was the cost of the flight itself. The customer service is abysmal, the guy at the counter walked away with our change, another clerk had to call him to get him to come back. I’m pretty sure he was just hoping we’d leave and he’d keep the change. Their business model is offer cheap flights then scam you for all you’re worth.