Well, this is my return flight to MIA. This time on a 757.
My flight was scheduled for 7:00AM, so we were supposed to be at BOG around 4AM. It was my last night in Colombia, so I decided to go out with friends, had a blast on several clubs in Bogota, then took a shower at home and went straight to the airport; I figured that I will sleep in the plane, but being an aircraft enthusiast, well, I couldn't.. , anyway, I end up at BOG a little early, 3:30AM so the terminal was totally dead and empty:
Please apologize and bear with me the quality of the pictures but two factors are responsible: 1- I took them in low quality so they will load easier on this website and 2- almost everywhere, pictures were forbidden, so I had turned off the flash and act like I was checking the camera or cleaning it, and take the pictures...that’s why some are a little crooked...(the things we do ah? )
I checked the terminal a little (which I hate and can't wait for the building of the new international terminal to start this month)...
Entrance to the tower and airport offices and stairs to the second level:
Second level: Restaurants and food court: (closed at this early hour)
Now, out of the food court and on the main corridor towards the international gates:
ATMs:
Juan Valdez Cafe:
View from the entrance to the International concourse:
From the outside of the terminal. Unfortunately the sign "El Dorado" was turned off but you can still see it
Then I decided to check the recently renovated Avianca's terminal for domestic operations: "Puente Aereo" and on my way, I saw a Cosmos 727, are they flying already?
Main entrance to Avianca's "Puente Aereo":
Check In Area:
Business class and automatic check in counters:
Children's Lounge entrance:
View of the Check In area:
Complimentary module to charge your ipods, cell phones, blackberrys, laptops, etc...
View of the terminal:
Bakery up stairs, baggage claim and arrival gate downstairs:
OK, back to the Main Terminal, check in was extremely fast and courteous:
Business Class (Clase Ejecutiva) Check In entrance (viewed from the outside):
Poster at the entrance of the Business Class Check In area:
Business Class (Clase Ejecutiva) Check In area:
Well, the airport was dead, so I went straight to Immigration and unfortunately the duty free shops were closed too at this early hour (4:50AM):
Even the Juan Valdez Cafe of this area was closed too, total disappointment, but it is a supply and demand issue I guess:
So, after a second security check, I went to AV's VIP room, where of course, pictures were forbidden too, but I manage to take some:
Reception:
Service area:
Some AV's magazine and children's notebooks:
Computers lounge (cleaning crew on the back):
Roof detail:
Surprise!!! AV's 787 screen saver on the computers:
The buffet was very well put and generous, with plenty of fresh fruits:
A glimpse of one of the sandwich trays:
Service / Buffet area:
Plenty of hot finger food, sandwiches, cereals, nuts, hot and cold coffee, sodas, beers, juices, fruits, pastries, etc...
From the magazine, Domestic map:
From the magazine, International map:
A general view from the entrance:
My table with coffee a sandwich and the magazine:
OK, I went to do some spotting:
Some P5's MDs:
Continental 737
AV 757 (EI-CEY) with Delta 767 on the back:
P5 MD with some C-130 from the air force on the back:
CM:
Mexicana:
AA:
My "carriage" awaits:
On the plane. 12 Business class (J) seats, on a 2-2 configuration (of course):
From my wet window:
Emergency instructions:
We were welcomed with orange juice, coffee or water:
Very punctual, actually a few minutes ahead of schedule:
Aeropostal:
Can't complain about leg room:
Plenty of activity while we were leaving the gate:
Our two beautiful F/As:
About to depart. Our female captain made the announcement:
Good bye BOG:
The movie on the old TV screen was "Open Season" and personal DVDs were distributed too. The choices were:
-The Devils wears Prada, Superman Returns, XMEN 3, V for Vendetta, CARS, Da Vinci Code, John Tucker must die, and A Scanner Darkly.
Then, breakfast was served. First, fruits, coffee, bread, jam and butter.
Then the entree:
Over Cuba:
Leaving Cuba:
Cabin view:
Over Miami:
About to land:
Good landing but not as smooth as the one on BOG:
Welcome to Miami:
Our gate:
Overall service was impeccable; I truly enjoyed my stay at the VIP room in BOG, great food and service. AV did a great job and they will sure be my first choice to Colombia or South America from MIA.
I have plenty of pictures of Bogota, but I am not sure how they will fit on these reports... Maybe I post them somewhere else and send you the link.
TR763 From Brazil, joined Mar 2001, 719 posts, RR: 19 Reply 1, posted (3 years 1 month 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 11809 times:
RICARIZA,
Congratulations, I loved to see those pics inside the BOG terminal and all the shots of the planes parked there!
Are the J seats of AV the same of AA or it was just my impression?
If my memory is still good, I got an AA flight to GRU from MIA on 2005 and the gate used for boarding was the same you disembarked, E33!
B742 From Spain, joined Mar 2005, 3710 posts, RR: 25 Reply 3, posted (3 years 1 month 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 11778 times:
Loved every moment of that Trip report. AV looks a good airline and the condition of the cabin looks spectatular compared to an AA 757 I flew on the other day.
RICARIZA From Colombia, joined Apr 2005, 2219 posts, RR: 36 Reply 5, posted (3 years 1 month 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 11719 times:
Quoting CA228 (Reply 4): THanks for this trip report! I am from Canada and I will visit Bogota and Cartegena in the spring, so your report lets me know what to expect.
Is it quite easy to get taxi's to the airport?
Also, is Bogota safe for tourists? I am Asian, so I will stand out as non-Colombian...
Thank you!
Well, yes, Bogota is very safe for tourists and you just have to use common sense as in any city in the world. Taking taxis from the airport taxi office is very safe easy and cheap and it should be your only option... For example, I took a taxi when I arrived and I live to the north of the city - far from the airport- and it cost me $ 20,000 pesos which is about US$9.
Check this link: http://www.epinions.com/content_220918419076
Cartagena is even safer and easier to move around, you will love the many places to visit and have fun. The beaches in Cartagena are not that great, so make arrangements with your hotel to be taken to the very near "Del Rosario Islands" where beaches are amazing!!!
Check this one too: http://www.epinions.com/trvl-review-48BB-18CFD8AC-396A756E-prod5
Tips:
1- Don't worry about the water (that is a Hollywood stereotype)
2- Don't flash your jewelry, it will avoid problems (the same way you will not do it in London or NY at night)
3- Don't be surprised for delays or if you go for business, please have a margin of 15 minutes. Punctuality is not exactly one of the Colombians qualities.
4- Relax and enjoy the country, you will be amazed of it. It is full of entertainment, great food, fresh fruits (any kind), cultural life and very modern infrastructure.
5- Don't look at Colombia as the same country it was in the 80's. Is true about the guerillas but they are in the rural parts of the country not in the cities. Avoid travel by car between cities though.
6- Everything else is just as any other city in the world. Be careful as if you were in any new place, but ENJOY IT!
You gave me a reason to post some pics of Bogota, Thanks!.. :
Erikgnoha From Venezuela, joined Jun 2006, 210 posts, RR: 5 Reply 6, posted (3 years 1 month 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 11655 times:
Excellent trip report my friend. I really enjoyed. Avianca is one of the best airlines in the region, I know for my experience with them. The J product looks great. Congratulations. However, I believe BOG needs some work, but this in going to change isn't it? El Puente Aereo looks nice and sharp.
I have a question regarding Avianca's J product on domestic flights. Is there a lot of demand for these seats? How is the service on a 30 minutes flight? Thank you in advance.
Coal From United States of America, joined Aug 2006, 1013 posts, RR: 4 Reply 7, posted (3 years 1 month 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 11624 times:
Hola, q tal? Ok, this has to be, hands down, the best trip report I have ever read (even better than mine ).
Thanks so much for sharing all the pics, including the ones from Bogota. It's always nice to see how the city keeps evolving year after year.
I am also happily surprised to see how Avianca has evolved. It does look like a world-class airline. I think it will be just a matter of waiting for the new planes and a new BOG terminal, y ahi si estan hechos!
Is that bird ex-AA? I thought only the F100s were. The biz seats look and awful lot like those on AA. And what a nice touch to get the portable DVD players. I personally wouldn't use them, but this does put them ahead of the competition (namely AA).
RCS763AV From Colombia, joined Jun 2004, 3327 posts, RR: 17 Reply 8, posted (3 years 1 month 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 11546 times:
Great report RICARIZA, one of the best i have seen lately.
Quoting TR763 (Reply 1): Are the J seats of AV the same of AA or it was just my impression?
Indeed, those are not the AV seats, in the other report, MIA-BOG, the 767 did have the AV seats.
Quoting CA228 (Reply 4): Also, is Bogota safe for tourists? I am Asian, so I will stand out as non-Colombian...
It´s all OK, just don´t go into a terrible area....
Quoting RICARIZA (Reply 5): 3- Don't be surprised for delays or if you go for business, please have a margin of 15 minutes. Punctuality is not exactly one of the Colombians qualities.
Quoting RICARIZA (Reply 5): Avoid travel by car between cities though.
Actually, all the main roads are being watched by the army at all times and travel by car has become much safer now. Only for the last 2 weeks of December, 3 million cars exited or entered Bogotá.
I happen to live three blocks from there (in the first picture)
Quoting Erikgnoha (Reply 6): However, I believe BOG needs some work, but this in going to change isn't it?
The airport has been given to a private operator who will invest 650 million dollars. In four years BOG will be nothing like it used to be.
Quoting Coal (Reply 7): Is that bird ex-AA? I thought only the F100s were. The biz seats look and awful lot like those on AA. And what a nice touch to get the portable DVD players.
RICARIZA From Colombia, joined Apr 2005, 2219 posts, RR: 36 Reply 13, posted (3 years 1 month 5 days ago) and read 11280 times:
Quoting 797 (Reply 12): ...What a refreshing and cool trip report!
... I think I missed the news, but is AV getting the 787!!!???
Thanks compi!!
No, you didn't. There haven't been "official" news yet. But I guess is a done deal, because of the screen saver and all the rumours inside Avianca's headquarters..
777jaah From Colombia, joined Jan 2006, 889 posts, RR: 2 Reply 14, posted (3 years 1 month 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 11047 times:
Hey Ricardo, great TR. At least you had the guts to do it. I did the same flights with AV a few weeks ago, but I was travelling with my 8 month old daughter, so not too much time for pics and reports. But I have a nice pic of a crib we reserved both the inbound and the outbound flights. One thing about AV: Altough their planes are looking a bit tired, service is just above what you get in the region, and I can compare from a few (Including robotic CM and AA). They'll get my bussines every time, I'm just a happy loyal AV customer.
I've been trying to get some info on this bird for quite a few months now. I've seen this plane without engines 1 and 3 and its been parked there for at least 9 months. I think 727s look so great with winglets......
Cheers
JAAH
AV, LA, C4, FR, Vueling, BA, IB, VX, Inter, West Caribbean, AF, Tame, AA, DL CM, UA, CU, AR, ALM, TA, Zuliana
IB6400 From Mexico, joined Jun 1999, 242 posts, RR: 5 Reply 15, posted (3 years 1 month 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 11006 times:
¡Enhorabuena Ricardo!
Quoting RICARIZA (Reply 5): You gave me a reason to post some pics of Bogota
Can't wait to visit such a great country and city!!!
Quoting Coal (Reply 7): I am also happily surprised to see how Avianca has evolved. It does look like a world-class airline.
Amen to that!!
My gosh Ricardo... this trip report was freakin' awesome..!! I'm looking forward to fly with Avianca as soon as I get vacations!! Hope AeroMéxico starts flying there some day so I can go there for a weekend!! (I work for AM )
Just some questions...
What type of Mercedes Benz was on the pic? A C-class or an E-class? Are diesel versions popular in Colombia?
In case you know... Are Transmilenio buses, Volvo ones?
Un abrazo,
Joaquín
Mexico City
Yo soy yo más mis circunstancias - J. Ortega y Gasset
RICARIZA From Colombia, joined Apr 2005, 2219 posts, RR: 36 Reply 16, posted (3 years 1 month 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 10944 times:
Quoting IB6400 (Reply 15): Enhorabuena Ricardo!....My gosh Ricardo... this trip report was freakin' awesome..!!
THANKS Joaquin!
Quoting IB6400 (Reply 15): What type of Mercedes Benz was on the pic? A C-class or an E-class? Are diesel versions popular in Colombia?
In case you know... Are Transmilenio buses, Volvo ones?
Hehehe, at first I said: "what is he talking about?"... then I checked the pics and you know? I didn't noticed when I posted them, you are good with details.. ... well, its a C class. Diesel versions are not so popular in Colombia, but you can find them anyway... Transmilenio uses Diesel though...
Transmilenio uses Volvo/Volkswagen and Mercedes Benz buses with a Colombian chassis...("Superior")...
CV990 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 17, posted (3 years 1 month 4 days 1 hour ago) and read 10891 times:
Hi Ricardo!
Well, well, great pictures indeed.....so fresh and so familiar to me man!!! Those shops there? Well one of them was the one where I got my Licor de Café Macarsi, excelent stuff, just excelent stuff.....Baileys??? That's mud duck compared with Macarsi!!! Then it was Juan Valdez Shop....my last expresso just before I boarded my flight, great stuff too!!! And then of course looking to CO 737-700 exactely on the same gate where I boarded my, I don't know if that one was the Houston one or the Newark one....normally Houston is the first one! Anyway, great pictures Ricardo!
Regards
Avianca From Peru, joined Jan 2005, 4969 posts, RR: 47 Reply 18, posted (3 years 1 month 3 days 23 hours ago) and read 10830 times:
Quoting Erikgnoha (Reply 6): I have a question regarding Avianca's J product on domestic flights. Is there a lot of demand for these seats? How is the service on a 30 minutes flight? Thank you in advance.
travelled with them 2 years ago, on domestic J runs BOG-MDE-BOG, and the service was just great, even a big hot breakfast including eggs on order on this short runs....
Erikgnoha From Venezuela, joined Jun 2006, 210 posts, RR: 5 Reply 19, posted (3 years 1 month 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 10796 times:
Quoting Avianca (Reply 18): travelled with them 2 years ago, on domestic J runs BOG-MDE-BOG, and the service was just great, even a big hot breakfast including eggs on order on this short runs....
Really nice. I guess they have some frequent passengers who can support this kind of service. Am I right? Interesting indeed, thank you very much Avianca, BTW, how was the load factor in that flight??
Mexicana757 From United States of America, joined Apr 2001, 2339 posts, RR: 17 Reply 24, posted (3 years 1 month 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 10648 times:
RICARIZA
Wonderful trip report. Really enjoyed reading it and looking at all those pictures! The AV business lounge looks great. The inflight J product seems very nice. Plus the 757 in the AV colors looks spectacular, they need more.
25 OA260: Nice trip report, I would love to do the MAD-BOG-ADZ-BOG-MAD run for my next vacation with a few nights in BOG. I see they have fares for €706 incl
26 SOUTHAMERICA: Wonderful trip report Ricardo. All those pictures really add a special touch. Avianca's VIP Room in BOG really deserves all the prizes and recognition
27 RICARIZA: Thanks man! I had a blast taking the pics hidden from the authorities..
28 Turk223: Excelente como siempre! I feel that all of my Colombian "a-netter cyber-friends" write these great reports just so I can feel more miserable! I fell i
29 RICARIZA: Absolutely, it is a whole different company, specially the service provided. Thank God.. Thats so nice of you to say.... you are right, Medellin is a
30 WiLdmanVzla: What a great report Ricardo!!!!! I really enjoyed watching the pics, very good ones... thank you so much for sharing it with us. *******
31 Standby87: Mrs Standby writing - a beautiful report! You should be Tourist Ambassador for Colombia!
33 B747forever: One more time you have done a successful TR. Love your pic and the pics from the terminal at BOG. The terminal was like a ghost city on the first pics
34 XA744: Ricardo, just had the opportunity to check your back to Miami TR. Wow, you have no idea how much I have enjoyed it, thank you so much !!! Once again,
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, anyway, I end up at BOG a little early, 3:30AM so the terminal was totally dead and empty:
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