Welcome to my 3rd tripreport!

This report covers my journey from São Paulo-Guarulhos (GRU) to La Paz-El Alto (LPB) via Santa Cruz-Viru Viru (VVI) on AeroSur’s classic Boeing 737-200 and 727-200.




In my last tripreport,

The Withering Ultra-Longhauler: TAM A345/MXP-GRU (by volvair Oct 22 2011 in Trip Reports)

I have elaborated a bit on the itinerary of which the flights covered in this tripreport form a part. To recap, I am off to Bolivia and I have composed a nice assortment of three airlines to get me down there from Munich. While the experience of the first course, Antipasto all’Air Dolomiti, was impaired by improper behavior of some of the present fellow men,

A Failed Escape From The Drunkards: EN/Y/MUC-MXP (by volvair Oct 13 2011 in Trip Reports)

I savored the second course, an impressive, but rare Brazilian specialty, all night long. The third course and a quick dessert would be going to be the finishing touch. When I placed the order I thought that the main ingredients for the finale (of the 733/734-nature) were nothing special. However, the kitchen surprised me with an exotic medley of vintage flavors which almost no one dishes up anymore.



If my memory serves me right (what it probably does not), in the recent years there have been two reports about AeroSur here on A.net:

DUB-CBB In J Via EWR, MIA, LPB, VVI (by LatinAviation Oct 31 2008 in Trip Reports)

Latin American Trip Report (Peru & Bolivia JUL 09) (by aloges Jul 11 2010 in Trip Reports)




São Paulo-Guarulhos Airport

After I killed about eight hours at the airport in several lounges I went to the Terminal 2 departure area in order to check in for my flight with AeroSur. Neither online check-in nor advanced seat selection were possible. The check-in desks were manned by two ladies.


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Check-in area

There was only a small queue and after five minutes I was served by one of the agents. I asked for window seats in the rear of both planes. She also informed me that I still needed to pay the departure tax of 63 Reais (25€/36$). When you are on a connecting flight, you only have to pay the tax when you leave the sterile area. Having some time on my hands I started to argue with her that I don’t see why I should be paying the tax, as I had to leave the sterile area in order to reclaim my luggage and that it is not my fault that JJ and 5L do not interline. So that got too complicated too quickly for the check-in lady and she asked if I could repeat this in Castellano. Well, so I did and she said I could try and argue with the airport staff. She suggested I show them my e-ticket printout and my luggage tag with the destination “GRU”. So I went off, my boarding pass in hand, to a grumpy airport staff lady checking whether you have paid the departure tax (which is indicated by a sticker on your boarding pass). I started making my case but I was quickly interrupted by the agent “You need stamp! Stamp you need!” Well, it was worth a shot. Now, back to the AeroSur counter to inquire if I could pay with credit card. Of course not. So down to the arrival floor, retrieve some Reais, back up to the AeroSur desks to pay the tax. From time to time the queue at the check-in desks grew and grew, but the check-in agent always invited me to come up to the front. Nice gesture. Interesting sidenote: The bag they used as a wallet to collect the cash from the passengers was the TAM amenity kit packaging.


Terminal 2 FIDS. Flight shows up as on time. Also notice the other flight to Bolivia, BoA to Cochabamba.

Being a little frustrated now (although I never really thought I would get around of paying the tax), I decided to head airside immediately to balance the budget with some lounge booze. Quickly past the departure tax checkpoint and through security in no time (no need to put my laptop out of my carry on, no special interests in my liquids) and up the escalators to the Smiles VIP lounge. This is a Varig lounge, but also used by Lufthansa’s business passengers for example, if I am not mistaken. No windows, just pre-packed sandwiches and some heated appetizers, so nothing to write home about. Luckily for me, they had some hard liquor (Smirnoff, Tanqueray,…) available, unlike as in the landside lounge. So I settled down with a Vodka Tonic and made myself comfortable. When I took a closer look at my boarding passes, I got a little excited:


Not because of what was written on that one. But seriously, 1430 boarding time for a 1600 departure!?! Notice also the departure tax sticker and the handwritten “G3”, meaning I was in the third boarding group.


Now, this made me excited: CHG EQUIP

CHG EQUIP… in AeroSur's case this can (almost) only mean a good thing. Originally scheduled for the hop from VVI to LPB was a 737-300. Their other aircraft flying to LPB are a 737-200, 737-400 and 727-200. Great, seeing as they operate only one of each the chances were not too bad to catch a rare classic. A quick search on AeroSur’s website produced a big grin on my face:


727

This was big for me. Having started flying a little more frequently only a couple of years ago (the odd holiday charter flight with my parents aside), there was absolutely no way for me to get on a 727 so far. It was clear for me that while I am in Bolivia that I will try my best to get on AeroSur’s last remaining example. But it being handed to me on a silver platter just like that… Awesome! Little did I know this would only be the first of two surprises waiting for me.


This calls for a toast! Note the Varig branded glass.

After some quick Skype calls to Germany I made my way to the gate about one hour before departure. One hour you say? Well, I wanted to see why AeroSur needs about 75 minutes to board a 737. Needless to say, when I reached the gate the desk was unmanned. Hence, ye shall spot!


Hard working men, a concrete mixer, a Passaredo ERJ-145, Webjets and further bound jets in the back


Varig 737-800


Not the shiniest plane around


AZ 772 bound for FCO


And a first glimpse of my plane


BAM! Surprise number two!

Yes! It’s CP-2561, “Bufeo”, AeroSur’s last 737-200 in operation. I actually planned on catching the type while in Bolivia. I was leaning towards a weekend sidetrip on SkyAirline’s 732 on their La Paz-Arica route, but the high prices (compared to a Bus journey) and the obligation to buy a return ticket have so far put me off of doing so.

Boarding then started about thirty minutes before scheduled time of departure. The several boarding groups were called up and the whole boarding process was, surprisingly, very orderly. No “ILBST” whatsoever!



04 October 2011
AeroSur
Flight 5L 301

1600-1745 (arrival 15 minutes late)
Boeing 737-200
CP-2561 “Bufeo”

Pictures of CP-2561 from the database:

View Large View Medium Photo © Rodrigo Bertoli Rocha

View Large View Medium Photo © AirSpeed

Now, it’s time for a little history lesson (Info taken from airfleets.net). The bird was first delivered in November 1978 to the government of the United Arab Emirates and flew or it as A6-HHK and A6-AAA until 1995.

View Large View Medium Photo © Gerard Helmer

View Large View Medium Photo © JetPix

Then, the bird was registered in the US as N1PC and started flying for Frontier. Between 1996 and 1998 there was a brief AirTran intermezzo. In 2003 the aircraft was stored at Mojave.

View Large View Medium Photo © Matt Cawley

View Large View Medium Photo © Frank C. Duarte Jr.

View Large View Medium Photo © Colin T. Ebert

View Large View Medium Photo © Tim Samples

In 2006, it was reactivated and spent a couple of years at Aloha Airlines, flying as N835AL until they ceased operations in August 2008. Then it was back to Mojave until April 2009, when the frame was taken up by AeroSur.

View Large View Medium Photo © Gary Chambers

View Large View Medium Photo © Thomas Posch - VAP

Excited, I made my way down the jetway.


Catching a glimpse of the JT8D


Shiny power plant

At the aircraft door I was greeted by one of the flight attendants: ”buenas tardes”. I then made my way down the aisle. The load in Economy was light, at a little over 50%.


Business class


Economy cabin


My row of seats


Oh my, hello there!


Seat pocket contents: Safety card, the third edition of AeroSur’s magazine “Aire” (with an incredible smart design, imho) and “air sickness”


Safety card closeup


The necessary legroom shot. Definitely bearable.


View towards the front. A flight attendant is catering to the needs of a business class passenger.

My row stayed empty at first, but before pushback a nice American gentleman moved to the aisle seat. Before pushback, the captain came onboard and announced a flight time of 2 hours and thirty minutes. We left the gate on time. Before our departure we had to queue up a bit for our departure. On our way to the runway I could observe the interesting mix of airlines and aircraft present at GRU.


El Al, Delta, BA and Air Canada. Sorry for the blurriness of the pictures, the window was smeary.


Speedbird following us


United, LH, AA, AeroMexico and Swiss among some TAM birds


Entering the runway.

You can watch the takeoff video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CWZ8GyN_rA

Some screenshots from the video:


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Going strong!


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Braking through the clouds

About half an hour after takeoff, inflight service started. I opted for a red wine which turned out to be Kohlberg, which is an omnipresent wine in Bolivia. The bottle comes in at around 5€/7$. And, unsurprisingsly, too tasty it wasn’t. After drink service I was handed what is certainly the most peculiar sandwich I ever got on a plane.


It starts out with the wrapping. Simple paper, no plastic for the bread. And what lovely wrapped little chocolate dessert!


And then the sandwich itself!

Although the bread was too soft and too dry for my taste, the meat, sauce and veggies made for a great eat.


Overhead panel. Notice the three differently colored call buttons.


In-flight entertainment on this flight consisted only of the Airline’s magazine, which was an interesting read.


The magazine contained a full overview of all the aircrafts flying for AeroSur. Interestingly, it lists two 727s, but I only know of one active one.


At the time of my flight, every AeroSur aircraft featured a special livery. Mid-October, AeroSur has put a third 737-300 into service which does not feature a special livery (yet?).


The magazine contained a special feature about the aircraft I was flying on.

Quote: An ancient legend tells that “bufeos” (fresh water pink dolphins of the Amazonas basin) can transform into men at night and seduce women and take them forever. The fear n (sic!) riverside communities due to this myth, as well of the climatic changes and men’s actions who kill them for their eyes and genitals as talismans and to attract fish, have all brought them to the brink of extinction, specially the Inia Boliviensis species. AeroSur tries to help rescue the river dolphins that still survive in Bolivia by calling attention to their existence and the need to save this beautiful mammal. The “Bufeo”, Boeing 737-200, flies the Bolivian skies, covering national routes to integrate the country.

In today’s world, no one would probably come up with a story of pink women-seducing dolphins anymore.


Domestic route map


Welcome message


Cruising over Brazil

After some time, a second drink service followed. My neighbor and I opted for another glass of wine. The flight attendant disappeared into the rear galley and returned with two half full cups informing us that this was the last bit of wine they had on board.

Later, I explored the cabin a bit.


Rear galley. Note the paper sign at the trolley: ”Don’t remove from airplane CP-2561”


The Y-Cabin from the back


The lavatory


Nice improvised 5$ smoke detection system in the lavatory. Funny thing: they should change the battery of the smoke detector soon; it was already beeping every 15 seconds.


Signs pointing to the first owner of the aircraft.


The Bolivian Rio Grande


Lining up for finals


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You can watch the landing and hear the roaring sound of the engines here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erIee4MM0AU

Some screenshots from the Video:


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Castrated 727s


More 727s and a 732, resting in peace


Now, you have to be my ride!


You gotta love ‘em threeholers


We parked next to AeroSur’s 737-300 “Potro”

Santa Cruz de la Sierra – Viru Viru International Airport

In the end, we arrived at the gate about 15 minutes late. But no problem, as I had a lot connection time. When we entered the terminal there was an AeroSur staff member who took care of the connecting passengers. In addition to my La Paz flight, there was also a flight to Cochabamba leaving. As we were the only international arrival at that time, immigration was painless. After immigration I said goodbye to my American seatmate who just had to fork out 135 $ for his visa. I, as citizen of an EU member, can enter Bolivia for 90 days for free. Retaliation visa fees are funny. Anyway, as soon as you pass immigration you enter the landside area at Viru Viru International. Having some time to spare I went outside to enjoy the more than 30 degrees centigrade it still had here, retrieved some Bolivianos, purchased a Bolivian SIM card and went to an internet café to catch up on some e-mails. There was not much going on at that time at the airport. About one hour before my departure I passed security (I was probably the only one doing so in 15 minutes) and went to the boarding area of my flight.


FIDS @ VVI

In the gate area there was only a cafe and a newsstand. Also, there were free water fountains. Great for me to rehydrate before reaching 4000m high La Paz and counter possible symptomps of altitude sickness. About half an hour before scheduled time of departure boarding was “called”. The boarding call consisted of an airline staff member simply yelling “La Paz”. This time, although having a larger aircraft, there were no boarding groups or a special boarding call for business class passengers. However, a very orderly queue formed and soon I was released to the tarmac in order to walk over to my plane.

04 October 2011
AeroSur
Flight 5L 301

2045-2145 (on time)
Boeing 727-200
CP-2498

Pictures from the database:

View Large View Medium Photo © Baires Aviation Photography

View Large View Medium Photo © Jorge L Rivas

View Large View Medium Photo © Steven Marquez-AirTeamImages

View Large View Medium Photo © Giovanni Francisco Rodriguez Bravo

Of course, a short history excursion is necessary here as well:

The bird was delivered in 1981 to American Airlines, where it flew as N706AA

View Large View Medium Photo © Javier Rodriguez - Iberian Spotters

View Large View Medium Photo © Frank C. Duarte Jr.

After that it flew for Laker Airways Bahamas under the same registration

View Large View Medium Photo © Daniel Wojdylo

View Large View Medium Photo © Mark Kopczak

After Laker ceased operations the bird was taken up by now defunct Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano (LAB) where it flew as CP-2463 from 2005-2007. After their bankruptcy AeroSur expanded to fill the void left by the end of LAB and took up the aircraft.

View Large View Medium Photo © Tsuyoshi Hayasaki - AroundWorldImages

View Large View Medium Photo © Jova

Taking photos on the tarmac was not a problem at all, on the contrary: there were even ground staff members taking pictures for passengers. Great for me. I was snapping away.


There she is!


Notice the ground staff member. He is about to take a picture of the passenger walking towards the stairs.


Antonov An-12 (?) and an AeroSur 737-300, ”Yacaré"


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I had to use those stairs of course!


The rearmost exit row


A row of seats


Overhead panel


BoA 733 next to us. Lucky that we didn't get a jetway!


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Safety card closeup


A nice atmosphere in the cabin. Load was about 70%


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And the obligatory legroom shot. No complaints here for the 45 minute hop ahead.


There was a very relaxed atmosphere in the cabin. The crew were joking with the groundstaff and it seemed they had a good time. One could see they had fun with what they were doing. It was a huge difference between the crew here and the rather cold crew on the GRU-VVI flight.

We pushed back on time and headed for the runway. The takeoff was quieter than I expected.

The seatbelt sign remained on for the entire duration of the flight. The F/As conducted a quick snack and drinks service. They served a tiny ham and cheese sandwich.


Domestic inflight snack

I chatted a little with my seat neighbor on the aisle seat (the middle one remained empty), a very nice woman. I learned some interesting facts about La Paz and its surroundings and she gave me some info on cab prices and stuff.

Before we knew it, we descended into El Alto International Airport.

The airport is most commonly known to be one of the highest airports in the world, at 4060 m/13300 ft. It is situated in the middle of the city of El Alto, the sister city of La Paz on the high plateau Altiplano. La Paz, then, lies in a valley. The rim of the plateau essentially marks the city limit. The lower you get, the more affluent the population.

Landing in La Paz (what I have only done by night, until today) is a remarkable experience. You fly over the dim outskirts of El Alto until you see the brightly colored pit that is La Paz in the distance. However, my camera (or my photography skills) could not cope with this.


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Due to the altitude it took very long until we slowed down. We parked again on the tarmac and could walk over to arrivals. In contrast to the 30 degrees centigrade we had in La Paz we were now down to about 4 degrees. Still, I walked slowly to arrivals as my body was not used to this height.




I reclaimed my luggage, grabbed a cab and got driven to my flat in La Paz. Going down from the plain into the valley that houses La Paz for the first time is an unforgettable sight. I hope to add some destination pics in a future report.


Concluding remarks

Wow, flying AeroSur has been a great experience. I highly recommend flying this airline on hops like that. While the inflight experience might not be the best in the world (the service, disregarding the rather odd sandwich, was far from special) it’s the peculiar little things that make the flights something to write home about. I don’t know however if this also applies to their long hauls to IAD or MAD on their 744 and 762 where the in-flight experience counts and were possible flaws can’t be covered by the fun of flying a rare aircraft. There were several aspects that made flying with AeroSur fun: The great, informative inflight magazine, the friendly check-in staff and the attentive staff member helping with connections at VVI. I had the feeling that AeroSur tries to go an extra mile within its capabilities to give their passengers the feel that flying is special. This is mostly true for their special livery on every plane. Aside from that, what makes AeroSur interesting for us aviation enthusiasts, is it’s interesting fleet. I don’t know how many airlines still exist which operate both a 737-200 and 727-200 in scheduled commercial passenger service. Plenty they are not. In addition to a photography-friendly policy aboard the plane and on the ground it is a great way to fly and maybe also say goodbye to those types.

I total, my itinerary MUC-MXP-GRU-VVI-LPB was a total success. In addition to flying the 722 and 732 I also tried out TAM on their currently stored A340-500. Neither did I encounter significant delays nor greater inconveniences throughout the trip. I hope you enjoyed following me on this little journey.

Thank you for reading!

Feedback is greatly appreciated.

Great report. Reminds me of similar flights on Aerocontinente in 2003.

Good job once again! It's always good when one is able to get a ride on one of the old birds, and if the actual experience can't happen, then reports like these are the next best thing!

In accordance with the way these trips have odd ways of connecting people, I am obligated to relay a couple of tidbits:

1. It's no small secret that the 727 is a rare and excellent find; it's obviously the crunchiest of carrots dangling in front of my face at this moment.

2. The most interesting thing was this:

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): Then, the bird was registered in the US as N1PC and started flying for Frontier.

The first picture caught my eye; I'd recognize that elk anywhere! He would later be named Montana. He currently graces an A318 and an A320 for Frontier, both of which I've had the pleasure of flying on. It's nice to know that (in spirit, anyway) there's a third Montana still plying the skies! And people think history is boring...

Keep the good work coming, okay?   

Hi volvair,

excellent third part of your series! You were really lucky to get both the 732 and the 722 in these days! And Aerosur doesn't even belong to those many obscure operators out there.

I had the pleasure to fly on a 732 exactly one week ago in Indonesia...more than seven years after the last flight on that type. And the plane was in immaculate condition.

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): Their other aircraft flying to LPB are a 737-200, 737-400 and 727-200. Great, seeing as they operate only one of each the chances were not too bad to catch a rare classic.

They have four 737-300s in service.

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): Having started flying a little more frequently only a couple of years ago (the odd holiday charter flight with my parents aside), there was absolutely no way for me to get on a 727 so far.

I flew on IB's 722 shortly before the type was retired. My travel partner and I even managed to get jumpseats for landing at BCN! Amazing experience!

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): Not the shiniest plane around

As usual...but you also find really dirty KLM now. Just noticed that last week before boarding a KL 77W.

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): The bird was first delivered in November 1978 to the government of the United Arab Emirates and flew or it as A6-HHK and A6-AAA until 1995.

A6-HHK was never taken up.

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): Simple paper, no plastic for the bread.

Yes, why not? There's enough plastic everywhere.

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): Although the bread was too soft and too dry for my taste, the meat, sauce and veggies made for a great eat.

That looks interesting!

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): Interestingly, it lists two 727s, but I only know of one active one.

My source, ATDB, shows "MRO/conversion at CBB" for CP-2515. And the status of CP-2424 is "damaged at VVI". So who knows which plane they are referring to.

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): Mid-October, AeroSur has put a third 737-300 into service which does not feature a special livery (yet?).

That's already the fourth frame it seems.

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): After immigration I said goodbye to my American seatmate who just had to fork out 135 $ for his visa. I, as citizen of an EU member, can enter Bolivia for 90 days for free.

Wow, that's a rip off! What do they do to Bolivians in the US?

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): After Laker ceased operations the bird was taken up by now defunct Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano (LAB) where it flew as CP-2463 from 2005-2007.

It was also shortly leased out to Ecuatoriana.

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): Taking photos on the tarmac was not a problem at all, on the contrary: there were even ground staff members taking pictures for passengers.

Very good!

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): I total, my itinerary MUC-MXP-GRU-VVI-LPB was a total success. In addition to flying the 722 and 732 I also tried out TAM on their currently stored A340-500. Neither did I encounter significant delays nor greater inconveniences throughout the trip.

That was an amazing trip! Hopefully we don't have to wait too long for your next adventure.


PH

Hi volvair!

congrats scoring both very interesting aircraft types on Aerosur. I envy you with the 727, I think a lot of others do here. Would love to get on this bird also, although it seems a mission impossible for me with no plans to travel to South America. The 732 is nice also, but a bit less special with still numerous examples flying around. Isn't the landing great on the 732 when the engine reverser gets in action during braking?  
Lovely pics btw, they give a good overview. Catering on your flights seems to be ok too!

Eric

Buenos dias volvair,

What an awesome experience & report: catching 2 classics on 1 day is really something. I must as well agree on the AeroSur liveries: they look very inviting. I guess it would’ve even been greater experiencing the VVI-LPB flight in daylight but you can’t have it all… I as well have logged these 2 classics some years ago: 727 on Aviacsa (now defunct) from Cancun to Mexico DF and 732 on Aerocontinente (defunct as well) from Cuzco to Lima. If I had known, I had taken some photos   For the rest I hope you have settled in nicely and don’t have too much problems with altitude sickness.

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): The check-in desks were manned by two ladies.

   Pun intended?

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): I started making my case but I was quickly interrupted by the agent “You need stamp! Stamp you need!”

When it comes to things like that, their English is nearly perfect lol!

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): But seriously, 1430 boarding time for a 1600 departure!?! Notice also the departure tax sticker and the handwritten “G3”, meaning I was in the third boarding group.

That feels like you are about to board a fully loaded A380, iso a 732. They obviously wanted to to be at the gate in time.

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): Oh my, hello there!

Awesome engine ain’t it?

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): There she is!

Looking gorgeous in the evening light.

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): I had to use those stairs of course!

Great! And even the stairs are lit.

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): A nice atmosphere in the cabin

Looks like the ‘mood lighting’ is on!

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): I hope you enjoyed following me on this little journey

I certainly did, thanks again.

Sultanils

Hi volvair!

Great tripreport!

Really nice equipment on your two flights with Aerosur, I am very jealous!
I hope I ever get to fly atleast one of the two aircrafts featured in your report!

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): You can watch the landing and hear the roaring sound of the engines here:

Got to love those thrust reversers.

Martin

Great to see some comments here!

Hi OB1783P

Quoting OB1783P (Reply 2): Great report.

Thanks, I'm glad you liked it!



Hi Tigerguy, thanks for drooping by

Quoting Tigerguy (Reply 3): and if the actual experience can't happen, then reports like these are the next best thing!

Well I don't want you to give up now as....

Quoting Tigerguy (Reply 3): 1. It's no small secret that the 727 is a rare and excellent find; it's obviously the crunchiest of carrots dangling in front of my face at this moment.

...the carrot is not going to stay fresh and crunchy forever  

Quoting Tigerguy (Reply 3): Keep the good work coming, okay?

I'll try!



Hallo PH,

Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 4): excellent third part of your series!

thanks!

Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 4): I had the pleasure to fly on a 732 exactly one week ago in Indonesia

Merpati? Batavia? Or some other airline I forget right now? But great! And looking forward to your trip report of course.

Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 4): They have four 737-300s in service.

Yes, I meant in addition to the originally scheduled 737-300s.

Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 4): My travel partner and I even managed to get jumpseats for landing at BCN!

Wow, envy! But clearly those were better times back then for aviation enthuiasts.

Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 4): A6-HHK was never taken up.

Thanks for all the clarifications. Clearly I have to change my source  

Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 4): That's already the fourth frame it seems.

  

Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 4): Wow, that's a rip off! What do they do to Bolivians in the US?

A minimum fee of 140 $, if I'm not mistaken.



Hi Eric,

Quoting airbuseric (Reply 5): congrats scoring both very interesting aircraft types on Aerosur

thank you  

Quoting airbuseric (Reply 5): Isn't the landing great on the 732 when the engine reverser gets in action during braking?

That was definitely the best part of the flight!

Quoting airbuseric (Reply 5): Catering on your flights seems to be ok too!

Yes, their concept seems comparable to full service European carriers.



Hi Martijn, thanks for dropping by,

Quoting CrimsonNL (Reply 6): Thanks for sharing.

You're very welcome.



Hoi Nils,

Quoting sultanils (Reply 7): but you can’t have it all

I'm trying to get on some domestic flights here, so maybe another chance for a great LPB approach by day.

Quoting sultanils (Reply 7): For the rest I hope you have settled in nicely and don’t have too much problems with altitude sickness.

Thank you. No problems at all, I even participated in a 10km race up here last weekend  

Quoting sultanils (Reply 7): I certainly did, thanks again.

You're welcome!



Hi deltamartin,

Quoting deltamartin (Reply 8): Great tripreport!

Thanks!

Quoting deltamartin (Reply 8): I hope I ever get to fly atleast one of the two aircrafts featured in your report!

Well, at least for the 732 there are still a lot of opportunities around, and not only in developing countries.

Hi Volvair!

Thanks for a very interesting trip report! Finally got the pictures to work by using Chrome browser rather than Internet Exploerer.

Very rare to see a trip report on the 732 and even rarer on the 727! You were very lucky !

It seems that AeroSur is a airline that really prides themselves for their very unique fleet.

I had my last 727 flight on a United 727 in 1885.......and last 732 flight on 19Jan01 on Aloha.

Looking forward to your next report!

The777Man

Hi Lars,

great it worked now!

Quoting The777Man (Reply 10): You were very lucky !

Oh yes indeed I was!

Quoting The777Man (Reply 10): I had my last 727 flight on a United 727 in 1885

Wow, you beat the Wright Brothers to it   But seriously, if you fancy a farewell ride, Bolivia seems to be one of the best places to catch a 727, with the Air Force Airline TAM (Transporte Aéreo Militar) also operating a 727 since October.

Always GREAT to read such fantastic TR about exotic aircrafts...

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): Business class

Quoting volvair (Reply 1): A row of seats

Very funny to see the interior of the B732 AND B722- both interiors are partly taken over from defunct MEXICANA (must be pretty cheap to buy 2nd hand)!!

View Large View Medium Photo © Ricardo Morales - flyAPM

View Large View Medium Photo © Fabrizio Fresia

[Edited 2011-11-09 10:36:18]

Did you feel sick in LaPaz because of the altitude?

Wow $135 for a Visa. I don't know how much the USA charges; I am guessing a lot too.

I would be too scared to fly on a 34 year old plane after what happened to ALOHA with metal fatigue.

Hi volvair,

wow, what a great report and of course congratulation on logging two such rare plane types, very nice. Good to read something about Aerosur as well, I have seen their B747 "Super Torisimo" in MAD recently and wondered how they are. These liveries are really great, good idea to have a special livery on each bird. Interesting story here about the bufeo  

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): It starts out with the wrapping. Simple paper, no plastic for the bread. And what lovely wrapped little chocolate dessert!

Sandwich looks indeed nice, interesting filling. And good that they don't use plastic here, no need if the sandwich is fresh.

Quoting volvair (Reply 1): There she is!

Beautiful as well. Wonder if there is also a story about that livery, but well, looks a bit abstract though, so probably not. I have only one flight on the 727 in my log, back in the 90s between ORD and STL on United, also a memorable flight because I experienced my first (and so far only) go around on this flight.

Quoting volvair (Reply 1): I had to use those stairs of course!

For sure the best way to board such a classic.

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): Going down from the plain into the valley that houses La Paz for the first time is an unforgettable sight. I hope to add some destination pics in a future report.

Yes, please do so. I don't know why, but La Paz is one of the places in the world I always dreamed about visiting, but never managed to do so. It has such an exotic sound to it, with the location high in the mountains, and nearby lake Titicaca. Did you have problems with the altitude there?

Thank you again for this report and looking forward to read more about your adventures  
CaptainRed

Hi, O.,

let me say, you´re a really lucky guy to catch these plane types these days, really, really lucky.

Superb pictures to cover a part of the world where I´ve never been till now.
Aerosur is definitely something out of the ordinay, saw a 747 the last time at MAD, also with a stunning livery.

Well done, looking for more southern american adventures.

Greetings,
Markus(FLIEGER67)

Original report on A/Cs which will disappear very soon probably. the 737 C/S is awesome. the (beef?) sandwich looks really good.


Many thanks for the insight of Bolivia classic collection

Great to see more replies!


Hi debonair,

Quoting debonair (Reply 12): both interiors are partly taken over from defunct MEXICANA

That's pretty cool! Thanks for the info.



Hi lychemsa, thanks for commenting,

Quoting lychemsa (Reply 13): I would be too scared to fly on a 34 year old plane after what happened to ALOHA with metal fatigue.

Well, that's why there's seatbelts  



Hola CapitanoRojo  

Quoting CaptainRed (Reply 14): wow, what a great report and of course congratulation on logging two such rare plane types, very nice.

Thank you!

Quoting CaptainRed (Reply 14): , but La Paz is one of the places in the world I always dreamed about visiting

Do so! It really is a city of its own kind and the culture and the surroundings are stunning.



Hallo Markus, thanks for dropping by,

Quoting FLIEGER67 (Reply 15): really lucky

Quoting FLIEGER67 (Reply 15): really, really lucky

I do consider myself lucky. But I would have done anything to log those types while in Bolivia, getting them "for free", so to say, is great. Saves me some weekends and money.



Hi eastafspot,

Quoting eastafspot (Reply 16): Many thanks for the insight of Bolivia classic collection

You're very welcome.


And regarding the altitude,

Quoting lychemsa (Reply 13): Did you feel sick in LaPaz because of the altitude?

Quoting CaptainRed (Reply 14): Did you have problems with the altitude there?

Disregarding the first night when I woke up a couple of times, gasping for breath (which is perfectly normal), no problems at all. I knew, however, that I would not face serious problems as I was doing sports at 3500m before. Also, my doctor cleared me for it. Apparently, having sufficient iron in the blood is important to rebuild red blood cells. Also, doing some cardio exercises beforehand and being well hydrated helps of course.

Quoting volvair (Reply 11): Wow, you beat the Wright Brothers to it

Ooops !

LOL! I;m not quite that oldL)

That should have been 1995.

Thanks again fro the nice report!

The777Man

Fantastic report. Amazing where plane start, and where they end up. Thanks for taking the adventure and taking us along.

Saludos,
A.

Quoting The777Man (Reply 18): Ooops !

 



Hi A., thanks for commenting!

Quoting abrelosojos (Reply 19): Fantastic report.

Thanks!

Quoting abrelosojos (Reply 19): Amazing where plane start, and where they end up.

Well, this is a huge part of the fun of flying on older planes, especially when there are still signs of former operators.

Quoting abrelosojos (Reply 19): Thanks for taking the adventure and taking us along.

You're very welcome!

Very interesting report, thanks! Great that you managed two fairly rare aircraft. I did the 727 once in 2004 with Syrian flying Aleppo to Damascus (for around USD 20 in Business class!). The 732 I did quite a fer times with Ryanair from LTN-DUB back in the day of their logojets:
https://www.airliners.net/photo/Ryana...d=4d2efd27b1d395861fa85d268398e119

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): CP-2561 “Bufeo”

Looks very colourful!

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): And then the sandwich itself!

It looks like it has tenticles. Good that it tasted ok though

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): The boarding call consisted of an airline staff member simply yelling “La Paz”.

That reminds me of Almaty airport, with the staff yelling the boarding flights!

Hi Volvair,

Now what an excellent and amazing trip report! You certianly had your (or your company's?) moneys worth of experiences here. Not only did you log one but two very hard to get and rare classic birds on that same trip plus one very exotic carrier as well. Just loved the whole report, thank you very much for posting it (and after that teaser in FB you bet I've been waiting for it!  ).

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): Terminal 2 FIDS. Flight shows up as on time. Also notice the other flight to Bolivia, BoA to Cochabamba.

Hmm, why are there domestic flights shown here as well? One stop services to international destinations?

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): I decided to head airside immediately to balance the budget with some lounge booze.

Hey, that's my style! Well done.

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): Now, this made me excited: CHG EQUIP

Interesting that they print this on the boarding pass. Also very interesting to see that apparently you had a smoking seat - did people actually smoke onboard or was it forbidden like everywhere else?

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): And a first glimpse of my plane

Wow, nice livery!

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): Yes! It’s CP-2561, “Bufeo”, AeroSur’s last 737-200 in operation

Congratulations! Never flown on one (well, not on a 727 either) - would love to catch such a ride!

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): My row of seats

Those seats definitely aren't the original ones in this bird!

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): I opted for a red wine which turned out to be Kohlberg, which is an omnipresent wine in Bolivia. The bottle comes in at around 5€/7$. And, unsurprisingsly, too tasty it wasn’t

Are soft drinks free? Interesting name on that wine - sounds Deutsch to me.

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): And then the sandwich itself!

Looking good!

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): Some screenshots from the Video:

I just love those bucket style reverses - so cool and the sounds must be amazing!

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): Santa Cruz de la Sierra – Viru Viru International Airport

I've always loved the name of this airport (and before I knew it always wondered about the VVI code!). Viru is BTW "Estonia" in Estonian  .

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): chabamba leaving. As we were the only international arrival at that time, immigration was painless. After immigration I said goodbye to my American seatmate who just had to fork out 135 $ for his visa.

Ouch! That is steep - just like the 100 dollars for a Brazilian or Turkish visa...

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): FIDS @ VVI

Interesting to see all the three flights so close together.

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): Taking photos on the tarmac was not a problem at all, on the contrary: there were even ground staff members taking pictures for passengers. Great for me. I was snapping away.

Hey, that's so nice. Just like in Colombia - nobody cared.

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): I had to use those stairs of course!

But of course - just boarded an SAS MD-82 a few days ago that way, that is just so nice.

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): A row of seats

Now these look like good old classic seats!

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): The lower you get, the more affluent the population.

Heh, on many places it is exactly the opposite - you have nice villas up there on the hillsides.

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): In contrast to the 30 degrees centigrade we had in La Paz we were now down to about 4 degrees. Still, I walked slowly to arrivals as my body was not used to this height.

Sounds like the contrast between Medellin and Bogota I experienced on my recent trip to Colombia. The altitude can certainly do some weird things to temperatures and to you as well - I experienced this first hand at Bogota which is "only" 2600 meters above sea level.

Quoting volvair (Thread starter): I total, my itinerary MUC-MXP-GRU-VVI-LPB was a total success. In addition to flying the 722 and 732 I also tried out TAM on their currently stored A340-500. Neither did I encounter significant delays nor greater inconveniences throughout the trip. I hope you enjoyed following me on this little journey.

I most certainly did! Hope to see more stuff from you, maybe some nice domestic flights in Bolivia or the return trip (although it doesn't sound like you are going back anytime soon, are you?). All in all your outbound journey was definitely one worth reading about and a huge success in rare aircraft types - a 345, 732 and a 727 - WOW!

Great to see some more replies!


Hi Gabriel, thanks for commenting!

Quoting gabrielchew (Reply 21): I did the 727 once in 2004 with Syrian flying Aleppo to Damascus (for around USD 20 in Business class!).

Wow, what a great fare!

Quoting gabrielchew (Reply 21): The 732 I did quite a fer times with Ryanair from LTN-DUB back in the day of their logojets:

It's sad to see how quickly those planes seem to have gone.



Hi FF, thanks for stopping by,

Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 22): Now what an excellent and amazing trip report

Thanks a lot!

Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 22): You certianly had your (or your company's?) moneys worth of experiences here.

All on my own dime, albeit supported by the German taxpayer   Totally worth it, highly recommendable and not at all expensive in comparison to the standard MUC-LPB fares.

Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 22): thank you very much for posting it

You're very welcome.

Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 22): Hmm, why are there domestic flights shown here as well

I think it's abused as a general departure board.

Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 22): Also very interesting to see that apparently you had a smoking seat

Notice the "NO" on the boarding pass in the line below. But I was also a little puzzled by the boarding pass layout.

Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 22): did people actually smoke onboard or was it forbidden like everywhere else?

Of course it was a 100% non-smoking flight.

Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 22): would love to catch such a ride!

There's still time and a lot of carriers in South America boasting large fleets and therefore good chances not to fall victim to a last-minute aircraft swap. Maybe your visit to Colombia has whet your appetite for a return to S/A. And, you know, those left populist regimes make for ultra-low domestic airfares  

Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 22): Are soft drinks free?

Actually I quoted the retail price of the wine here in Bolivia. All drinks on AeroSur are free.

Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 22): Interesting name on that wine - sounds Deutsch to me.

Yes, there is and there has been quite a large German presence here in Bolivia.

Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 22): maybe some nice domestic flights in Bolivia

The plans are there.

Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 22): or the return trip

I will definitely post it. Although it won't be as spectacular as the outbound. But at least one new airline for me.

Quoting FlyingFinn76 (Reply 22): although it doesn't sound like you are going back anytime soon, are you?

Before Christmas already.

Thanks for sharing!!! Excelent TR! I love the 732, I flew them with CM when they used to have it and most recently on Peruvian Airlines.

I hope you enjoy your stay in Bolivia and don´t forget to visit neighboring Peru  

Adam

great report! also I am quite often in Bolivia never made it so far to use 5L, normally travelling on BOA...


looks like that I have to go in the next days to Bolivia and I am crossing my fingers to get also still the 727, well I was on board of many 727 (LH, MM, AV, DL) but would be nice to once again on a board of a 727

Quoting volvair (Reply 23): Yes, there is and there has been quite a large German presence here in Bolivia.

absolutelty, in Santa Cruz is a big German School and the German colony in LPB is either not small.

Good to see some more comments!


Hi Checo77,

Quoting Checo77 (Reply 24): Thanks for sharing!

You are welcome.

Quoting Checo77 (Reply 24): I hope you enjoy your stay in Bolivia and don´t forget to visit neighboring Peru

Thank you. Unfortuanetaly I probably won't make it to Peru for longer than one or two days. But next time!


Hi Avianca,

Quoting Avianca (Reply 25): never made it so far to use 5L, normally travelling on BOA

No wonder. 5L prices are often double of what you pay for BoA.

Quoting Avianca (Reply 25): but would be nice to once again on a board of a 727

I wish you good luck with that!

Hi volvair

Nice continuation of your trip repoprt!
727+732! What else can a man being want    . Maybe a reason to go to South America once  !
What caught my attention was the smoking section on your boarding passes! Now that's really rare!

Greetings
Marc

Hi M., thanks for commenting!

Quoting MSS658 (Reply 27): Nice continuation of your trip repoprt!

Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Quoting MSS658 (Reply 27): What else can a man being want

Well I could name a couple of things. But it is not too far from the top of the list.  

Quoting MSS658 (Reply 27): What caught my attention was the smoking section on your boarding passes!

Yes, as previously mentioned they have a strange BP layout.

Great report!

Getting to fly both of these classic birds on one trip make a highlight to the whole itinerary IMO, superb!

I saw the 727 when @ GRU earlier in the year, I remember think I wish I had more time to take a side trip in, oh well  

The Smiles lounge as you say is nothing to write home about, the F&B offerings are pretty poor and the lack of views of anything make it quite a dull place - plus lack of power outlets too!

Cheers

Mark

Hi Mark, thanks for commenting!

Quoting ba319-131 (Reply 29): Great report!

Thank you!

Quoting ba319-131 (Reply 29): Getting to fly both of these classic birds on one trip make a highlight to the whole itinerary

Definitely. This day will be hard to top in the future!

Quoting ba319-131 (Reply 29): The Smiles lounge as you say is nothing to write home about, the F&B offerings are pretty poor and the lack of views of anything make it quite a dull place - plus lack of power outlets too!

I have access with Diners Club so I don't expect too much from the lounges anyway and I am already satisfied when I have some space to work or skype, free beverages and something to nibble on. But I don't get it why LH/LX etc. still dump their Elite passengers in there. After all Varig hasn't been a member of Star for some time now. At least the lounge was not too crowded when I was there.

Great trip report!

Quoting volvair (Reply 1): I had to use those stairs of course!

I haven't had the opportunity to use those stairs in probably 15 years. Last time was when a TWA 727 diverted and I had to get the pilot to sign the fuel slip. Not many people in the US have been able to use those stairs, so good for you!

The last 732 I flew on was one of AS's Combi's before they retired them. I remember now that the lavatory had both English and Arabic directions on the refuse bin. I don't remember shelves though in the lavatory.

Great report, not only into your flights and the aircraft used, but also as Abrelosojos has indicated "Amazing where plane start, and where they end up" Those Aero Sur jets are truly colourful, especially that B747-400 Super Torisimo jet!!

Hi Volvair,

excellent on so many levels! And much luck on the equipment change.

Once, many years ago, before I started making note of things like aircraft types and reges, I had a flight ASU-VVI-LPB on TAM Mercosur and Lloyd Aero Boliviano. I'm sure the 2nd leg of this was on a 727, though I can't remember for sure (it was 2001). I do vaguely remembre connecting in VVI, and going landside. As we had arrived internationally and departing domestically, we were actually excused the departure tax (about $5 at the time, not much anyway).

I hope you enjoyed your time in Bolivia, I know I certainly did!

Thanks again,

signol

Great to see some more comments here!


Hi canoecarrier, thank you for your feedback,

Quoting canoecarrier (Reply 31): Great trip report!

Thanks!

Quoting canoecarrier (Reply 31): Not many people in the US have been able to use those stairs, so good for you!

Yes, I was very glad they did not use a jetway in VVI+LPB

Quoting canoecarrier (Reply 31): The last 732 I flew on was one of AS's Combi's before they retired them.

Sounds exciting! Hard to get on a combi a/c here in Europe.



Hi flightsimboy, thanks for dropping a few lines,

Quoting flightsimboy (Reply 32): Great report

Thank you very much!



Hi signol, thanks for commenting!

Quoting signol (Reply 33): excellent on so many levels!

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Quoting signol (Reply 33): I'm sure the 2nd leg of this was on a 727, though I can't remember for sure

LAB has also been operating 733s at that time, so one can't be sure from the fleet data alone.

Quoting signol (Reply 33): I hope you enjoyed your time in Bolivia, I know I certainly did!

I'm definitely enjoying it here. Bolivia is a great country.

Breathe ... Breathe ... Breathe ... ok this is too much for me ... you got a.net lottery 345 732 727 TAM AeroSur plus S.America ... I am not jealous ... no no I am not jealous guy ... no no ... another comes   ... ok ok it must be everyday boring flight with OU ...lets see ...hihiihih stipica  

Wow, I was really looking forward to this part of your report!

I have a friend whose mother lives in S. C. de la Sierra and he always invites me to go with him, but for one or another reason I never went. We live in São Paulo and he always fly Aerosur when visiting his mom.

I loved the classic interiors of the planes!! And how about the old AA clothing on that 727 seats! That was awesome!
So was the boarding thru the rear of this aircraft!

That magazine is also a very nice feature and follows the funky style of the airline color schemes.

The signs in Arabic in the 732 reminded me of my flights with Transbrasil. They had 2 767-300 that were ex-Gulf Air and some signs were still in Arabic. As I had to go to Orlando many times, I flew those planes a lot... just history now.

Anyway, flying Aerosur is in my to do list. And I'm really glad to read your good experience with Aerosur!

Rgs!
TR763

Hi stipica, calm down please  

Quoting stipica (Reply 35): you got a.net lottery 345 732 727 TAM AeroSur plus S.America

Oh yes, I was quite lucky indeed!



TR763, thanks for your feedback!

Quoting TR763 (Reply 36): Anyway, flying Aerosur is in my to do list.

Oh yes, try to tick that one off and go to Bolivia!

Quoting TR763 (Reply 36): I loved the classic interiors of the planes!!

Yes, the whole experience of flying on those clasics is definitely something special.

Hi Volvair,

Great voyage! I must admit I was a bit lazy in reading your TR but I wish I read it before now that I'm at the end of it. I loved, as for your other Bolivian adventure, how your words described and let us feel the experience of flying classic airplanes on a exotic airline in a place that isn't very well represented here on A.net. Very enjoyable indeed.

Now, on to plane talking, I am absolutely envious of you! Scoring a 727 and a 737-200 is a great stroke of luck... Personally I've seen - not even boarded, just seen! - two 727's, one at LHR (most probably a private bird parked in front of BA cargo's canteen) and another one sporting the colours of some courier airline. Most probably your TR will be the closest to boarding one I'll ever go!

Looking forward to read some more stories!

Fabrizio

Hi Fabrizio,

thank you for your comments here as well.

Quoting JL418 (Reply 38): I loved, as for your other Bolivian adventure, how your words described and let us feel the experience of flying classic airplanes on a exotic airline in a place that isn't very well represented here on A.net. Very enjoyable indeed.

Good to hear that. Glad to bring you along on this journey.

Quoting JL418 (Reply 38): Scoring a 727 and a 737-200 is a great stroke of luck...

You don't need to tell me!

Quoting JL418 (Reply 38): Most probably your TR will be the closest to boarding one I'll ever go!

Don't say that. Boarding one should not be too hard (think plane museums), taking off in one will be much more difficult  .

Great report!!!

Funny to see after all this time and since 5L took delivery (2003) all those 727s with Mexicana's nice and best seats they had.

What a shame to see them go.

g77