Hello A.netters!

This report covers my inbound flight from EZE to MIA flying with AR.- I know AR is not what we consider a good airline but, it's our airline and I got a feeling for her.- Also, it covers the second flight of the trip with American to MCO... It's actually a funny story so but more about it later.-

December 7th 2012.

We traveled to Buenos Aires from my city, it's a 4hs ride and as there are no flight to my home town you have to do it by road.- As we went to downtown first, we got into a 10km traffic jam because there was some kind of protest.- Finally we were in Terminal C where my aunt was waiting for us.- After saying goodbye to my father we went down to the check-in desk.-

Check In desks


Terminal C.- It's dedicated to Aerolineas Argentinas and Skyteam members.-


Our plane, old Airbus A340-300


Waiting zone


Plane seats


Last addition to the fleet, A343 with the new livery, don't you love it ?


Once we were onboard we kept wating for 30mins when the captain spoke and said thats there was a problem with airport's radar and that we were suposed to depart in 20 from that moment.- Plane was scheduled for 23:35 but it took off at 1:00am

Boring movie in the shared screens


Soon, the dinner was ready and there were 2 options, chicken or pasta. I chose pasta.-


Route's map


Seat pitch was fine


IFE controls


Sunrise


Almost over Jamaica


1:30 before landing, breakfast was there


AR magazine, "Alta"


Fleet


Security


Cabin before landing


So, we landed in Miami at 8:40am, 2hs later.- We had a plane to catch at 9:40.- But life isn't so easy.- When we were at passport control we had to go through divided, in one party my aunt and in the other party my mom, my sister and I.- The passport controller was checking our visas, she said mine was okay but she asked if my mom and sister were actually women because in their visas it says MALE! As my mom doesnt speak english I had to explain that they actually were women and the there was a mistake in their visas.- She understood and told us to follow her.- We went to an office of Customs and Border Protection and we go stucked in a cell for the next 3hs. Believe it or not...

The cell:


Our toilet for the stay


After our little visit to "jail" we went to American's Airlines terminal and explained to the girl at check in desk our little problems... She said it was "okay" and gave us our boarding passes and we had to pay 25U$D for each baggage.-
As we didnt make it to the next flight, there were not seats in the next next one, we took the third one...

757 cabin


Cabin during disembarkation


Well I hope you enjoyed and hope you'll read part 2!

Gracias, Joaquin

Intersting trip Report Joaquin, especially the 'Cell'.!
Nice to see an AR Trip report.

waiting for part 2.

Regards

Hmmm... Interesting experience in MIA, Joaquin!

I hear it's the worst place to enter the States, so maybe you should avoid it in the future... In fact, I've yet to hear a good thing of MIA immigration.

Sucks to hear you've been put in a cell due to what I can only assume to be the US embassy's mistake (even if you had caught it in time, I can't imagine it being that easy to fix). Sorry you had to spend time in a cell...

Well, at least no problems with AA, props to them for this.

Cheers!

Unbelievable that you all had to stay 3 hours in a cell like that.
What did the officers told you when you were released??

Quoting newbief1yer (Reply 1): Intersting trip Report Joaquin, especially the 'Cell'.! Nice to see an AR Trip report.

Thank you newbif1er!

Quoting dc9northwest (Reply 2): I hear it's the worst place to enter the States, so maybe you should avoid it in the future... In fact, I've yet to hear a good thing of MIA immigration.

Yeah, but where is adventure ha?

Quoting dc9northwest (Reply 2): Well, at least no problems with AA, props to them for this.

Yes, points for them.-

Quoting TR763 (Reply 3): What did the officers told you when you were released??

That I will have to go to US embassy here in Buenos Aires and ask them to fix the problem.-

Well welcome to the USA.

What an experience. Interesting to read about AR. I flew them from Buenos Aires to Iguazu in 1978 on a B737.

Hello

Thanks for sharing this story, AR seems to be one of those love it or hate it carriers, let´s see if they get their act together and improve.

As for the MIA incident, well as someone else pointed MIA is not the best place to enter the US, I only did it 3 times (2 from CCS and 1 from LHR) and they were not really friendly at all, ATL and EWR were surprisingly better.

And the ¨jail¨ I think it was a bit too much.

MIAspotter

Interesting report on a seldom reviewed airline. Thanks.

Quoting joacocifuentes (Thread starter): I know AR is not what we consider a good airline but, it's our airline and I got a feeling for her.

They were world class in the 80s. Flew their 707s, 742s, 747SP, 737s, 727s. They had an amazing international F product back then. But, after a disastrous experience with them in 2010, I positively avoid them now. There´s a trip report here about it.

Quoting joacocifuentes (Thread starter): She understood and told us to follow her.- We went to an office of Customs and Border Protection and we go stucked in a cell for the next 3hs. Believe it or not...

Yeah. I spent 8hrs in that little cell in DFW. They did give us a subway and soda though.

Quoting joacocifuentes (Reply 4): That I will have to go to US embassy here in Buenos Aires and ask them to fix the problem.-

Good luck with that.

Quoting lychemsa (Reply 5): Well welcome to the USA.

Thanks Lychemsa! Iguazu is still operated by some 737-500/700 nowadays, also AR has a route covering EZE-IGR-GIG. Also I must say that LA and Andes Lineas Aereas have routes to/from IGR.-

Quoting MIAspotter (Reply 6): Thanks for sharing this story, AR seems to be one of those love it or hate it carriers, let´s see if they get their act together and improve.

Yes you are right! In my case I love it, no matter what haha.-

Quoting MIAspotter (Reply 6): As for the MIA incident, well as someone else pointed MIA is not the best place to enter the US, I only did it 3 times (2 from CCS and 1 from LHR) and they were not really friendly at all, ATL and EWR were surprisingly better.

I will take it that on account! Next time I'm flying to NYC or IAH.-

Quoting AR385 (Reply 7): They were world class in the 80s. Flew their 707s, 742s, 747SP, 737s, 727s. They had an amazing international F product back then. But, after a disastrous experience with them in 2010, I positively avoid them now. There´s a trip report here about it.

Yes! I wish I'd have been born in the 80's! I'll check down the report, thanks!

Quoting AR385 (Reply 7): Yeah. I spent 8hrs in that little cell in DFW. They did give us a subway and soda though.

Well, thats a lot of time ! Why ?

Quoting AR385 (Reply 7): But, after a disastrous experience with them in 2010, I positively avoid them now. There´s a trip report here about it.

Cant see the Trip Report AR385

I think the MIA immigration is not all that bad. Maybe my couple of experiences were just luck! While going to MIA many times from CDG,EZE,FRA,MAD,CCS, and LHR ive never encountered a problem but like I said maybe it was luck. They've seem to be quite friendly ..... until all the long-hauls from Europe and South America start to roll in. Then im sure every immigration officer gets a bit worked up. Great TR!  

[Edited 2013-02-21 06:16:14]

Quoting 4engines4lnghll (Reply 10): Then im sure every immigration officer gets a bit worked up. Great TR!

Yes! That's for sure haha.

Quoting newbief1yer (Reply 9): Cant see the Trip Report AR385

Journey: MTY-MDZ; Part 4 EZE-MDZ, AR 1420 Y (by AR385 Jan 25 2011 in Trip Reports)?threadid=183532&searchid=189920&s=Journey+MTY-MDZ+Part+3#ID189920

Quoting joacocifuentes (Reply 8): Well, thats a lot of time ! Why ?

It´s rather pretty technical, but back when I needed a VISA to enter the US in essence the INS, or (ICE) officer did not understand the TN1 VISA. Back then, because it might have changed nowadays, the regulations on that VISA gave me a certain amount of months to work legally per months of study. The agent was sure those months were supposed to be days. Something like that. So according to her, I was attempting to enter the US for work on a VISA that did not allow any more work. Even though my lawyers, the university and other agents explained to her how she was in the wrong, she was on her little power trip and made my life difficult for 8 hours

Nice report, thanks for sharing!
Always nice to see a report on AR, I love their new livery!
Sorry to hear about your experience with the MIA immigration, its mostly a "hit or miss" when clearing immigration in the USA..

cheers,

Brendan

Hola Joaquin !
so happy that you put this trip report together because the AR is so rarely on A.net ...

Quoting joacocifuentes (Thread starter): the new livery, don't you love it ?

yes one of the best ... with less politics AR have solid foundation to return to former glory

Quoting joacocifuentes (Thread starter): and we go stucked in a cell for the next 3hs. Believe it or not...

some sort of waiting room would be sufficient and more human ... I really do not understand why is cell only option ...

I expect with the years that you will become our regular correspondent from beautiful Argentina ... stipica  

Quoting joacocifuentes (Thread starter): She understood and told us to follow her.- We went to an office of Customs and Border Protection and we go stucked in a cell for the next 3hs

Shouldn't there be like a holding area but not a jail cell? IAD have one. Also if she understood and kept you and your family 3 hours in a cell what would have happened if she did not understood?

Quoting joacocifuentes (Thread starter): and we had to pay 25U$D for each baggage.-

I was under the impression if you are connecting from or to an international trip within 24 hours you do not pay for your luggage.

[Edited 2013-02-21 22:33:56]

Quoting SOBHI51 (Reply 15): Shouldn't there be like a holding area but not a jail cell? IAD have one. Also if she understood and kept you and your family 3 hours in a cell what would have happened if she did not understood?

You are sent back on the next departing flight to your home country.

Happend the same things to me 2 years ago, coming from BOG with AV i was keep in this Cell for 2hrs... really pleasant time ....

Wow I am entering the use through MIA for the first time next month and now that is scary.

Quoting adamspotter (Reply 13): Always nice to see a report on AR, I love their new livery!

I'm glad you like it Brendan!

Quoting stipica (Reply 14): so happy that you put this trip report together because the AR is so rarely on A.net ...

Yes I know! I am happy to contribute  

Quoting stipica (Reply 14): I expect with the years that you will become our regular correspondent from beautiful Argentina ... stipica

Thank you Stipica! Well, right now I'm about to upload a new TR, this one includes Copa Airlines EZE-PTY-ADZ, with new economy cabin with Sky Interior and PTV's.

Quoting SOBHI51 (Reply 15): I was under the impression if you are connecting from or to an international trip within 24 hours you do not pay for your luggage.

Yeah, I don't know why... May be because I bought suck a cheapie class haha

Quoting yultopei (Reply 17): Happend the same things to me 2 years ago, coming from BOG with AV i was keep in this Cell for 2hrs... really pleasant time ....

That's bad to hear yultopei

Quoting SCQ83 (Reply 18): Wow I am entering the use through MIA for the first time next month and now that is scary.

Don't be SCQ83! Are you an american citizen ? It happends mostly to people from Latinamerican countries, african, etc...

Thanks for this report! I've always wondered about their product on the MIA-EZE route. Looks like it's lagging behind competition for sure. I admire your passion for AR though!

Quoting joacocifuentes (Thread starter): She understood and told us to follow her.- We went to an office of Customs and Border Protection and we go stucked in a cell for the next 3hs. Believe it or not...

Sorry to hear about this unpleasant experience. With that said, I think you may have "lucked out" here. I believe it is the airline's responsiblity to make sure that all passengers have correctly met the entry requirements of the destination country. So theoretically, AR should have caught the visa mistake when you guys were checking-in at EZE and offloaded you from the flight. You would've had to sort it out with the embassy in Buenos Aires, which probably would have taken some time! While none of this was your fault by any means, I think I'd prefer a 3 hr wait in MIA than having to wait days to sort out the issue in Argentina.

Quoting MHTripple7 (Reply 20): Sorry to hear about this unpleasant experience. With that said, I think you may have "lucked out" here. I believe it is the airline's responsiblity to make sure that all passengers have correctly met the entry requirements of the destination country. So theoretically, AR should have caught the visa mistake when you guys were checking-in at EZE and offloaded you from the flight. You would've had to sort it out with the embassy in Buenos Aires, which probably would have taken some time! While none of this was your fault by any means, I think I'd prefer a 3 hr wait in MIA than having to wait days to sort out the issue in Argentina.

Maybe yes, but I rather want the cell !!!!! Hahaha, I know AR does not have what it takes to be THE airline, but it's our airline haha, also you know they are trying hard to come out from the terrible management that airline had from the 90's to 2010. So, i trust them haha, thank you for comment  

Hey

Interesting review thanks for sharing! Too bad to hear about the hiccup with CBP in MIA.
AR looks to have a dated product and would not take them for any long haul flight.

Greetings
Marc

Quoting MSS658 (Reply 22): Interesting review thanks for sharing! Too bad to hear about the hiccup with CBP in MIA. AR looks to have a dated product and would not take them for any long haul flight.

Hey, probably right ! Thank you for comment! Joaquin