I’ve been living in Colombia since February this year. Just before moving here, I had already spent the previous 2 years living in South America.
I'm jealous!
Quote:
Originally Posted by skyteamelite
But the domestic flights record has just been appalling. Always late, no announcements made to justify or explain delay, a couple of cancellations, overbooking, etc.
I have been at the airport where they canceled my flight and moved me to the next one, canceled that one too, and moved me to the next one, all to save money and consolidate passengers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by skyteamelite
But whenever I can, I choose P5 (100% owned and managed by CM) for domestic flights. Their service is impeccable, I accrue CO/CM OP miles flying them
I flew P5 this year and was very impressed. The first rows of the E190 had very good leg room and the crew was very friendly. And of course they were on time. I struggle with trying to make up my mind to move to CO/CM/P5 or stay with AA/AV. One factor in staying with AV is that I can fly from the US and connect in COL for a few days en route to LIM and there is hardly an additional cost. CM's website prices this itinerary with the middle leg COL-LIM at full Y. How is your upgrade rate on CM?
I was disgusted at the cost of trying to use my AV miles for a trip LIM-CTG-LIM. Now that LIM is considered zone 1, it would have cost 30,000 miles for 2 people plus an additional $358 in taxes and fees. It took me a long time to earn 30,000, so forget it!
Location: World Citizen (currently NYC, Colombia, London)
Programs: AF/KL Gold (Elite+); CO Gold; LH Senator; AV Platinum; BA; TA
Posts: 58
Quote:
Originally Posted by AdamSouthFL
I struggle with trying to make up my mind to move to CO/CM/P5 or stay with AA/AV. One factor in staying with AV is that I can fly from the US and connect in COL for a few days en route to LIM and there is hardly an additional cost. CM's website prices this itinerary with the middle leg COL-LIM at full Y.
I can understand that... If I were in your position, I would probably prefer AV (or AA/AV combo) too. A couple of days in CTG or SMR en route to somewhere else never hurt
Quote:
Originally Posted by AdamSouthFL
How is your upgrade rate on CM?
I don't know if I've been very lucky or they're particularly good, but it has been 100% so far, since I have been OP Elite (and I'm Gold, not even Plat)!!! I have never flown CM on their longest routes to be fair. However, on BOG-PTY-BOG, and from PTY to UIO, GYE, HAV, CCS (can't recall any other right now) I have always been upgraded!
What I love about CM is that, as long as there are empty seats in their Clase Ejecutiva cabin, they'll upgrade OP Elite passengers in Y. For me, the upgrade has always been confirmed automatically by their booking system - as I logged on to check in online, I could see I'd been opped-up already. However, on most flights they also upgrade people after boarding, just before doors close... One CM GROUND staff comes onboard, calls the lucky Y passenger(s) to the front door, and assigns them their new seat. I've never looked into this, but it might be their policy with OP Silver Elite
Quote:
Originally Posted by AdamSouthFL
I was disgusted at the cost of trying to use my AV miles for a trip LIM-CTG-LIM. Now that LIM is considered zone 1, it would have cost 30,000 miles for 2 people plus an additional $358 in taxes and fees. It took me a long time to earn 30,000, so forget it!
I agree, it's ridiculous... I think I've only used my AV miles 3 times, very close to the travel date, when the normal ticket price was ridiculously high, but I still managed to find some award availability (possibly thanks to Elite status?)
I've never looked into this, but it might be their policy with OP Silver Elite
Yes, OP Silvers are in the running for upgrades, too. First PLT, then GLD, then Silvers. When I was CO PLT I got 100% upgrades on Copa, too. I've even had some empty J seats next to me, so I guess both Silvers have a good shot on CM, and also there are not too many Elites in Latin America.
And this is why I struggle... do I switch to CO/CM and have excellent chances at upgrades, but on a 737 and with connections? Or do I fly direct with AA and have a good chance at seat 17 on a 763? I am waiting to see CO's new charts when the join *A to see how it will look.
But at the same time I really think AV/TA alliance will begin to upgrade their Elites, too, just like TA does already. And if they do, I will most likely move most of my flying to them.
You both seem to have a lot of info about South American airlines. Have any of you flown EQ (TAME)? Are they good? I know they share their FFP with TA.
Do you think that this merger will affect DL or UA? UA is a TA partner while DL is with AV. Maybe they both can remain partners in the new program? It seems to work well for AS which has agreements with both AA and DL.
I'm just a layman, but if I were Copa, wouldn't I want to join Star Alliance fast so that I could benefit from all those *A flyers that would want to earn EQM on my airline? AV/TA are positioning themselves well by aligning with carriers across multiple alliances. By the time CM is ready to join, if they do, who will care?
I'm just a layman, but if I were Copa, wouldn't I want to join Star Alliance fast so that I could benefit from all those *A flyers that would want to earn EQM on my airline? AV/TA are positioning themselves well by aligning with carriers across multiple alliances. By the time CM is ready to join, if they do, who will care?
Isn't Copa joining *A the same day as CO? I think the oficial start date of CO in *A is in a few days-- 10/27/09.
I am glad US wants codeshares with TA because now I will not have to join another FFP to use TA. I was thinking about signing up to UA but now I won't have to.
I am surprised that anyone likes the TA FFP. While earning miles is easy with bonuses, I find that trying to get upgrades is quite futile. The fare class that one needs to be eligible for a possible upgrade are not much less than booking business. Last week the roundtrip fare difference between the lowest eligible fare class and business was $79.
IMHO, it wouldn't be very smart of them not to join *A. They would lose the chance of being part of the largest global alliance together with their partner CO. And if TA starts codesharing with US, then there might be a chance that AV/TA (soon to be AV/TA/O6/2K/VIPSA) joins *A. And at that point, I really, really doubt that both CM and AV/TA/etc. could co-exist in the same alliance.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Open Jaw
Changing topic.. Anything on TAME?
I flew TAME on a weekly basis for 2 years (2006-2008). The acronym TAME means Transporte Aereo Militar Ecuatoriano - it is mostly owned by the Ecuadorian Armed Forced. They used to have a very old fleet (many 727) but they have now, at last, renewed it completely (they fly mostly brand new E190 and a couple of A319).
They are pretty efficient, on time (Ecuadorian weather allowing, especially for flights to Lago Agrio and Coca, in the Amazon region), and their on-board service is pretty good: comfy leather seats and snack with beverages on all of their flights, even when many of them last only 23-35 minutes!
They only have scheduled flights within Ecuador (excellent country coverage) plus a UIO-ESM-CLO flight. The good thing about the latter is that, being considered a "cross-border flight" (vuelo transfronterizo) as opposed to a regular international flight, passengers do not have to pay any exit tax to leave Ecuador, or Colombia if flying CLO-ESM-UIO. In contrast, they would have to pay exit tax if flying direct UIO-CLO or CLO-UIO.
Apart from scheduled services, TAME flies charters to CTG, ADZ and PTY (twice weekly on Thurs. and Sundays). Seats are sold only within packages including stays at Decameron all-inclusive resorts. TAME also has a weekly charter flight to HAV and operates other charters accoring to tour operators' needs (a common one is EZE).
In 2008, they started using the TA FFP, Distancia; one can accrue and redeem both award and status miles. They have also signed an agreement for a codeshare on the UIO-LIM-UIO flight operated by TA; however this has not been implemented yet.
A big change from the early nineties when they often substituted one of their camouflaged troop carriers for the scheduled passenger jet to Lago Agrio. You had to board through the rear roll-on/roll-off ramp and always wondered if they expected you to parachute out!
A big change from the early nineties when they often substituted one of their camouflaged troop carriers for the scheduled passenger jet to Lago Agrio. You had to board through the rear roll-on/roll-off ramp and always wondered if they expected you to parachute out!
I would parachute out in a heartbeat if there were maga bonus miles included!
I am surprised that anyone likes the TA FFP. While earning miles is easy with bonuses, I find that trying to get upgrades is quite futile. The fare class that one needs to be eligible for a possible upgrade are not much less than booking business. Last week the roundtrip fare difference between the lowest eligible fare class and business was $79.
You bring up a good point. And now that AV is offering their elites confirmed upgrades with the purchase of a SuperFlexi ticket (like CO does with Y and B fares), I bet this is here to stay post-merger. In other words, upgrades will be based on higher fare tickets.
Kriete* says TACA will continue pursuing Star Alliance membership, a process begun last year. Villegas+ adds Star "is the right thing" for TACA but Avianca at least for now plans to remain independent.
* TACA CEO Roberto Kriete
+ Avianca CEO Fabio Villegas
__________________
The above is only my opinion , it is entirely possible that I could be wrong ( it happened once before )
It would definitely be nice to see TACA (and COPA) in Star as soon as possible! Avianca would be a nice bonus too but I can see things getting crowded even with TACA and COPA. Still hopeful though, especially since it seems to work with multiple airlines in other regions.
What a change it would be for Star in Central/South America--from worst to first!
Location: World Citizen (currently NYC, Colombia, London)
Programs: AF/KL Gold (Elite+); CO Gold; LH Senator; AV Platinum; BA; TA
Posts: 58
Quote:
Originally Posted by MKE-MR
What a change it would be for Star in Central/South America--from worst to first!
Even if they only get CM in (which I really think they should and hope they will) their Central and South America coverage will be excellent, as TAM is joining *A too!
