Flight/Origin-Destination: AC 963 (BOG > YYZ)
Date: 23-Feb-2012
Cabin: J
Status: *A Gold (US CP)


Pre departure
Was check in quick and efficient? Yes. My first trip to BOG so the agent was specific and clear with navigation.

TIP: BEFORE check-in you have to get a Aeronautica Civil Exencion stamp and tax waiver. The desk is on the opposite wall from the airline check-in desks. #19 IIRC. No tax if your stay is under 30 days.

Did you use priority security (if eligible) and if so, was it quick and efficient? No priority line at BOG but for this 11:55 PM flight there was only a few people going through emmigration and security. I was told security and emmigration can take hours in BOG but that was not the case at all at 9:30 PM.

Did you use the Maple Leaf lounge and if so, any feedback in regards to service, food and drinks? Directed to the AA Admirals Lounge, also doubles as an AC and LH lounge. Dingy with a big "D" and truly with lousy food and drink offerings but WAY better than the terminal. TIP: knock on the wood panel above the alcohol display to get the attendant to open it up and replenish the bar. Many bottles were empty but they put more out on request (only). Perhaps this person is a bartender during the night but was hibernating at this late hour. On the upside, the lounge was quiet this time of night, mostly AC J-class passengers.

Was priority boarding offered (if applicable to your status) and efficient?
If there was a delay, did the gate agent provide timely updates? Yes. This was explained at check in - as opposed to the other post here on BOG, there was an agent and a sign at the front of the (long) line. She checked my BP and cut me into the front of the line.

Onboard - J cabin:
Were the crew professional & well groomed? Yes. Friendly, efficient, attractive all while retaining a professional demeanor. Had same crew on outbound - they too were in BOG for 2 days. They remembered all of us who were on the YYZ-BOG by name. The purser looked us up ahead of time.

If there was a delay, were you provided with timely updates? NA
Was the IFE activated on the ground? Yes
Was a pre-departure beverage offered on the ground? Yes, but horrid sparkling. Redeemed in the air with an excellent bottle from Reims.

Did crew offer to hang your jacket? Yes

Were newspapers & menus distributed and meal orders taken (Please specify when meal orders were taken - on the ground or in the air)? Newspapers and menus circulated on the ground. Declined both snacks on this overnight flight. One glass of champagne and slept soundly, undisturbed, for 5 hours.

Did crew offer a hot towel prior to the meal service? NA

Approximately how long after take off did it take for the first meal service to be completed? (From takeoff to all items collected) NA

How was the quality of all the meals? NA, but see my outbound report for a glowing review.

Did the cabin crew continiously top up the beverage of your choice throughout the flight? NA

Post departure
If you have checked baggage, did it arrive within reasonable period of time? NA

Overall experience/any other comments:
Can't say enough good things about the crew. Same team both directions and equally great. They appeared to enjoy their job (rare for FAs) and interacted professionally but friendly with the passengers. Not a single complaint.

An otherwise pleasant trip ended with extreme frustration. My YYZ-PIT flight was cancelled resulting in a 3 hour fiasco requiring me to run all over the terminal and deal with nasty UA agents. Read about it elsewhere.