So, I'll give the basic timeline of events; but first, for comparison, a trip booked with the 'Famously Unreliable' Aerolineas Argentinas, by way of comparison ...
09-Aug: Booked (Expedia): AEP-MDQ 19:15, 20-Oct; MDQ-AEP 07:35, 26-Oct;
13-Aug: Email from Expedia: Changed to AEP-MDQ @17:15
30-Aug: Email from Expedia: Changed to MDQ-AEP @07:35 (sic)*
20-Oct: At AEP, flight delayed! Actual departure time = 18:30! (No big deal)
26-Oct: At MDQ, flight delayed! Actual departure = 10:05!! (Still no big)
This is the sort of thing I was led to expect from Aerolineas/Austral.
Now, for the BQB trip ...
30-Aug: Booked (Opodo): AEP-PDP 14:50, 27-Oct; MVD-EZE 09:30, 31-Oct;**
26-Sep: Email from Opodo: Changed to MVD-EZE @10:30 (still OK)
20-Oct: Email from BQB: Changed to AEP-PDP @14:30 (no problem)
25-Oct: Email from BQB: AEP-PDP cancelled; moved to AEP-PDP @17:40***
26-Oct: At AEP, flight delayed (again), actual departure was 18:05.
The check-in staff at AEP were excellent and the flight was good - but not as good as previous reports suggested (no Champagne, only soft drinks, and a sandwich & chocolate biscuit in a plastic bag). The safety video, though, was excellent, taking a Charlie Chaplin style approach to keeping passengers' attention.
So, I arrived in Punta del Este ~6 hours late but no real problems.
Yesterday, however, things started to get hectic. More soon - the maid wants me out of my room so she can clean it ...
-- Henry
* But the flight number changed from AU2603 to AR1603
** The timing of the MVD-EZE flight is quite critical, as I have an onward, EZE...GLA departing 15:45 on 31-Oct
*** Actually, the flight is shown on the website as 17:00, but they put in a delay already.