Let the trip begin
Ready for departure Somewhere Out There
The positioning flight to BOG was totally uneventful. After emerging from chapter 11 proceedings, Avianca have changed their business model significantly, lowering their standards for domestic and regional service from those of a full service legacy carrier (among the world’s oldest!) to that of an LCC or even LLCC. Tighter legroom, no free snacks or beverages, not even water, are the new norm. There are few J class rows at the front of the bus, but they strongly resemble Euro Business, with just the middle seat blocked off.
Upon arrival at BOG I spotted an A320 in AV’s 1960’s retro livery at a nearby gate.
Our flight had parked on a remote stand, so it took a lengthy bus ride to get to the terminal. Once there, in the transit security control, my belongings were selected for secondary screening, the only instance during the entire trip. Back airside I went looking for the gate to my connecting flight, which was changed just as I was on my way to the originally posted gate and had me go back all the way to the opposite end of the concourse.
The new gate was also a bus gate.
After giving us a comprehensive bus tour of the apron, we finally reached the remote stand where our A320neo had only recently arrived. Passengers from the previous flight were still disembarking, three busloads of them.
Meanwhile, our driver was in frantic radio contact with his dispatcher to clarify whether we should return to the terminal or not.
In the end the instruction was to stay put right there and so we waited on the bus for 20 minutes until all previous passengers were on their way to the terminal and then all the time the cleaning squad needed to prepare the cabin for the next flight.
Some brake cooling on a neighboring plane.
Bogota BOG – Panama City PTY
Avianca AV 060
STD: 15:00 / ATD: 15:35
STA: 16:45 / ATA: 16:59
A320N HK-5366
Seat 30A
Eventually we were allowed to board and I found my seat towards the back of the bus.
So, is it Avianca with a capital A or avianca with a lowercase a?
On the way to the runway we passed by another one of AV’s special livery jets.
The flight was uneventful, only interspersed with some turbulence from the storm clouds on the way to Panama City.
I pondered whether to get something from the BOB offerings, but as I just had something to eat in the terminal there was no business from me today for the crew.
Among the uniform elements the cabin crew can choose from nowadays are white sneakers. I guess this is a very comfortable option for the flight attendants on a long working day and is also in line with the LCC model AV is following now.
Immigration and customs at PTY were a breeze and I soon was at the pick-up point for the Crowne Plaza hotel’s shuttle. This bus unfortunately only runs once an hour so if you arrive at the pick-up point shortly after it left, the wait until the next round is long. I had to wait for about 20 minutes.
After dinner with a friend and former colleague and sleeping in the morning after, I was ready for the continuation of the trip.
The view from the hotel room to the swept roof of PTY’s new Terminal 2 and the older Terminal 1.
I had breakfast at the hotel, packed up and then took the 10 a.m. shuttle to the terminal for my 12:03 departure.