Hi all
read on the Avianca website that new seats are coming to the 320neo. Thinking of booking IAD-BOG in December. Does anyone know if the new seats will be similar to the old 2-2 recliner configuration or European style 3-3 business class with empty middle seat? TIA

How about a link? Are all Americas J still Euro 3-3?

I’m pretty sure the new Avianca Americas Business Class (https://www.avianca.com/en/your-book...lass/americas/) announced from July 1st is only an update to onboard service, not the seats.

yes, very possible, as shown in the picture of the single aisle aircraft. Funny thing, I purchased the seats IAD-BOG-EZE. IAD-BOG is on a A320neo and BOG-EZE is a B787. When selecting seats, both flights were marked as "lie-flat seats."

Looking forward to more info on these "updates"

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Looking at the same route for September and it shows mixed cabin.

So these A320neo do not have the new Avianca business class fixed shell seats?

After a number of flights last week in Aviancas updated Business Class I can confirm that the service concept is updated, but the cabin/seats are the same.

MDE-BOG A319 Business Class (sold as MDE-BOG-SCL Business Class connection): Seating in first 3 Premium rows. On this domestic flight operated with a 2+2 Premium config, but might as well have been 3+3 with a little more legroom than non-Premium. Same service as rest of plan.

BOG-SCL B787 Business class. 1+2+1 flatbeds as in all 787. Bedding kit with blanket and pillow and Amenity Kit pouch provided (overnight flight). Meal service after take-off with choice between “Beef” or “Pasta”, no menu - all served on one tray. Drinks wagon with standard alcoholic (white/red/beer only, no cocktails/selection) and non-alcoholic drinks poured from 2 liter bottles. Snacks basket + drinks offered 1 hour before landing.

SCL-BOG A320neo Business Class: Seating in first 3 rows of 2+2 Premium seats (no cabin divider btw. Economy and Business). On-Line check-in presented stats as ”flatbeds” which they obviously weren’t. No bedding or amenity kits offered (daytime flight), but otherwise same service as on BOG-SCL.
BOG-MAD B787 (guaranteed on all Europe routes from BOG) Business Class: Flatbed. Bedding and Amenity kits. Elaborate printed menu. Dinner and breakfast service. Full drinks selection incl. choices, drinks and snacks between meals - crew was struggling a little with knowledge of menu offerings, but very friendly and attentive.

For all flights boarding priority (Group 1), on 787 disembarkation priority. No changes in Ground Service (other than access to Aviancas own lounge and fasttrack included in Business Class - no lounge/fasttrack access in SCL)

Overall evaluation:
- Hard Product is pretty good. 787 has flatbeds with ok legroom. 2+2 narrowbody Premium seats are on better than Euro business and on par with US Domestic first (but a cabin divider would have been nice).
- Soft Product in Americas is (an OK) Premium Economy product, but don’t expect to be pampered. Assuming bedding/amenity kit on B787 and non on A320neo was not an effect of overnight flight, definitely a motivation to choose B787 (if the seat wasn’t enough).
- Soft Product on transatlantic is proper Business Class. Not the best I’ve had and not the worst (Qatar and Egyptair if anybody asks), but ticks all the boxes.

In total definitely an improvement, and if the price is right I’d definitely fly Aviance Business Class again.

Pretty sure all of the NEO�s were swapped out for the slimline blocked middle seat J seats

Do you happen to remember if there was wifi on that flight by any chance?

Thanks, that's what I've seen so far.

I have the option of booking either Copa through PTY with flatbeds almost guaranteed, or Avianca on the Neo + 787 to EZE. How do these seats compare to the regular business class seats in other carriers (AA, DL, CM)?

Even if you get the old recliners on Copa those are more comfortable than AV�s slimline Premium seats IMO. AV would be the least comfortable reclining seats in comparison to DL,AA,and CM to me

Actually how many a320 with Avianca has specialised seat or PTV?

I just flew round-trip IAD-BOG,BOG-IAD. Outbound was the 3pm flight, inbound was the 12AM flight. Both were A320's. Both had the first two rows as a 2x2 configuration with a wider armrest. It appeared that the seats may have been a touch wider, but it was hard to tell without actually sitting in them.

The economy seats started after the exit row and were like Spirit Airlines seats, small tray, no recline, no media screen. Premium seats were like American Airlines economy seats, limited recline, thicker cushion with a headrest that moved up and down, full tray, also no media screen, the worst being that leg room is the same as economy seats. The business class seats had a quilted design on the cushion and appeared to be thicker. Seats did recline but since they were not in a true separated section and instead appeared like additional standard rows, the recline was limited. It appeared passengers in these seats were offered complementary beverages and food, unlike the rest of the cabin that has to pay for it.

The forward bathroom was limited to only business class passengers. The plane had Wi-Fi but just for watching local media, no internet. Between the aisle and middle seat was a single USB C port that only managed to put out 600 mA according to my Pixel 8 phone with Ampere app. Between the aisle and window seats were two USB A ports (untested). For economy passengers, the only free drink offered was a cup of water at the back of the plane; they did fill my daughter's water bottle, though.

Regarding Bogota airport: Bogota appears to have stopped the practice of post-ticket scanning security checks where in the past they would confiscate bottled drinks, so you should be able to buy drinks and bring them on the plane now (although they may still be doing SS checks, just pray you don't get selected at check-in). Dulles did not do any checks for carry-on size (dimensions), Bogota did. El Dorado Lounge charges both for the hot meal buffet and the showers. Avianca VIP lounge does not charge for either.

One really strange thing happened on the flight down from IAD. We got to the airport at 1pm for the 3pm flight. I was all giddy ready to use my shiny new Silver Status (from the Cardless credit card) to skip the usual ridiculous check-in line. We get there and there's no line. None, zero. We talk to the girl who usually checks documents before getting to the desk and she was like "you're late", which left us befuddled. We think she was half joking but half serious. I guess either 1) check-in was super efficient and got everyone done fast or 2) people have gotten so fed up with Avianca lines that they all showed up 3+ hours early to check-in. It was so weird. Same thing happened at boarding. We went to the Lufthansa lounge right across from the gate, left at 2:30 and they told us we were the last to board. It was so weird. And yes the flight was mostly full.

is there any reason why they dont fly the A330 JFK to MDE anymore?

The seats aren't exactly new I don't think, as someone else said maybe the service is changing, which would be an improvement. I've only flown them really short haul.

What I'll say is this, the new economy seats are ROUGH, the seats themselves are fine, but they're so tight it's like flying an LCC, even in Economy + or whatever they're calling it. It's still, OKAY if you have a free seat next to you, but I flew BOG-IAD on their old product and it wasn't great to begin with, I can't imagine doing it now.

As far as the J seats go, they're not bad, but they're far from great either. The space between the seats is nice as a big armrest, but it's not at all private so if you're flying with a partner it's nice, but if you're not, it can be a little weird. No different though than any of the US carriers. No entertainment that I can recall either, maybe there was streaming but if there was I didn't know about it. I can't speak to the food either, but when I flew AV long haul J back in the day it was subpar. Lastly, the seats are basically slimline seats with headrests and extra space. That is to say, I don't mind them, but if you're buying business class, you can definitely expect to not be blown away. My biggest positive was that it's not "truly" Euro J, and I think they look pretty great, at least for now.

If it were me, I'd be looking at price and mile accrual before the direct aspect, just my opinion. If United with 1 stop in Jersey is comparable, I'd take it. But if the timing and pricing lines up for you to take the direct flight, go for it, just don't expect too much.