Starting Today - AV National Flights for Larger Cities are From T1
 

Unless you're flying to one of the very small Colombian cities, national connections on AV will be from T1 instead of Puente Areo starting today.

http://www.caracol.com.co/noticias/a...a/2263023.aspx

The destination cities from T1 are Barranquilla, Bucaramanga, Cali, Cartagena, Medellín, Pasto, Pereira and San Andrés. The rest will remain in Puente Areo and you will need to take the bus.

This was also in the AV in-flight magazine and on signs at the airports. Unfortnately, the on-line version of the magazine does not want to seem to load on my browser. There was no mention of a lounge in T1, but I cannot imagine they would not have one.

I am fairly certain they don't have a lounge in the new domestic terminal. I am flying BOG MDE on Friday, I will have a look.

It looks like there will be one. I just found this article. They talk about the Sala VIP at the end:

http://www.elespectador.com/noticias...rticulo-493914

Certainly looks that way. I´ll wield a PP card this week and let everyone know what it is like

I think the new domestic terminal is all attached to the main terminal isn't it? I'll be there in the next couple weeks as well. They already have a nice lounge there, but maybe that's segregated from this new part. I'm still amazed though that they have nothing for MDE intl. Just figure out a way to connect that lounge post intl security. A 7am flight to PTY or MIA really sucks when you can't sit down and have a lil breakfast first!

I cannot quite figure out where they are going from. They are in the domestic side so the lounge they already have on the international side won't be accessible. From what I have understood from the Colombian press, they will assume the ground floor and LAN and others will move downstairs. I cannot believe I have understood this correctly as "downstairs" has no jetways, it is only used for bussing to the gates.

In other reports I have seen suggestions that Avianca is using a new part of the new domestic terminal called the "South" domestic terminal. But given the domestic terminal is one branch that runs from East to West then I cannot figure this out.

Running two terminals is a real blow for tourism routes like Armenia/Neiva/Popayán/Leticia to Medellín/Cartagena/San Andrés/Pereira

I have PEI-BOG-NVA booked for August and Avianca called last night to tell me that the PEI flight was now leaving 29 minutes earlier. I don't know if this is standard AV itinerary lottery or they have tried to build in some extra time for that bus ride between terminals.

Hey at least they called you :).

Some people have described the second terminal as difficult to use with the bus connection...maybe I'm an airport pro, or cuz I speak enough Spanish, I've NEVER had an issue with this, you get off the plane, go to make your connection and get on the bus it's easy. The worst part is since the new terminal was finished/almost finished the bus connection is in like the bowels of the building and the signage wasn't great. But beyond that, I've had no problems.

Yes, I am just being ungrateful

They have now published a map telling you how to get from T1 to T2

http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/z...ps95bf60ee.png

And back again

http://i814.photobucket.com/albums/z...pse30efc3d.png

There's also plenty of staff around that can point you in the right direction. Maybe it's just the language barrier. I've never really flown anywhere where I had 0 grasp of the language. Maybe if I arrived in PEK I'd have a major issue with something like this, but if you follow the pictures/flags/signs (which if memory serves are in a few languages) then you should be fine.

Working at YVR I constantly had people asking "where is the US check-in" while standing underneath a sign with a USA flag the word "departures" and an arrow....

I really loved the Puente Aereo Sala VIP's separate security and the exit direct to the gates. Doubt they will be able to replicate that in the new terminal.


The signage is very poor. I've shared the bus with plenty of native Spanish speakers who were totally confused.

This has the potential to significantly reduce how much I currently dislike flying AV between MDE and SJO. Yes, I have learned how to use the buses and find my gates, but what a pain compared to connecting on Copa through PTY.

Hopefully this will make the AV option much easier. A club in the Nacional wing will help. While I did enjoy the security entrance and ability to leave the club to go directly to my gate at Puente Aero, that place is really quite a dump.

I'm hopeful that eventually they'll have enough gates to avoid the use of so many pod arrivals and departures. The bus from arrival to terminal, then T1 to T2 and often the reverse going back to CR was just too much. Those buses aren't comfortable, nor are they air conditioned, and they are often overstuffed.

With such a beautiful new building at BOG, I am still holding out hope that they will get the wrinkles ironed out in the end so that the entire travel experience can be equal to or better than connecting at PTY. The interim, however, has not been something I have looked forward to.

Well, there's no getting around having to reclear security after coming through BOG immigration and customs, but national flight security is not particularly onerous. On the other hand, there is something that I like about getting home to MDE and being able to go right to the curb without having to do immigration and customs.

I certainly won't miss the bus. My biggest gripe was the wait time, at least if you got to BOG on a red-eye. I've waited up to 20 minutes for it to show up.

I expect the AV club, like all the others I have visited, will be somewhat better than COPA, with some real food, good coffee, and self-pour booze. Also, IME the AV Club internet is decent even when the club is crowded.

One advantage to choosing an AV itinerary to/from MDE is that there is a shiny new AV Club on the national departures side. It's pretty much like the old club, except it's much brighter and has some comfy chairs. You access it from the same place as the old club, except you turn right when you go up the stairs or exit the elevator.

All-in-all, I prefer to fly through BOG, but I think that's because I feel like I'm almost home when I land in BOG, but not in PTY. It's more in my head than a real difference. I will still make my choices based on price and schedule. However, as I get upgrades with CM and 100% RDM bonus, AV will still be at a slight (though now lesser) disadvantage.

Yup. That extra step of changing terminals is indeed a hassle. Although I do kind of enjoy the tarmac tour if I'm not stressing about a connection ;)

The other issues at BOG are the tarmac delays and the occasional parking at a remote standing and getting bussed to the terminal. Contrast with PTY where the worst you get is the occasional wait 10-15 minute wait for a gate.

The building is beautiful, but they need to streamline the passenger process. What is it, something like six separate document checks for an int'l departure? I dislike PTY but it is a much easier airport.

Agree 100%. The AV clubs are much nicer than the horribly loud and overcrowded Copa Club. AV is doing a nice job of upgrading throughout Colombia. Recently spent time in CTG and CLO and both were pretty decent (especially the new one in CTG, with killer recliners hidden in a back room).

I still get the occasional pod arrival or departure at PTY, too, although it is much less common. One thing Copa sometimes does at BOG that I love is to send a separate van for J pax so that we don't have to ride that overcrowded bus with the "coach trash." ;)

Indeed the document checks are a bit over the top, but it is Colombia. I admire how much they have cleaned up their country from the days that earned them the reputation they are still working hard to overcome. If being extra cautious helps them sort out the rif-raf, then I can stand it.

They do have something similar to Pre-Check, by the way, but the only place it can be obtained is in Bogota. I'm almost never in Bogota for more than a connection, so I have not had the opportunity to apply. Rest assured that will be my first stop on my next trip of a day or more.

The AV clubs are generally nicer than the Copa Clubs, for sure, but the one exception is at SJO. Other than the great view, they charge for almost everything other than a very small assortment of snacks, including soft drinks. The Copa Club, OTOH, has a very comfortable lounge where I can get all the Coca Light I want served right at my table. It's much nicer than the one at PTY.

I was at BOG this week. AV has moved into the South bit of the domestic terminal which was formerly occupied by LAN and others. I don't know about "others" but LAN has definitely moved to the spangly new North bit of the domestic terminal.

Still never done the connection with the bus, nor can I confirm for sure that AV has a proper lounge in the domestic side.