SK AAR

Just another data point for domestic flights in Colombia on XS fare. Was able to enter my TK M&S Elite number when making the reservation online (paid with cc) on AV website. During OLCI I was able to add 1 pcs checked luggage (max 15 kilo) for free. At the baggage drop counters in the airport no issue. It saved me from paying around 50-60,000 COP for a checked bag (if you buy it online in advance; it is almost 100,000 COP at the airport)

Somewhere between check-in and boarding at the gate, my seat was changed from 26A to 4A (first row behind the Premium Economy). When my BP was scanned at the gate, gate agent manually wrote "4A" on my BP with a pen (no upgrade but a still nice change of seat to the front)

Only issue was that the flight was delayed almost an hour (arrived at destination with 50min delay). Sat on the aircraft for ages awaiting finalization of "paper works" before being able to leave the gate and depart.

1nsane

why 15 kg is this for domestic only or because of the free luggage through gold.

ryandelmundo

Wow thats awesome someone put you up front anyway. Glad to hear it works with OLCI. I fly Sunday and will give the OLCI a whirl w my United Silver. I am not checking a bag but have the small (personal item) and bigger carry on. Saving on bag fees and the upfront seat is better than I get flying United back home!

ryandelmundo

Did Online checkin on my XS award ticket yesterday. Added my United Silver number. Was not offered a free bag or a free seat up front. Couldn't get exit for for free. I did get their economy plus seating but i think the only benefit is its closer to the exit, it sure didnt have more legroom. I also suspect that was just the randomly assigned seat, nothing to do with *S. There was no kiosk at Santa Marta airport so I wasn't able to see if I could fix anything with the kiosk. I had two small backpacks that I carried onboard with no issue, despite my boarding pass saying NO BAG. Boarding pass also showed UA*S.

I have another flight next week out of Medellin, so I can try the kiosk but I have a huge bag to check-in so I can't risk it and will have to shell out for that. I'll report back if I can select an up front seat.

Since someone else had luck with OLCI and their *G, I suspect they closed a loophole for *S. Was nice while it lasted!

ermis177

I am a bit confused. Why would you get a free bag as a silver member? Also forget about changing seats etc. In most cases they will tell you it�s a XS fare

SK AAR

You will not get a free checked bag as UA*S; nor be able select any seat. I had 3 AV domestic flights recently as TK*G (on XS fare tickets) and all times I was assigned a seat in the rear of the plane; 1 time my seat was manually changed to the first row of Economy Plus (it was done without my request and I only found out at the gate/at boarding). No more legroom for the Economy Plus seats.

For your upcoming flight you should purchase 1 checked bag in advance (online) rather than waiting to do it at the airport. Online it should be 49 mil or 59 mil COP. You will not be able to check it in for free at MDE as UA*S.

ryandelmundo

Thanks for your post. Did you checkin online, agent, or kiosk? As recently as Feb I was able to get any seat selection and free bag using the kiosk, while agent checkin did not. Now OLCI seems to not work. Thanks for the tip on the checked bag, I already bought it. I do wonder why sometimes they have upped us to the Econ Plus tho. I fly again next week, I will try the kiosk checkin and see how it goes.

SK AAR

I always check-in online (and select 1 free checked bag) but I go to the checkin counters to drop of my checked bag. At the counters the agent prints my boarding pass. I have never used kiosks.

I have no other explanation for the change of seat that the flight was full and they needed my assigned seat to accommodate other pax.

ryandelmundo

Todays flight on Avianca from MDE Added my UA*Silver and couldnt pick a seat using the kiosk. This used to work for me, but it appears it doesnt anymore. Too bad. Even worse, despite getting bag tag from the kiosk, I had to wait in line with everyone checking in just to drop off the checked bag. No separate line for bag drop.

SK AAR

This is exactly why I just proceed straight to the checkin counters at airports in Colombia. You need to go there anyway to drop of your bag(s).

Did you pay for the checked bag in advance - or the kiosk allowed you to print the tag for free ?

ryandelmundo

I had a gigantic checkin bag so I prepaid. I don't usually travel that heavy but was taking home a bunch of stuff I'd had down there forever. Fortunately it was only like $10 for a bag. That long line tho sure makes it painful. I'd much rather be sitting in the lounge! . This was out of MDE. I don't recall Bogota being such a mess for Avianca, and the smaller airports are also usually pretty painless. Side note on kiosks: I went to one of their Giant supermarkets, and all the lines at 6pm were heaving. I look at a kiosk, and no one is using the 8 self-check lines. Poof, I was out the door in minutes. The Colombians don't seem to trust that kind of tech (see, Colombians lined up at a bank instead of using an ATM).

studentCPH

Thanks for the previous reports, saved me a couple 100k pesos/flying with LATAM :-)
I'm about to board my 2nd domestic AV flight, both booked in XS and they came with a free luggage as SK*G.
For the first flight I was assigned an aisle seat, and window for the second, unable to change without payment.

During check-in for the 2nd flight it said I was allowed 10 kg carry on, mobile boarding pass says nothing, but printed boarding pass says no carry on.

Plusgrade minimum bid was $25, but they also sold instant upgrades for $15 but I'm staying in the back

SK AAR

To my experience no hand luggage/carry-on doesn't seem to be enforced on AV domestic flights.