TominLazybrook

Just a heads up for you guys. I'm a fully abled person who was assisting an emergency post surgery buddy back from Cusco Peru to Houston via Bogota on Avianca to United (Star Alliance) on a ticket provided by a travel insurance policy. He wasn't profoundly disabled, but just needed some help getting through the 800m long Bogota airport terminal. Our ticket requested a wheelchair at El Dorado airport. We confirmed that wheelchair upon checkin at Cusco airport. However, when we got to Bogota, no wheelchair. We eventually got to the Avianca business lounge, with some difficulty. Upon arrival at the business lounge, I asked the check in lady if we could get a wheelchair. She was emphatic that Avianca doesn't EVER provide wheelchair assistance to any pax that is not flying 100% of the route on Avianca and that the connecting airline is supposed to arrainge for wheelchairs at Bogota airport. That was confirmed by two managers. They seemed unwilling to understand that

1) United Airlines (our connect to airline) has no presence in the international arrivals terminal prior to customs
2) Our Avianca feeder flight arrived 5 hours prior to United having any presence in the international departures terminal
3) Our tickets specified wheelchair assistance AND we confirmed that verbally upon check in in Cuzco with the Avianca check in agent.

When I asked if we were supposed to crawl through the airport. The Avianca employee (I have his name) responded "Yes". We made it, but any Avianca connection for ANY pax that is using a connecting flight path using Avianca (even if it was - as in our case - a intergrated ticket on Avianca or Star Alliance connection) might be impossible for persons with more limited mobility.

Just a heads up for you guys. Avianca in general and Bogota El Dorado airport specifically are best avoided.