Viva Air Peru
Sep 26, 17, 1:15 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Riga, Latvia
Posts: 7
It began services on 9 May 2017. Website - https://www.vivaair.com/en-pe.
Sep 26, 17, 3:18 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: San Jose, Costa Rica
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum
Posts: 1,858
I haven't used them. Looks like they were developed by Irelandia, which also developed Ryanair and Allegiant Air. They seem to be using the same LCC model: cheap (!) fares with lots of fees. From the website, I see that all tickets are non-refundable and that you are charged for checking in, checking bags, and getting a seat assignment.
If you fly with them, I'm interested in hearing how it went.
If you fly with them, I'm interested in hearing how it went.
Feb 28, 18, 3:30 pm
#5
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: IAD/DCA
Programs: United Platinum
Posts: 43
I flew with Viva Peru last month round trip between LIM and CIX. Clearly they are a LCC as pointed out. Their fares were about half the price of LATAM and LCPeru. They offer three ticket classes, the cheapest with only one carry-on, the middle having a carry-on, one checked bag and expedited check-in. The most expensive had two checked bags I believe, no cost to pick a seat and no charge to print boarding pass out at airport (for cheaper options, you have to print at home or they charge you ~$30 at the airport!!). Some friends said they are very strict about size dimensions and weight of bags, but they never checked mine closely. Overall we had a great experience-on time departures and arrivals, planes were about half full. No free drinks or snacks. On CIX-LIM flight, they packed everyone at the front and back of plane for weight balancing issues I assume. We overheard other passengers saying they had flights cancelled, so maybe we just got lucky. As with all LCCs, be sure to read the rules and regulations carefully online to avoid surprises.
Mar 7, 18, 10:28 am
#6
Ambassador: Peru
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: LIM Peru
Programs: LanPass Premium, AA (former gold), MileagePlus Silver
Posts: 740
Viva Air Peru started with 2 airplanes on may 9, 2017. The beginning was complicated, since in late may there were several cancelled flights, specially to Arequipa, Iquitos and Tarapoto (between may 20 to 26). According to Tnews website, one of the planes was out of order and stayed in Iquitos, at least 4 days (I think it was more time but couldn't find the new confirming it). And one plane is 50% of its fleet. They were waiting for the replacement coming from abroad. Didn't they have a right stock of replacements???
According to (spanish) Wikipedia now they have 3 airplanes. It's still not enough in my opinion, and the risk of delays and cancellation could still be there. Actually friends of mine had cancelled and changed flights (during late 2017) and Viva Air rewarded them with addtional free flights, though actually that is not the point if we talk about quality of service.
AVIN DE VIVA AIR SIGUE EN IQUITOS INOPERATIVO DESDE EL SBADO A LA ESPERA DE REPUESTO | T News
According to (spanish) Wikipedia now they have 3 airplanes. It's still not enough in my opinion, and the risk of delays and cancellation could still be there. Actually friends of mine had cancelled and changed flights (during late 2017) and Viva Air rewarded them with addtional free flights, though actually that is not the point if we talk about quality of service.
AVIN DE VIVA AIR SIGUE EN IQUITOS INOPERATIVO DESDE EL SBADO A LA ESPERA DE REPUESTO | T News
May 24, 18, 7:01 am
#7
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 1
Flight cancelled without refund
TLDR: Flight got cancelled and we didn't get our money back because they put us on a new flight without telling us.
We booked a flight from Cusco to Lima. First they would let us check-in because the check-in counter was "closed". But it was over 70 minutes before the flight so they eventually checked us in. Very strange and stressful.
No gate was ever announced, and the scheduled departure time went by and still nobody knew what was happening.
After a while a guy from the airport starting letting people through a side door. But that door just ended up at the baggage belt. Apparently the flight had been cancelled. They just never ended up telling the passengers.
Back at the check-in desk it was an absolute mess and they didn't really help. We were told to call the support number to get our money back. But the number is a dead end, after dialing and selecting "English" and "Refund" the call is simply disconnected.
The support email employees did get back to us. They told us we could only get a partial refund because we didn't board the rescheduled flight. We explained we did not even known about a rescheduled flight and that the check-in employees said we could get our money back. But they keep hanging on to the story that we accepted a new flight!
So it was a pretty nasty experience. And I'm pretty sure taking money and not refunding our money after not providing a service by claiming we took another flight is fraud.
As it stands now we're going through the PayPal claim process. But I doubt we'll get our money back.
P.S.: If you want some more (disgruntled) reviews. Look up VivaColumbia on tripadvisor. There seems to be no page for VivaAir Peru, instead the VivaColumbia business seems to be used or the entire continent.
We booked a flight from Cusco to Lima. First they would let us check-in because the check-in counter was "closed". But it was over 70 minutes before the flight so they eventually checked us in. Very strange and stressful.
No gate was ever announced, and the scheduled departure time went by and still nobody knew what was happening.
After a while a guy from the airport starting letting people through a side door. But that door just ended up at the baggage belt. Apparently the flight had been cancelled. They just never ended up telling the passengers.
Back at the check-in desk it was an absolute mess and they didn't really help. We were told to call the support number to get our money back. But the number is a dead end, after dialing and selecting "English" and "Refund" the call is simply disconnected.
The support email employees did get back to us. They told us we could only get a partial refund because we didn't board the rescheduled flight. We explained we did not even known about a rescheduled flight and that the check-in employees said we could get our money back. But they keep hanging on to the story that we accepted a new flight!
So it was a pretty nasty experience. And I'm pretty sure taking money and not refunding our money after not providing a service by claiming we took another flight is fraud.
As it stands now we're going through the PayPal claim process. But I doubt we'll get our money back.
P.S.: If you want some more (disgruntled) reviews. Look up VivaColumbia on tripadvisor. There seems to be no page for VivaAir Peru, instead the VivaColumbia business seems to be used or the entire continent.
Last edited by RuurdM; May 24, 18 at 7:39 am
May 24, 19, 5:10 pm
#8
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: LAS, SMF
Programs: Marriott Plat, Global Entry
Posts: 184
I flew LIM-AQP-LIM last month on Viva Air Peru. They are very picky about luggage weight, and would have charged me for being one kilo over, but I popped my bag open and threw a couple things into my backpack. Gandalf29 is exaggerating Viva fees, but only slightly; printing out a boarding pass at the airport is only $22. For unpleasantness and pickiness over their fees, I rate them at the level of Spirit but better than Norwegian.
Jun 12, 19, 10:40 am
#9
Ambassador: Peru
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: LIM Peru
Programs: LanPass Premium, AA (former gold), MileagePlus Silver
Posts: 740
I just read a May article the peruvian fleet is 5 airplanes (12 in Colombia).
Last edited by NewbieRunner; Oct 22, 19 at 9:58 am Reason: Fix quote tag
Nov 19, 22, 10:01 am
#11
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: EZE
Programs: UA Gold,Delta Gold Bonvoy Titanium Elite, HH Diamond , AA Platinum, EENational, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,517
Bumping this thread with my key takeaways from my experience on Viva Air Peru
- boarding domestic flights in Peru is like trying to enter a crowded subway lol
- low cost carrier so be prepared to pay for everything. Best to look at luggage package as most tourists traveling to Cusco have a fair amount of luggage if they are hiking
- one of the best final desents I have experienced into Cusco
- boarding domestic flights in Peru is like trying to enter a crowded subway lol
- low cost carrier so be prepared to pay for everything. Best to look at luggage package as most tourists traveling to Cusco have a fair amount of luggage if they are hiking
- one of the best final desents I have experienced into Cusco
