Screwed by Avianca - again

Miguel says on Jun 8, 2006, 02:58:

Sorry to hear that, tomtom Reminds me of when I made a reservation for Jan 23, 2005, showed up at the gate in Miami and was told I made the reservation for Jan 21 AND that I had to pay $100 to change the ticket.

After months of going back and forth, they admitted their error and upgraded me to first class on the next trip.

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gabo4ever says on Jun 8, 2006, 03:59:

I got it easy then.. As my case was the other way round, i messed up and Avianca paid out for it. Booked a return flight Bogota-Cali, on the return flight, i had mistakinly put the date for 2007, instead of Jan 2006.

So when i got to the airport, they pointed out my mistake, luckily im good at causing a scene, making a fuss and generally being a pain, and they 'admited' it was their mistake and put me on the next available flight.

So in that ocasion, I could not complain!

But like Miguel mentions above, complain and you could find it was worth the hassle.

Y por si se atreven: Watsamatamaracuya?

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tomtom33 says on Jun 8, 2006, 06:55:

Thanks I am getting so used to having things stuck up my backside in Colombia. I needed some encouragement.

This morning I checked my flight schedule on AA from MDE-ORD-MSN and found that they had changed things and left me with a 4-hour layover in ORD arriving in MSN at 10:30 pm. The Bogota office kindly changed things so I now have a 1-hour layover in ORD arriving MSN at 3:30 pm. Occasionally something works right.

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wOw says on Jun 9, 2006, 04:56:

hey tom tom I had a problem about a year ago with Avianca and I complained so much that I was put through to the Director of Cust Svc and she kindly resolved my problem and was very helpful.....

I have her email and contact info. Whats your email and I'll give you the info.......

[img]http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c85/JPMiami/neonsignzs7.png[/img]

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tomtom33 says on Jun 9, 2006, 06:34:

Wow Thank you. My E-mail is tomtom33 at gmail.com.

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tomtom33 says on Jun 21, 2006, 18:42:

Surprise! When I got to the airport, I was taken from the check-in line to another window where I stood for 20 minutes. Then I was informed that the deal we made on the phone 2 days earlier was no good. Now they claimed that I had used the ticket and charged me 280K for a new one.

Since they knew that I would be showing up for the flight, why hadn't they called me? They have both my land line and cell phone numbers on record.

This morning I just sent off an E-mail complaint.

Wow - I never got your E-mail.

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miamimike says on Jun 21, 2006, 21:14:

WITH such a lengthy Record of Poor customer Service and Incompetency, I'm truly amazed anyone even uses them. It shouldn't even be a point of discussion. In many cases they aren't cheaper so why use them???

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." -- Feb. 28, 2008 --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.

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ronald1168 says on Jun 22, 2006, 05:15:

LON-BOG 2001 This is even more disturbing, i bought a ticket for leaving 23 december 2002 from London to Bogota with Avianca, then they cancelled the whole route. I am still waiting for a refund. Already went to court and have a UK judgement against them. They now owe me including the court costs about 2400 GBP (4700 US$).

Avianca are gangsters from the worst sort.


R. Donders
London
ronald at donders.co.uk

ronald@donders.co.uk

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tomtom33 says on Jun 22, 2006, 06:12:

Mike Does anyone else fly direct between MIA and CTG?

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elmodefoque says on Jun 22, 2006, 06:18:

hey tom, i'm taking my black old ass to curramba soon on avianca jfk to barraquilla direct, no more freaking stops in bogota. of course i'll be in cartagena and santa marta too. this time i'm there as single old modefouque with a fist full of dallars. It should be a lotta fun, i just hope i don't croke before my flight

over 5 million colombianos in USA and only 27 barranquilleros, i'm one.Curramba, el mejor vividero del mundo!

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miamimike says on Jun 22, 2006, 11:02:

Ton Tom, Wow you may be out of luck! Just checked my two airlines of choice(first) AA and Lan Chile and it looks like they hook up with Avianca to go CTG. Any small commuter jets from Bogota going to CTG? Last time I went to CTG from Bogota I took the Flota and was on the road for weeks literally. I will add it was a once in a lifetime trip as I'll never repeat that trip again in this lifetime. LOL

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." -- Feb. 28, 2008 --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.

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tomtom33 says on Jun 22, 2006, 13:46:

Boys Elmo - when are you going? I am in the States now until Oct. Easy on the sauce. It affects your horizontal performance.

Mike - I have flown AA to MDE. There are options other than Avianca from MDE to CTG, but those Avianca flights every afternoon are timed right for me. However, I much prefer direct flights to CTG. I have heard rumors of Copa going direct. CTG is just too damn small.

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kat1 (Moderator) says on Jun 22, 2006, 14:36:

Tom did you know that you wonderful harem of beautiful girls that you have in your Image gallery probably it's going to be deleted. :p

engage brain before opening mouth

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robi666 says on Jun 22, 2006, 14:38:

Tom, give a try to ADA (Aviolineas de Antioquia). They fly small plane from Cartagena and Bquilla to Medellin. Not Rionegro, I mean Olaya Herrera in town! I always fly with ADA.
Cheaper and you don't have to take a bus or taxi from Rionegro: Bquilla Medellin one way 260.000 (Avianca is 330.000).
There a stop over in Monteria, but just 10 minutes. Overall duration of flight is the same.

"I am a citizen of the most beautiful nation on earth. A nation whose laws are harsh yet simple, a nation that never cheats, which is immense and without borders, where life is lived in the present."

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divina22 says on Jun 22, 2006, 15:09:

You guys are making me NERVOUS!!!!!! SO, I'm gonna call and confirm my flight for next week!!!!!! Thanks and better luck to ya'll next time!!! :)

Winners have simply formed the habit of doing things losers don't like to do.......

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divina22 says on Jun 22, 2006, 15:10:

You guys are making me NERVOUS!!!!!! SO, I'm gonna call and confirm my flight for next week!!!!!! Thanks and better luck to ya'll next time!!! :)

Winners have simply formed the habit of doing things losers don't like to do.......

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caulfield2 says on Jun 22, 2006, 18:11:

Hey, that last girl looks like Minnie Driver

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tomtom33 says on Jun 22, 2006, 19:42:

Thanks, robi. That one hour trip up the mountain to Rio Negro can be a pain.

Kat, never fear. I have the originals.

Caulfield, which one, Pilar?

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ibemeubeu9001 says on Jun 14, 2008, 08:31:

Ya, AVANCIA< if thats the correct spelling,,,,,,You Bet, I will never fly them again,,,,,My family and I traveled from the US-to-COLOMBIA, and with lot of gifts and luggage, paid extra, and upon arrival Colombia, one important box had been open and lots of dammage to the Gift for my Mother-in-Law, yet it works but with a large dent on one corner of the micro, I call the airlines and was told, not ask, don't you have insurance, and then transferred to different people, and it was just BULL!, just a little things that will have me to just pay another carrier just a little more $, and not worrie, about verious INSURANCES ! Thank's AVANCIA AIRLINES
Oh Ya, Avancia plus, what a joke !
In three years 6 flights with NO-CREDITS,

X-Passenger

I just happen to be from Long Beach,CA, and I love visiting South America, My first visit was to Bogota, Ibaque, and Cucuta and not being a spanish speaking person, I had a great time. Would I travel to South America again, You Bet! The people are wonde

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rocinante says on Jun 14, 2008, 08:36:

I fly Avianca all the time (non stop NYC-MDE) and never even got one stale peanut. My only problem is the cost of tickets. I think I am flying next on Copa.

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Peso 1400 by November" Feb 5, 2008

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podborski says on Jun 14, 2008, 09:29:

On a return trip from Bucaramanga the airport was full of irate passengers, Avianca had overbooked like crazy I guess.

I get to the counter, ticket in hand, and after about 10 minutes of punching keys the girl at the desk says I don't have a reservation for the return flight, even though my printed ticket said I did.

She tries to tell me that their 'system' showed I had booked 2 one way flights to Bucara (same person, same flight, as if that makes any sense at all).

I point out that I did not book the flight online but directly with Avianca, and besides my printed ticket clearly was correct. Hard to see how their 'system' spits out a printout that is at odds with what they input. And anyhow, sure isn't my fault.

They tell me I have to buy a new ticket, and also they don't have any seats for 3 or 4 days.

I blew up.

My colombian friend remarkably stays cool and acts all nice. I was about to strangle someone.

In the end they gave in and put me on the plane. Not sure if it was because I was causing a scene, refusing to leave the counter, or because my friend was so sweet.

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paisa29 says on Jun 14, 2008, 09:41:

tomtom33... Sorry maybe is too late but just have read the posts, you dont have to pay more just call Avianca and they have to rebook the flight without an aditional charge.

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Saltador says on Jun 14, 2008, 10:23:

You may recall the time my novia and I bought tickets to San Andres from Cartagena on the morning of the flight, luggage in hand. We left the ticket counter with our tickets and got in line for our boarding passes. When we got to the check in counter, the man informed us our tickets were for the flight the next day! We went back to the ticket booth and after fruitless arguing had to pay like 150 dollars for the woman to change our tickets to the correct day. I knew it wasn't our fault, but I figured Avianca would reimburse me or give me a credit when I got back to the states. Wrong. Countless calls, emails, providing info they asked for, etc got me nothing. Bitch about Spirit, but at half the price I'll gladly pay for my baggage and food.

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