Avianca Airline Long-Haul Experience: Boeing 787-8 from Bogota to London

Having previously flown Avianca airline on a short-haul domestic flight to Bogota on their Airbus A320, we found the experience slightly overpriced for the product offered. The lack of in-flight entertainment on that flight, despite its potential duration of up to 5.5 hours, made people curious about the long-haul experience on Avianca’s Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. 

In this Avianca airline review, we will cover the on-ground experience, seat comfort, entertainment options, and food offerings for Avianca’s intercontinental long-haul service.

On the Ground

Similar to previous Avianca flights, the check-in process was easy, with the additional requirement of entering passport details for the international journey. Seat selection was not complimentary, and unfortunately, the emergency exit row was not assigned this time. 

The main issue with the Avianca airline on-ground experience was the poor coordination during boarding. A lack of communication between the ground crew and the aircraft crew resulted in passengers standing on the jet bridge for nearly half an hour. 

This situation could have been alleviated by allowing passengers to remain at the gate, where seating and charging points were available.

The Seat

Once on board, attention turned to the seating. A notable annoyance was the headrest design; instead of folding inward for support, it folded downward. This seemed like a tactic to encourage passengers to upgrade to business class or premium economy. 

Legroom was fairly limited, although the seat included a footrest, which was primarily suitable for shorter individuals. The seats did recline, but there was no adjustment to the in-flight entertainment (IFE) panel or tray table when the passenger in front reclined. This design flaw was particularly inconvenient for an overnight flight when many passengers preferred to recline for sleeping.

Food and Entertainment

A screaming baby a few rows ahead made sleep elusive, making the in-flight entertainment (IFE) system the best option for distraction. Unfortunately, the selection was quite limited, with films presented in a long, uncategorized list. 

TV shows were available, but there was no music selection, unlike offerings from airlines such as Virgin Atlantic or Qatar Airways. The food was mediocre, with a midnight meal of pasta with ham and cheese and a breakfast consisting of an omelet.

Conclusion

Overall, flying with Avianca might be worthwhile if you opt for their Business Class product, which tends to be more competitively priced compared to other airlines. However, for Economy class travelers, a more cost-effective option could be Lufthansa, which offers flights to Bogota via their Frankfurt hub using the recently reintroduced Airbus A340s. Follow Airline Reviews