Avianca Reviews

Let’s talk about all the services I paid extra for but didn’t receive for my round trip flights Chicago to Bogota. Starting with the seats: My husband is tall so I bought premium plus seats. So to be clear, I paid more money for extra room which is what is advertised on their website for this type of ticket and the seats were extra small. There was less legroom in the “plus” seats than an economy seat on American/United. I have attached a picture to this review to show just how small the “plus” seats are.

Choose a different airline. They didn't sell enough tickets, and said that they needed to balance out the weight. So instead of getting 5A like I paid extra for, I was assigned to 22F, a seat that was smaller middle, and didn't ever recline. They didn't make any effort to fix or refund what I paid extra. Just ignored it and said it was to save fuel.

This airline doesn’t even offer complimentary beverage service on a 4 hour flight!!! When I asked for a coffee I was told the charge would be $5!! Also, I purposely do not travel with “checked baggage” because I do NOT want to mess with baggage claim or risk lost luggage since I was going to have a connecting flight. However, I was told at the gate that I had to check my carry-on (at no cost of course) but when I stated that I prefer to keep it with me, they insisted. I noticed prior to take off that there was plenty of space in the overhead bins.

Well, I can't give them a 1/2 star so, they get a one star. Absolutely the worst airline I have ever flown on!!! $8 for a small bottle of water, nothing is included on this piss poor excuse for an airline. I honestly would rather fly Spirit or Frontier...they used to be a 1 star for me, now both have moved up to 2 star compared to Avianca. I definitely found the worst carrier there is that flies out of the US!!! Stay away from this airline at all cost, if the price sounds good....don't believe it, you will pay in the end. Use Copa or Latham if flying to South America and avoid Bogota at all costs. Copa and Panama City, Panama is the most user friendly airport for foreigners. You will get as lost as a fart in a tornado in Bogota airport!!! Not only that but, Bogota security likes to pull Americans for security screening!!!

I traveled FLL to La Paz and back to FLL. As international flights, the services were way too poor. Knowledge of the ground crews at the check-in counter in FLL in Hollywood, Florida, USA was terribly lower. At the check-in line, a supervisor wanted to see a scannable barcode. I told him that I couldn't check in via your website, so there were no scannable barcodes- but the supervisor at the counter gate insisted I do it online on the spot again and get a scannable bar code. After telling him repeatedly - your website wasn't allowing me to do so because I am a USA citizen, so I needed to do the check-in process at the counter. The supervisor said it would cost me $20 per passenger (we were 2 passengers). I knew it was an absurd charge but agreed to pay just to cross him and got to the counter agent.

Avianca Airlines – Deceptive, Unreliable, and condescending Customer Service or Non-Existent. I’ve been meaning to write this review for a while because my experiences with Avianca have been not only frustrating and costly, but deeply disappointing. I hope this helps others avoid what I went through. Recently, I purchased a round-trip ticket but missed the first segment due to a last-minute emergency — my ride got sick, and I had to take her to the hospital. I still made it to the airport 1.5 hours before departure, but Avianca’s counter staff said I had missed the flight. I immediately called customer service to explain, but they offered no help and never told me that missing the first leg would result in my entire itinerary being canceled, including the return.

Terrible ground staff and terrible processes in general. Not every seat is equipped with infant oxygen masks making them split up families. Absolutely cannot recommend this airline. It's not even priced well - It operates as low cost airline but still charges high prices.

Very bad the way the airline handles these claims since you Avianca left the note that the suitcase had been checked. That is why should care and be concerned of what affects your passengers, you charged 150 dollars per weight to robbed my wife and give her belongings, that is the policy and culture of Avianca today. Very bad from the customer service at the counter and the theft of things, the truth is I will not recommend Avianca to anyone, instead I will see how to publish this irregularity in the media and on social networks. Very bad, everything they charged even for water and on top of that they steal and they are only interested in money. The worst experience traveling.

I’ve been a loyal Avianca customer for over five years, but my recent experience with gate agents Clarivel, Tamar, and Rosa for flight AV39 to Cali, Colombia, was beyond unacceptable. Their behavior was rude, unprofessional, and frankly humiliating. My friend, who travels with essential lupus medication, was carrying a personal backpack that was slightly puffier than usual. Rather than allowing us to explain or adjust, we were immediately dismissed and berated in front of other passengers. They refused to listen, told us we would miss the flight unless we paid $120, and even forced us off the boarding line.

On flight Av7, several issues passed by: 1) They charged all of us who had tickets with personal items $125 for checked luggage and another passenger for a small plastic bag that he was carrying in his hand because it was only 1 item and he bought it at the airport. They called the supervisor Carmenza ** and she just said “pay or you don't miss the flight”.

This was our first time flying with Avianca airline and to San Andres Columbia. Flying from JFk to Bogota flight was delayed so we missed our connecting flight to San Andres. Which was fine. It wasn’t a huge delay but we still missed few hours of our vacation. When it got worse is returning home. Our flight from san Andres to Bogota was suppose to depart at 10:52am which was pushed by 2 hrs to 12:52. Which then got delayed again to 2:05pm. Of course we were going to miss our connecting flight to JFK.

Surprised about our recent trip from NYC to MGA via El Salvador, they charge us a ridiculous price for an extra luggage 230 dollars, when we came back from our trip, we missed the flight in El Salvador to NY for poor customer service communication, which made us paid 300 per ticket, on top of that, they don’t even give you a bottle of water in the flight, with premium price for a coffee or snacks. Really bad experience, seats were very uncomfortable, they sell you a normal seat as premium for really high price, stay away.

I am writing to express my extreme dissatisfaction with the experience I had during my recent flight with Avianca last week. The issues I encountered were not only unacceptable but also demonstrate a serious lack of professionalism by your company. Below are the key points that highlight the poor service and unfair treatment I received:

I took the red eye flight # 42 from Medellin to JFK airport. I am 60 years old, have been flying for business most of my life & this was the worst flight of my life. A man who sat behind me entered the plane drunk & continued to drink alcohol the entire flight. He banged on the back of my seat and sang. I kindly asked to please not bang on the seat so I could sleep. He was verbally abusive to myself and my wife. He made it a point to tell me I am in his world now and need to respect a "Medellin man" and anything could happen to me in his country. Whatever that means. My wife is from Colombia & I am from the US. The crew continued to provide alcohol the entire trip and did nothing. Everyone in the area observed the problem. I kept calm & avoided physical confrontation to this inappropriate drunk. Disappointed to know we cannot count on the crew for order & assistance. I will not fly them again.

Original flight price was reasonable... then the charges begin. I'm a veteran and they where giving me a hard time because I have a cane and wanted me to pay for my backpack as my walking cane is considered a personal item. Eventually they dropped it and let me board but this was after finding out that all the way from the check in they had put a note on my ticket to charge me for the cane... Avianca is most convenient to go to Colombia to visit my family but it's getting as bad as Spirit. Otherwise the rest of the staff was pleasant and professional.

This airline are true thieves, I’ll never fly with them again, I had two oversize luggages which they had charger me $120 for each luggage, which one of them was not allowed to send it on the plane because it was not gonna get there on the same flight, and which I had to go pick it up 3 to 4 days later and I was 4 hours away each way from the airport, so the best solution they give me at the end after so many trips back and forth to the wrapping center to make small carry on bags.

We arrived at the airport an hour and a half before the departure and only THEN we received an email from the airline that our flight was cancelled. Who cancels the flight an hour and a half prior to departure??? Staff at the counter told us that flight was cancelled because one of the flight attendant got sick.. What??? Aren’t they supposed to have an extra staff for situations like these? We were told that we will be placed on the next flight which is 14 hours later! Our entire 1st day of vacation is ruined including the cost of our first night at the hotel in Lima. Additionally, we paid 140$ for taxi to get to the airport and back home, then, 12 hours later we had to pay another 70$ to get to the airport so 140$ wasted and the airline refused to take any responsibility for this financial loss. We arrive at the airport the next day 1.5 hours prior to departure.

Horrible customer service. I've never been treated so poorly by a company before. We had a problem with our domestic flight -the plane was broken, which was supposed to get in 6 hours before our Avianca flight, and as we waited and waited we realized we weren't going to make our international flight. We had only added luggage a couple hours before when we checked in online, and it cost us $130 for one checked bag with Avianca. We called Avianca, knowing that we wouldn't get our flight money back because it was a non-refundable flight, but we just wanted our luggage money back since we wouldn't be on the flight. Instead of even being nice about it but refusing, the customer service agent blatantly argued with me and tried to make me look stupid for thinking I should get my luggage money back when I had purchased a non-refundable *flight*. This is only part 1, though.

Worst airline I’ve ever flown. They canceled our flight, rerouted us to a different continent, downgraded our seats (which don’t recline). They just really suck in every way possible. Avoid this airline at all costs!

Worst airline in history. Avianca is a joke, please stay don't book your trip with them. There are so many reliable airlines in the market. There is not reason to use this company. The customer service is awful. They are not transparent and don't even offer a cup of water on a international direct flight Bogota, Boston. What a disgrace of a company.

Bad customer service. Rude staff and scammers. BE AWARE AND STAY AWAY FROM THIS AIRLINE. BE AWARE AND BE REALLY CAREFUL. I will NOT fly again with them. They got me so disappointed and they do not care. They just care about the money!!!

This is the worst airline I have experienced with. They changed my flight schedule, probably combined us with another flight. So the seats I purchased were no longer available after the flight change. Which is fine, if you can simply refund my payment for those seats. NO. They made it so hard for me to get back my refund. So hard! Instead of simply refund to my credit card account, they asked me all the bank account information of each passenger in my party. They can only refund to the person holding the ticket (who did not pay for it!). I don't understand what logic these people are following, or none at all.

Worst airline ever! We purchased a direct flight. Months later, they changed the flight to have a layover in a different country and lengthened the travel time by 3 fold. That was unacceptable to us. They would not refund us. Their website wouldn't work for refunds (isn't THAT convenient), so called all of their customer service numbers which just directed us to WhatsApp and answered only by AI, and that told us to use the website... the non-working website. We emailed support, and they told us to use website even though I told them the website didn't work for refunds. SCAM airline.

I Have a friend that purchase a ticket with thru a agency called Beneva located out of Florida. This Airlines cater more to the Hispanics. The agency purchase the ticket with the airlines knowing that she will not be able to fly due to new restrictions in Colombia. They took her money and refuse to be held accountable. The agency as well as the airline. I am going be that friend to file a law suit against the agency. They are lying to people and scamming people out of they hard earn money,.

This company is a riff off. I am flying out of Toronto and they have prices in US dollars. Their website is not easy to navigate. They make it hard for you to understand probably so that you can end up paying a lot more. Their price information is deceiving.

I have flown with Avianca many times, mainly because of prices for availability of flights, but their customer service is horrible and I am never able to complete my booking online. For the past year every time I go to book online it keeps giving me an error code 403 before I am even able to enter my payment. Then I have to go and waste hours calling in to customer service to confirm my flight. they always try to charge me extra for them to process my booking when their website doesn't work properly. Fix your website for payments. This has happened on my last 4 trips. As a frequent flyer this is extremely annoying.

TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE!! I will never fly AVIANCA again!! Avianca charges for everything, is like a low budget airline, bad customer service. I will pay more money so I can fly other airline. My experience was 😖 awful ... Stay away.

Horrible service. Check my bags and got charged 120 for a bookbag. They pay less for my checked bag round trip than the bookbag. Never again. I rather pay a bit more in American airlines. Please do not book with Avianca.

My Via Crucis started in Chicago on Dec 21, 2024 when I took a flight to Bogota connecting later with Cali Colombia. Flight was oversold and delayed. We arrived to Bogota late and I lost my connection. No single AV employee helped me, everything that have we done was got after begging the bureaucrats. I was put in the list for another flight the following day without explanation. Coming back I took again AV from Cali to Monteria, the flight was again oversold, I arrived into Bogota, my reservation moved to the following day and for worsen things my checked luggage was lost for two days. OMG, I needed to call the AV employers begging again for any information or explanation. Nothing was provided but bad information, aggressiveness. I will never fly again with AV and encourage to the rest of people not to do it as well.

Flight delayed over 5 hours in Toronto, and under Canadian law, I am entitled to a refund for the delay for the full amount. Tried to enter Ticket No. and Booking Code but the form itself rejected it. Their WhatsApp bot is grotesque waste of time. This is petty theft. Customer service is akin to talking to a donkey, but at least a donkey can truthfully say he doesn't understand you.

I was promised a refund within 30 days of the update. I provided all the necessary information, but since then, I haven’t received anything. The status of my refund request hasn’t been updated. I called their customer service, and the girl had no idea what to say, so she just hung up on me. Their so-called refund analyst has also stopped replying to my emails. It's obvious that they are not going to refund me anything.

All about the Benjamins, stealing from customers then begging for your business. Only if you are stupid. We are missionaries in Nicaragua and I run a business 2 weeks in Fla and the rest of the month in Nica. The business supports 5 churches and 10 children.I bought a RT ticket,4YIFWS Nov 25-Dec 13 MGA to MIA and back to MGA 12/13. I have a OW return on Avianca 12/31. We were on a mission trip to poor in Costa Rica when I got word my 89 mother was hospitalized. I flew home emergency ($350) on Spirit, only ticket available.

The only reason I gave Avianca two star is because their direct flights other than that is really bad. Customer service is awful. I think they are in other countries and because there is no number to call them. If you have an emergency and want to change your flight's date. You should do only via e-mail and they make impossible for You to change it. The only easy way to do is if you pay the ridiculous amount of fees that They charge. Is like buying the ticket again. I choose them before because as I mentioned for their direct flights but it has been the worst thing flying with them. I really don’t recommend this airline. Keep away from them. There are better airlines with good prices and excellent customer service

Worst airline I have ever flown on. Spirit is first class compared to Avianca and that's saying something. My flight was delayed or reschedule at least 4 times causing me to involuntarily stay for an extra 5 days. Only two of those days could they compensate me for my hotels due to what they called “external factors”. Funnily enough they gave me 3 different reasons for these external factors none of which made any sense. This airline should not be in business and I recommend EVERYONE to find another option as this was the worst airline experience I’ve ever had.

This airline was terrible from start to finish. My flight was delayed, and when I finally got to the gate to ask for updates, boarding had nearly finished. The ramp and door were still open and connected to the plane, but when I asked about boarding, the gate agent just shrugged and said, "Close the ramp." Her response, along with the airline’s disorganized and unhelpful approach, left several passengers stranded with no information or assistance. The lack of communication, empathy, and basic customer service was shocking. I would strongly advise against flying with this airline if you’re looking for a smooth, respectful, and reliable experience. I also have video of the television screens that said delayed with no updates until the airline took off. Also the agents that lack a whole lot of common sense.

Absolutely a terrible airline and horrible experience with them. I could make this lengthy with details but I won’t, just trust me if you can find ANY other airline, you will be much better off. Customer service person was so very rude and short and acted like I was his worst enemy from the start. I purchased a ticket for round trip plus additional baggage to bring my surfboard. Due to a personal family issue, I cannot leave the home, so I called to cancel. I understand I cannot receive a refund because I bought a non-refundable ticket, but they won’t even refund the extra I paid for bringing my board that now won’t even be on the plane because I am not going! Like really?? And I know that if I cancel they will resell my seat and make a killing on this! So I decided not to cancel and now of course I just won’t show up and prevent them from selling my seat. Total crooks!

2) They canceled my flight once and only pretend that they will refund the money paid. They send a link that does not work, they write up a trouble ticket and then they disappear. They are a slippery company.

This is the absolute most uncomfortably designed plane in commercial flights. Also I paid extra for leg room my seat was designed not to recline. Check out my photo of all my leg room. If it isn’t cheapest by a lot don’t do it.

The customer service in this company cannot solve my payment problems. I tried to pay with 3 different credit cards and they didn’t go through, I even call my bank and told me that Avianca system is not working properly, and now my reservation has been expired.

“I travel frequently for business, using various airlines, but this was my first and likely last experience with Avianca. The customer service at the counter in Orlando International Airport today, Friday, October 11, at 3:00 pm was disappointing. The staff was unprofessional and seemed indifferent to the passengers’ needs. While I understand that anyone can have a bad day, encountering the same rude attitude from at least four different employees suggests a deeper issue with customer service. If you value being treated with respect, I recommend considering other airlines. Don’t just take my word for it; check out other passengers’ reviews for similar experiences.”