Ok, if you have no other option
Written: Jan 26 '08
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Won't wait for passengers stuck in line, so more room for those that arrive early!
Cons: Slow lines, will not wait for passengers stuck in line, poor service
The Bottom Line: Avoid this airline if you can.
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| juan9569's Full Review: Grupo TACA |
I'm a frequent business traveler in Latin America. In many cases, TACA is the most convenient or cheap flight to Peru or another destination.
I've had a few good experiences with this airline, but when I have a choice, I avoid it due to the poor experiences I have had.
Check in in the Sao Paulo airport can be a confusion and slow. If you are dressed in a suit, you should be able to use the executive line with no problems. Still, plan on arriving 2-3 hours before.
The Peru check in is an even bigger confusion. Arrive 3 hours before any flight - trust me I've missed flights with TACA arriving 2 hours before the flight. 3 hours before a flight, you will notice that the TACA desk is not yet even open, but the line is forming. Get in the line - when the desk opens the line will move inexplicably slow.
More than once, I've seen TACA close down the check in and turn off the lights and leave - with up to a few dozen people waiting in line! They'll generally do this around an hour before the flight is scheduled to depart and it doesn't matter even if the flight shows on the monitor as 3 hours late. The fact that they were too slow in attending to the line is your problem, not theirs. "Come back to the airport tomorrow morning and we'll see when we can squeeze you on another flight, please bring cash to pay the fine."
Please note that unless there was a problem with the incoming flight, planes will leave on time. Period. If people checked in and are stuck in the customs line, they won't wait or try to help expedite the travelers thru the line. The plane will just take off half full!
This can be nice if you are taller like me (2.02m, 6'7") since the seats are a tight fit even for average size people. With less people on the plane you can spread out more.
If you request an exit row seat, you may or may not get one. Between check in counter attendant cluelessness and random last minute changes in planes, you really never know if the exit row seat you were assigned is really exit row until you get on the plane.
TACA doesn't have alliances with any airlines that are major players in LATAM, so you may not be able to add the miles to any of your accounts. Note, as of recently you can count the miles on Avianca accounts, but they won't count for executive status.
The flight attendants are ok, but generally poorly trained. As with other LATAM airlines, you'll need to turn on the charm and it helps to speak Spanish. But sometimes even that won't help you. My last TACA flight was a red-eye. While sleeping, a flight attendant grabbed my pillow from behind my head to give to another passenger!!
Food is generally ok. There was a time about 1-2 years ago, that on the 5-6hr early morning flights from Sao Paulo to Lima, there was no complimentary food - you had to pay US$5 in cash! This was especially irritating since neither Brazil nor Peru use US$ and you have to go out of your way to get them. And the 6am flight was before the airport currency exchange opened. However, I found that if you waited until they finished the service and went to the back of the plane and asked nicely, they would generally give you a box or 2 for free. On my last flight they had complementary food on it. Still, for shorter flights, I'd recommend having a stash of US$ or buy something in the airport to eat just in case.
Given the number of negative experiences I've had with this airline, I can't recommend it. Especially if you don't speak Spanish and won't be traveling with someone that can help you. If you have another option to get to your destination, use it.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
juan9569
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Reviews written: 4
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
Frequent LATAM business traveler and gadget buyer.
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