Welcome to my latest flight report. It all began in September this year. When I came up wit the idea of making a short trip on the last long weekend of the year. I wanted to take advantage to the arrival of new low-cost carriers to my local airport, ROS. I took the Salta option because I had never been to the northwest of the country. Then a promotional code for flights on November came up and I booked my tickets.
A few days before departure, I checked on the airline´s website the reservation, and I found that my flight dates had been changed, also the departures times. I had not been notified about this! It wasn´t so bad, I just got moved one day forward on both flights. But I had already made hotel and shuttle reservations. Finally, I could adapt everything to my new flights. I contacted the call center about this issue, and they told me it was because of El Palomar Airport (Flybondi´s base) time restrictions on night flights. I can understand this, but please let me know in advance!!
The day of the flight I decided to get to the airport by public transport. Some month ago, a new airport express bus service was launched in Rosario. It departs from one of the main squares in downtown area, and only stops at the bus terminal on the way to the airport. Tickets are available online and on the booths at the square.
I bought my tickets online departing at 10 am. I almost missed the bus, because I got just one minute before departure to San Martin Square. The bus was almost empty. The service was pretty fast and only took 40 minutes to the airport. The announcements were made in Spanish, Portuguese and English, and they offer free Wi-Fi.
During the ride I started following the aircraft on flightradar app. It was Boeing 737-800 nicknamed Max (LV-HFQ). It was apparently on time, making the inverse route (SLA-ROS).
At 10.40 I got to the airport; I went inside to check in counters. There was an agent on the line checking that everyone had checked in online and paid their luggage. Then I dispatched my suitcase and got my boarding pass.
As there was still some time to kill and I didn’t had breakfast, I went to the upper floor o the bar. It has nice views of the tarmac, but a that time there wasn’t many movements.
At 11.15 the aircraft coming from SLA landed, and immediately the boarding of my flight was announced. I finished my breakfast and went to the ground level where the gates are located. There was a huge line, since they open the gates and security checks when there is a flight. Inside I could spot the new VIP lounge, they opened a couple of months ago.
As we joke in Spanish, ROS is a ‘tank top’ airport (as it doesn’t hav ‘sleeves’) …because it doesn’t have jet ways. So, the boarding process was through stairs. My seat was 24F so I boarded on the back side. Now they are building a new Terminal for international flights, they say it will have jet ways.
Once inside the aircraft I found the security instructions attached to the table. On the pockets there were the Buy on Board menus. The prices were ok compared to the airport. There were adverts on the luggage compartments.
The flight was pretty full, but thankfully the two seats on my row were free. On the flight back home, it happened the same. I got moved to row number 4 (due to plane balancing they said), with no seat neighbors.
Minutes before take off the crew introduced themselves., they sounded very relaxed and informal. They made the security demonstration, and the captain announced the flight would take and hour and a half.
At 12.05 we took off heading north. We had some short views of Rosario and Rosario-Victoria Bridge.
Then we turned west, I could spot Santa Fe and Parana cities.
The flight happened, uneventfully. Half an hour after takeoff the FAs offered started selling products from the menu. But I didn’t need to buy anything.
Minutes before 1 pm we started seeing mountains and the captain announced we were descending.
Finally, at 13.25, we landed.
We headed to the Terminal. Before opening the doors, the chief FA said goodbye and invited us to follow Flybondi on their social media to be aware of discounts and promotions. He told us that this aircraft is named ‘Max’ because of the winner of a contest´s pet. He also asked who was flying for the first time and asked them to raise a hand, then asked us all for an applause. He thanks this to the Freedom of Flying (La Libertad de Volar, Flybondi´s motto).
We got off through stairs and went directly to the luggage delivery area. Minutes later I took my shuttle to the city.
Before I say goodbye, I leave a bonus of pics from my trip.
It was a nice flight experience, besides the unnoticed reschedule. The interiors of the plane were OK. The attitude of the FA was very kind. And the flight was on time. I would fly Flybondi again, and I hope they launch more routes from Rosario in the future.
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Hola Viajero, thanks for this exotic (to me) report! It's always cool to see South American reports. It funny to see split scimitar winglets on a plane without Boeing Sky Interior, but I guess they must have retrofitted them onto the aircraft.
Awesome bonus pics. I had no idea there was such a large salt flat outside of Bolivia.
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Awesome bonus pics. I had no idea there was such a large salt flat outside of Bolivia.
The Salar is amazing! It´s one of Argentina´s wonders.
Cheers!
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