Review of Avianca flight from Cusco to Lima in Business

Let's continue this trip with some intra Peruvian flights!

CUSCO (CUZ)

After a more than wonderful stay in Cusco, it is already time to go down to sea level. I had not that much problem with altitude sickness apart being short of breath after climbing steps. It is pretty easy to forget that your are at 3'500 meters high.

As I arrived at the airport I immediately noticed that the building is very torn and old. A new airport is scheduled to be build in Chinchero. While I fully see the need to have a new airport, Cusco's airport has absolutely no room for anything, being in the middle of the town, the Chinchero location is a perfect non sense. That time, it would be in the middle of archeological ruins, another non sense. Furthermore, Chinchero is even higher than Cusco and 30KM away from Cusco with a very dangereous road from and between.

Maybe the best idea would be to limit traffic at CUZ, renovate the airport and stay with that. But the debate is almost never ending.

As said, the airport is surrounded by the town:

Quick pit stop at the check in counter, no wait, attentive service, easy :)

Landside:

Thank you but no thank you :)

There is one international service, daily, to BOG from CUZ:

The way to the domestic departures and right the international departure (no "s" here as there is only one daily flight to BOG operated by Avianca. In fact, my plane arrives from BOG!)

This way up:

Security was a breeze, you can keep your liquids in the bag and taking water with you is allowed. Some shops before it:

Airside:

Only one flight is delayed today. Guess who it is?

I liked the Happy Valentine's day screen mode :)

That is the boarding room, not really fancy:

The lavatories were clean but a bit smelly :)

Travel docs with a nice Machu Picchu stamp in my passport!

I wasn't aware that there was a small lounge in the airport so waited near my gate. Wasn't that big deal as I arrived at the airport only an hour before departure and the time to clear check in and controls, boarding was in 15".

LCP Peru is longer gone:

Also gone by now:

That's my plane:

the flight

Boarding started on time and I could spot this nice CRJ200 Amazonas:

Through the boarding bridge:

Smilling welcome at the door, here is the business class of this bird:

We are only 4 passengers for 12 seats, I initially sat row 2 but moved to row 3 to be alone :)

There is an IFE but no headsets were provided.

Old school seat controls, only one works, the one at the far right is working:

Handset:

Duty free brochure from the previous leg:

Safety card:

Onboard magazine, but only in Spanish, not really good.

Avianca fleet:

A route map a bit weird with Europe left from America :(

My seat mate is still with me :)

PSU:

LATAM old livery:

Pushing back:

The buildings are so close:

The 319 just left and an A320 pulls in:

Seat recline:

Lateral view:

The seat recline is quite genereous:

The plane has moodlighting:

On time push back:

The safety video is played:

Viva Air:

We had to wait for a while, with one runway and almost no taxiway, the holding time can be a bit long.

Runway 10 today, and as always in Cusco:

A playgroud absolutely suitable for AvGeeks:

We had to give way to a landing LATAM Airbus:

Here it is:

The approach is impressive:

Here it is:

We weren't the only ones to wait:

Leaving the runway:

Our turn!

Max trust mandatory due to the runway elevation:

Two hours delay for this Peruvian bird :

Off we go:

The climb is very slow:

And the scenary wonderful:

.

We reached the clouds too soon for me :(

I used the IFE as moving map, since we had no headsets:

Front view:

Small tablet:

Some more outside views:

I quickly go to the bathroom, there is breads in the galley and the oven is turned on. I would be much surprised if we get a hotmeal on this super short sector.

Front door:

The lavatories are clean but no business touch here:

Ready for the meal :)

The hostess offers the choice between only coke, diet coke, water, coffee, tea or .. rhum. Diet coke for me.

Served with lime but in a plastic cup. Not that business class …

And this is it. No hotmeal, nor even peanuts. The bread and the meals in the oven were crew meals :(
That is really much too light, I wasn't expecting a meal but at least a snack, something!!!

Lima is nearing

What a wonderful day today!

Air to air with LATAM below:

The coast:

Slats:

LIM is in sight:

Still don't want to go for a swimm here:

Slats, reverse and spoilers:

LAN + TAM = LATAM :

Peruvian:

Viva:

Last view of the seat, the only good part of the trip!

Jet bridge to exit the plane:

The way out is pretty simple and easy:

Peruvian again late with Jauja and 05H late, Arequipa 01H50 … Tarapoto is only 15' late, that would mean : ontime for them ^^

Waiting for my luggage:

That will arrive as last, despite the priority tag :)